One of those weeks where I can't think of what to title my email.

Hiowa!

Family, it was so great to hear from you this week! I love Christmas, but I missed you people quite a bit. Luckily, we saw a million and a half Christmas miracles this week, so it was made up for! I'll spin you a wonderful story of post Christmas cheer.

Elder Brown opening Christmas presents

The sisters in our district have a part member family that they have been working with for quite some time now. The mother was a member, but the father has been taking missionary discussions for the better part of a year. After 7 and a half months of consistent teaching by the sisters, Br**n was finally baptized on Saturday. Elder Ontiveros and I attended the baptism and it was a wonderful service, BUT! That is not even the crazy miracle.

His district as seen through Elder Brown's eyes
(He's the tiny one on Elder O's Shoulder)

The very same night, we were walking back to our apartment for the end of our night, and we received a text from the sisters saying, "Elder Brown, we need a baptismal interview tomorrow." Nothing else! No who, no when, no why, and then they wouldn't even tell us anything more until like ten o clock that night when they finally told us that another part member family they had been working with (the daughter was the non member and had been actively attending church for 18 months) had decided finally that it was time for her to get baptized. They set her baptismal date for the following day, and she was baptized yesterday, only 17 hours after she decided to get baptized! Not only that, but you have to understand how cool this is. Our Zone leaders live an hour and a half from Kirksville, and they couldn't have done the baptismal interview in time. Elder Ontiveros and I serve in the same ward as the sisters, and I try to meet everyone that stands in my path at church. We have tracted into two different member families and contacted three on the street. WE HAVE MET LIKE EVERYONE! Now, if I had had any sort of communication with the girl to have caused me to be biased toward her getting baptized, someone else would have had to interview her, but I HAD NEVER TALKED TO HER! I was able to do the interview. It was awesome.

Now, Elder Barton and Elder Dumais told me they have a sixteen year old in their ward who is another part member family, and he wa

nts to get baptized so badly. They are going to baptize him tomorrow if all goes well. I'm in shock. This is craziness.

I love you all! Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

By the way, Dad, It's really pretty sad not to be able to play the guitar. I feel like I won't be able to play anything when I get back. We met this one guy recently that has like 8 guitars and we are beginning to teach him, so hopefully it will be a good avenue to work through. Nobody has asked me to sing or play or anything. Not super surprising.

I love you all!

Elder Brown

PS.

Elder O and Elder B