December 5, 2011

Hello,

I am sending you this email early because I have been worried about the letter that I was supposed to write for the Missionary Connection Newsletter. I'm not sure if it’s late but for some reason I think it is. Anyway I'm sending it to all of you.

Hello and Merry Christmas to all the West Side missionaries!!

It's so cool to think about all of you out there. It´s even cooler that we are all working for the same cause. I am still loving Mexico and loving being a missionary - I am even learning to enjoy the hard things that I have to do. Time seems to be flying by. I just barely hit my 13 month mark! I am grateful for the opportunities that come to learn and grow every day. I love this time of year and I am excited to see how the Christmas spirit will help us in our labors. I have been thinking about the Christmas story and one part in particular has called my attention - when the angel appears to the shepherd and says "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." I wanted to share this with all of you because as missionaries we have an opportunity to bring good tidings of great joy to all people that we come in contact with. Christ is our Savior and Lord and we are in all parts of the world serving him. May God bless each one of you this Christmas season and I will be praying that we can all have a "White Christmas".

Love,
Elder Waite

Well that’s that. I like reading the messages from all the other missionaries but I don’t like to write it. I’ll write you all a little more, later today.

Later. . .

Hello Family!!

I am really sorry about what happened last week with my email, the time ended before I was done and the guy was going to charge me 10 more pesos to use it longer and I'm cheap about things like that so I just sent it. No I haven't gotten any packages yet. They tell me there are hundreds in the offices. I hope you all enjoyed the Christmas Devotional from the first presidency, I was really glad some investigators showed up so we could go with them.

How is everybody doing? I really hope you are all staying well. Dad, is it getting cold there yet? How many animals do we have now? When do the girls get off for school? Mom, that’s neat about your new job. I hope you are taking notes about jerky making so we can better the jerked venison. Hannah, does Jr miss start yet, or are you not going to do it? Are you in the play? Maren, What books have you been reading lately? How is being a big ol' 8th grader? Hallie, the last time I saw you, you had curley hair, what do you have now? How is Belle? I don't know if you remember but you gave me a missionary marble. I still have it and I have carried it every day of my mission. Sadie, are you taking good care of Janie and including her in the playing time? How is it not having to sleep with Hallie anymore? if I remember right she snored... maybe you do to. Janie... GET out of TOWN!!! Are you being good and singing lots to make everybody happy with your little voice? Are you keeping Mom good company while the others are in school?

This week went very well for us. I'm not sure how the next week is going to turn out but I felt satisfied for a little while for the work we did. Irma finally got baptized!! We have been working with her for a really long time. The kids are still in the air right now but I have faith that the heart of the dad will be softened. There are lots of people that can progress that we have right now. I don't know if I told you about Gloria and her husband Pedro. We were teaching them a while ago but Pedro was really sick and it just wasn't time. We stopped by on Saturday and Pedro was pretty much all better. They were really happy to see us and there was just a really good feeling there. I hope they start progressing again. We also have another guy called Helios, he has some problems but we are working with him and his family. I don't know if I told you about the guy from Indianapolis that we met. He is pretty cool but he was super lost. He can barely speak Spanish and has been here for about 3 years - he might be another one of the people who keeps progressing this week.

Anyway the work is going on. I am enjoying myself here. I have been studying about my purpose a lot lately and have enjoyed the focusing that it has given me. I like having a definite purpose and something that we need to do. I would also recommend a study of Moroni 7. I hope you are all enjoying the Christmas time and spirit that there is, not to mention Mom’s cinnamon rolls. I love you all, and I wish you all the best.

Love,
Elder Waite

PS - Peace on earth, and good will to all men.