Year 1, Week 21: 10 N.I. in a Day!

Hey Fam...

First, thanks all for the Birthday wishes on the 21st! It was a great day. Taught a lesson on keeping the Sabbath day holy, obeying the law of the land, and then Chastity. Everybody makes it seem that Chastity lessons are so awkward but in reality.. They're not that awkward. Just say what needs to be said and that is that! We have started planning Tania's baptism. Her husband Alberto is planning on talking with the Bishop to see if he can become a priest so he can baptize his wife into the church. She should be all ready to go by the 11th of January.

Other than that, on my birthday we went to a soup kitchen to do some service, did studies, and then went to the Vogels. She made Salad and Alfredo with zucchini noodles. She had a big, thick, rib eye steak for me to grill. I grilled it to a beautiful medium rare and dipped it in Avocado Ranch!!! Pretty Legit! We spent the rest of the night there with the other 2 Elders.

The day before was our Christmas Zone Conference in Belmont, MA. That is where the temple is. We had breakfast and lunch and then went to the temple. I did an endowment session, sealings, and initiatories?? However that's spelled. Mom you can correct it! That morning I woke up at 3:30 and drove the 2 1/2 hours to Belmont, did the Conference and temple and got back at 10:42!! Long day!! Then woke up at 6:30 the next day!! Haha!

I was a little nervous that I was going to be homesick after talking on Christmas, but I wasn't. 40 min. is definitely not long enough.. But I understand that they don't want you spending to much time. Sister Vogel got to talk to her son in Cambodia for 2 hours.Christmas eve was full of Finding! We had a challenge and goal to find 21 N.I. as a district. When the 24th came around we had 10/21. With hard work and miracles from the Lord we picked up 10 N.I. in a day!! That is how we spent Christmas Eve! Last night we finished at the Crooks and went home. Nothing else happened. When I called you guys it was almost 6 so when the other elders finished it was about 8. So the drive home / cleaning up our gifts and such at the other Elders, that finished the night. Members we went to: breakfast with the Masons, lunch with the Haltermans (second counselor in the bishopric, and then to Crooks for dinner.) We opened gifts with the English Elders, Elder Davis and Elder Goodman. We took turns (photo below is all our gifts combined)

Spending Christmas in the mission was pretty great! It wasn't bad at all! Being a missionary... In Hartford I LOVED it! I had gotten used to the schedule, the members, and everything about it. Coming to Waterbury really shook it up especially with a new companion, new area, and not having the other 2 Spanish elders living with us. I am starting to get used to it again though so that's good

All of the Libraries will be closed next Monday so we will email on Tuesday!

Love ya,

Elder Bushman