Merry December!

Hello family!

I wish you a merry December! the first Presidency Christmas Devotional was awesome!! We got to watch it last night!

What lessons do you feel you learned best in Zarumilla?

I feel like I learned loads and loads about the Christlike Attribute of Knowledge. I had two spectacular companions that focused a lot on expanding their knowledge. First off, Elder Corpona would not sacrifice his personal study for the world, and CONSTANTLY used scriptures in lessons. Elder Encarnacion studied everything. He read the Book of Mormon within a week at one point. And also the New Testament within one transfer. And lots of other books and we always talked about doctrine. He would try to trick me a lot about doctrine. He would even get the whole District in on it. He once told me that the Islamic religion comes from the genealogy of Ishmael (1 Nefi). I knew it was not true but he fought it off long and hard, then Elder Moses confirmed it and told me to check out the Institute manual about it. When I started searching frantically they all started laughing. Elder Moses also knows a ton of doctrine. But I say that now I have grown a good deal in knowledge, and a real strong desire to constantly learn more spiritually.

What are you most excited about experiencing in your new area?

This ward is strong. We got a girl with a baptismal date, and the other companionship in our district has 3 with baptismal dates! I am most excited that is seems to be really progressing here! We found 8 new investigators even this week!! We got to really organize our missionary forces and focus well, and if we do that and get settled, we can really take care of business.

What is the most interesting/funny thing that happened to you this week?

Well, this Sunday we were walking to find a family we contacted in the street and on the other side of the street there was a group of young hoodlums and one of them yelled out "HEY! GRINGO! TEACH ME THE WORD! (to say the scriptures or such)" And normally we just shrug it off when it is just kids or whoever just yells out GRINGO!!! But in the Zone Conference we talked about not wasting any opportunity. So I was like, "Hey Elder, lets go talk to them. Let's go give them the word." So we started walking over and the majority went running into the house. 3 stayed outside and we talked a bit. We were like "you guys like internet?" "Yeah!" "Alright, then you guys gotta check out this video. check out this URL, it is a video about Jesus Christ. Watch it, share it, and if you want to learn more, we are always walking around here, you can just flag us down." And they were like "yeah cool."

It was a real fun contact! I am making lots of friends with all the people who yell out GRINGO here. We have a special bond, I always yell out to them a big QUÈ TAL! BUENOS DÌAS! :)

Elder Villalba is awesome. I am his third companion and this is his first time to have to teach a new companion an area. He seems like a youngster, he has his fair deal of voice cracks, haha, but he is awesome. He loves music (we are the only 2 in the zone who play piano, he is self taught.) He has his harmonica just like me but he plays his a lot more. He is very personable and loving. But awesome. We've still gotta get the hang of one another but I think we are gonna have an AWESOME Christmas. Here they have been working with lots of Investigators. The big trick we've gotta work out here is organizing the forces. Also I love to work with less actives so we will quickly be coordinating with the ward on magnifying our role with that.

A massive strength of this Ward is the youth programs, and YSA! It is unlike anything I have seen in my past areas, it is really awesome. And the ward is really getting down on fellowshipping investigators and less actives. The bishop is spot on.

Well, we don't have much time today... We gotta go to Catacaos to buy me a new bag... That is another story for another day... haha But I will be sure to send pictures next week!

Love you all!!

Elder Russell