''Twas the P-day before Christmas

Everyone keeps saying that Christmas is this next Sunday, but I'm just chilling in El Paso thinking "nah, there isn't any snow on the ground, it's still mid-October"  But that's what the weather is like down here-- mid-October for Idaho!  It's hilarious!

I did not get the most mail at zone conference (in fact, I didn't get any at zone conference), but I had a flippin CRAP TON last Monday.  At zone sports they had the two packages- the cereal one and the Christmas tree one, and like 3 letters for me, but due to the change in mail policy in the mission, I got the rest of it all in our mailbox later that day, including the ward one.  I'm still not sure if I read through all the letters!! 

But as for the main events this week, I got kissed on the cheek by a dude from Lebanon while I was on exchanges- so Elder Palomino also got one, but Elder Dunn managed to dodge his when we met with the guy again, so I got two.  I guess it's a sign of respect and love- something they would do to show others that they think of that person as a son.  I guess he thinks of me as his son or something.  XD  (and he's probably gonna be baptized, he already had a Book of Mormon in Arabic)

Gary's a solid beast!  He quit smoking and started chewing gum instead, but that only lasted a week.  That's right- he no longer needs the gum!!  He's inviting nonmember friends to his baptism, and he's just epic!!

It's halfway through the transfer, and it's super weird to think of!!  And after the last week, I know that God is a God of Order (and miracles)- check this out:

So we got a media referral, so someone had gone online and order a BoM or a Bible, we got to go deliver it and try to share our message with them.  The lady that it was for is named Ivette (or Hilda) and she had been taught before and was on date to be baptized, but she had to move from her old place because of a bad situation.  Guess where she moved from?  Better yet, which mission??  None other than the Nebraska Omaha mission, where Elders Westenskow, Ohlsen and Adams, from my district in the MTC are serving, and Elder Winward from back home is serving!!  If any of those 4 know Sisters Milne and Atkins, tell them that we are doing our best to meet with her, but she's super busy!!

Don't ever forget that God loves you, and that we need to leave the 99 and go after the one- that's our brother or sister we need to help!!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!!

--

Elder Eli James Dial