12/19 Looking

Merry Christmas! It has been a good week, difficult, but the sheer spirit of Christmas and grit of two determined missionaries has helped push us up and through. As the work goes, A ended up not being in our area, so we turned him over this week, he is doing well and even has a baptismal date! S, who was scheduled to be baptized this week, dropped us. Didn't give much to the why and how, but that was tough for us, as well Brother X has been avoiding us and we didn't get to see him this week. There went most of our investigators! We have been trying to find some new ones via the street and members, where we saw many miracles this week. We ran into a member from NY who was baptized just this year in a Mandarin branch there who was with her sister and daughter.  We got their contact info and they want to come to church! Finding has been a little bit of a struggle.  I have been trying to talk to more people and get numbers, so I have been trying to go with it and show and lead in opportunities when we can, which has actually been quite successful recently. Less active work hopefully will take a pick up. We have spent some time after church and at some of the parties this week discussing with leaders how the ward is and how we can strengthen it. The ward demographics are all over the place, but priesthood holders are few, with many leaving right after sacrament. Those right now are kind of the people we are going to focus on, in getting more people here will to get callings. There is a great lack now and our ward really needs the support. We have been preparing and helping pass the sacrament recently which is surprising, because it shows how few priesthood holders there are. So the work right now is leaning toward strengthening semi-actives, their families and then other members. I believe there is a work to do here, and that's the right direction from the ward leaders with the keys, so we will go to work! Even if it means we have to shovel snow every other night at the church for the old folks! Just kidding, there is no snow here! haha Lots to do. There it is, a good Christmas season. I am excited to see my family, the Zone seems to be doing well, everyone really is progressing, and the work is being done in all facets that we can accomplish right now. 

 My favorite thing from this week, was something our Gospel principles teacher said, "We all seek after many things, much of it being power and leadership or authority, but do you realize that you already have it? Parenthood. Isn't that as much as it gets? Everything else is trivial to the effect you have and the responsibility to love and serve." (paraphrased and translated from Bro T). We have so much to be grateful for this season, what Christ and God have given us. I know he lives, he loves us. He started in the most humble of means and look and what He did. Let us go out and serve. Be what He wants us to be. 

I love you all! Merry Christmas!

Love Elder Sargent

Ever Stalwart