Mom,
Ha, the first line of your email appeared like this in my inbox: "I'm going to make this one short as I just fell down the stairs and am going to need to go..." I thought you broke your arm again or something and were headed to the hospital, goodness gracious. [I had just fallen before sitting down to write Stewart and said I was going to have to "go sit in the hot tub". I am a dedicated Missionary Mom, but I would not have sat down with the computer to write him before going to the hospital if necessary! Honestly! BTW, I am just a bit bruised and sore...no serious damage done.]
Well, that sucks about my USB. I would really like to have it looked at in a clean room and get the photo's off of it. Have you looked at a quote for that? Or does it even look like we could get anything off of it anyway?
In that case, though, I would like to get the music from you that you sent a while back, specifically Christmas music, since I still don't have anything to listen to :) I've just set up a free dropbox account (do you know what dropbox is?) [Yes...I have a dropbox]. It has a 2GB limit on it, but as I take things off of it, you can put more on. I'll be able to get any file that you'd like to send pretty much immediately. If you could, make the first batch you send some Christmas music :) I'll make it a general rule that when I receive something there, I'll take it off of the dropbox, that way you know that I've downloaded it and received it.
I'm on the lookout for a pre-Christmas package :)
Thanksgiving - It was very English, ha. We went over to the Brownes, an English family in the ward, for actual dinner. They made us a very, very good Sunday roast, in classic English style. As for our event in the Visitor's Centre, the directors of the Centre took us out to a turkey lunch. It was a good slice of home, ha :) Never been so happy that someone was American.
Christmas Projects - Everything is finally coming to a head this week, which is really good.because this week begins the first two of four Temple trips across the mission. Hopefully everything comes off the press early this week and we're able to get everyone a Christmas booklet and all of President's gifts. It's been good to finish and have a load of stress relieved.
Christmas Day - Yeah, we've had a few invites, but President has really stressed us spending our Christmas with those who truly need the missionaries, and in a way that we are not focused on ourselves. We've been pondering and considering how we're going to spend this Christmas, and a few members, less actives, and investigators have come to mind that we know we need to visit. So, we'll be where the Lord needs us for Christmas.
Our week was very spirit filled. We've been doing a lot of work training the Zone. We've lost a lot of experienced missionaries, and so our Zone is very young. Coming back to the basics with everyone has been a real eye-opener to what is truly important and effective in missionary work :)
Stake conference in the Crawley Stake was this week, with Elder Keiron of the Quorum of the Seventy speaking. He is wonderfully personable, with a gift to remember your face and everything about you after having met with you for only a few moments. When he talks from the pulpit, it's like he's talking with you instead of at you. I would love to gain that gift of the Spirit, ha.
As we drive, we have been listening to talks centred on the Atonement for Christmas. All of my insights in my studies lately have been on the Atonement, and what it truly means to believe Christ, not just believe in Him. Believing Christ really means you acknowledge your imperfection and recognize you cannot achieve perfection or salvation on your own. Any other method lacks faith that Jesus Christ can do what He's said. That's what Faith in Jesus Christ really is: believing that He can do what He promised.
Well, I haven't got much more to say for now. I've learned a lot these past few weeks, and grown as well. My capacity to love and care about those around me has grown through the roof. I just love the missionaries and people of this mission so much, especially those we are privileged to work with in this Zone. They are incredible, and there is really no way to thank them or give them credit for what they do. They really do a marvelous work and a wonder in the eyes of the Lord.
Love you, I'll let you know when we get closer to Christmas how we'll sort out Skype.
Love,
Elder Foster
Ha, the first line of your email appeared like this in my inbox: "I'm going to make this one short as I just fell down the stairs and am going to need to go..." I thought you broke your arm again or something and were headed to the hospital, goodness gracious. [I had just fallen before sitting down to write Stewart and said I was going to have to "go sit in the hot tub". I am a dedicated Missionary Mom, but I would not have sat down with the computer to write him before going to the hospital if necessary! Honestly! BTW, I am just a bit bruised and sore...no serious damage done.]
Well, that sucks about my USB. I would really like to have it looked at in a clean room and get the photo's off of it. Have you looked at a quote for that? Or does it even look like we could get anything off of it anyway?
In that case, though, I would like to get the music from you that you sent a while back, specifically Christmas music, since I still don't have anything to listen to :) I've just set up a free dropbox account (do you know what dropbox is?) [Yes...I have a dropbox]. It has a 2GB limit on it, but as I take things off of it, you can put more on. I'll be able to get any file that you'd like to send pretty much immediately. If you could, make the first batch you send some Christmas music :) I'll make it a general rule that when I receive something there, I'll take it off of the dropbox, that way you know that I've downloaded it and received it.
I'm on the lookout for a pre-Christmas package :)
Thanksgiving - It was very English, ha. We went over to the Brownes, an English family in the ward, for actual dinner. They made us a very, very good Sunday roast, in classic English style. As for our event in the Visitor's Centre, the directors of the Centre took us out to a turkey lunch. It was a good slice of home, ha :) Never been so happy that someone was American.
Christmas Projects - Everything is finally coming to a head this week, which is really good.because this week begins the first two of four Temple trips across the mission. Hopefully everything comes off the press early this week and we're able to get everyone a Christmas booklet and all of President's gifts. It's been good to finish and have a load of stress relieved.
Christmas Day - Yeah, we've had a few invites, but President has really stressed us spending our Christmas with those who truly need the missionaries, and in a way that we are not focused on ourselves. We've been pondering and considering how we're going to spend this Christmas, and a few members, less actives, and investigators have come to mind that we know we need to visit. So, we'll be where the Lord needs us for Christmas.
Our week was very spirit filled. We've been doing a lot of work training the Zone. We've lost a lot of experienced missionaries, and so our Zone is very young. Coming back to the basics with everyone has been a real eye-opener to what is truly important and effective in missionary work :)
Stake conference in the Crawley Stake was this week, with Elder Keiron of the Quorum of the Seventy speaking. He is wonderfully personable, with a gift to remember your face and everything about you after having met with you for only a few moments. When he talks from the pulpit, it's like he's talking with you instead of at you. I would love to gain that gift of the Spirit, ha.
As we drive, we have been listening to talks centred on the Atonement for Christmas. All of my insights in my studies lately have been on the Atonement, and what it truly means to believe Christ, not just believe in Him. Believing Christ really means you acknowledge your imperfection and recognize you cannot achieve perfection or salvation on your own. Any other method lacks faith that Jesus Christ can do what He's said. That's what Faith in Jesus Christ really is: believing that He can do what He promised.
Well, I haven't got much more to say for now. I've learned a lot these past few weeks, and grown as well. My capacity to love and care about those around me has grown through the roof. I just love the missionaries and people of this mission so much, especially those we are privileged to work with in this Zone. They are incredible, and there is really no way to thank them or give them credit for what they do. They really do a marvelous work and a wonder in the eyes of the Lord.
Love you, I'll let you know when we get closer to Christmas how we'll sort out Skype.
Love,
Elder Foster