On Sunday we were teaching Mattie (she got baptized in September) about Family History.  At first she wasn't very interested, but then we started sharing stories from our families and the Spirit of Elijah started working on her, so by the time she left, she was excited to get started!  We decided to check out the family history library at our ward building so we could help our investigators.  It was neat!  Sis Peck found pictures of her relatives and said, "I'm not related to just names!  I'm actually related to people!"  She's always making us laugh :)  Family History is awesome!  

We got to help at the bishop's store house this week and had a great time!  I was a little nervous because I didn't know what to expect, but it was a blast!  It was neat to think of all the people we were helping too!

The best thing that happened this week was that Joe got a calling and the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday!  He is so excited to serve as a primary teacher and to learn as he's teaching.  It's been so neat to see his progression in the gospel and his desire to keep learning so he can bless his family!

This week had it's ups and downs, but it ended on a really good note-- with a  baptism! I met Joe and Brandon tracking just 10 days after I arrived in the area back in October.  We were early to an appointment so we decided to knock a few houses in the area and we ran into Joe!  We taught him a few days later and he's been reading the Book of Mormon ever since.   It's been neat to see their conversion process.  Brandon has the faith of a child-- so simple yet strong.  He's already looking forward to getting the priesthood and serving a mission one day.  Joe's conversion was much more gradual, but he is so strong and so excited to be part of the church-- I can just see him being a strong contributing member of the ward for years to come.  They came the next day for their confirmation and the spirit was also so strong.  

Some of the missionaries have a baptism song they sing to the tune of "You've had a birthday" that's fun:

"You have a baptism shout hurray!

We want to sing to you today.

One more soul to enter God's kingdom!

Have a happy (clap) baptism"

Yes it's a little cheesy, but it's so exciting to think of two more souls being able to enter God's kingdom because they chose to get baptized.  We're so excited for Brother and Brother Feliciano!   

 Joe and Brandon's baptism

This is the sunsphere which was built for the 1982 World's Fair.

Hello!

 

It's been a snowy and cold week here!  It got down to 1 degree Fahrenheit this week!  It snowed a little bit on Monday-- enough that they cancelled school on Tuesday (Monday was still break) and Wednesday.  It's so funny because it was not that much snow-- I wish we got as many snow days as they have here.

 

Joe and Brandon had their baptism interviews this week and both passed with flying colors, so now it's official-- they are getting baptized this Saturday!!  They're so excited, we're so excited, and the ward is so excited!  Brandon's back in town after a three week trip to see his mom-- we're glad he's back!  He's a little spit ball ;)  He taught me how to make those rubber bracelets this week-- pictures to come. 

 

 

One evening when we were on our own for dinner, we punched in the closest food place and it took us to Burger King.  While we were eating our food, one of the workers came up to us and said, "I noticed that you are church people, could I ask you some questions?"  um, YES!  PLEASE ask us your questions!  We talked to him for a few minutes and left him with a Book of Mormon and he said he wanted to meet with us again!  In PMG it says that Heavenly Father is leading us to people or leading people to us who are ready to hear the gospel.  It is so true!  I'm so grateful he put Tedd in our path and are excited to teach him!

 Christmas Morning

 Emily and Sister Knapp - a less active sister Emily is working with

The Bordon family invited Emily over for Christmas Eve.

Happy New Year!  I'm excited for the new year with new adventures to come!  

We're working with a part member family-- the Frasers-- and we were able to meet with them a few times this week.  Josh was a member growing up, but hasn't been to church in 20 years. His wife, Erica, isn't a member. They have two cute young kids who are a lot of fun.  They've been meeting with missionaries since August but they're making slow progress. I am happy they are still progressing!  They just started coming back to church and have been every week they've been in town for the last transfer!  Erica is reading the Book of Mormon and knows it couldn't have just been made up by Joseph Smith but she doesn't think that she has her "answer" yet. We asked her husband how he felt-- they are reading it together!!-- and he said that it had been a while since he started reading it this time, but the more he reads, the more he remembers that it's true!  They act like a Mormon family and I can just see them being active members of the ward.  When they came to church, so many people came up to them and said hi and were very welcoming and we kept introducing them to even more people. Hopefully they'll be ready to stay for all three meetings soon! 

Joe is still doing well and we are excited to have Brandon back this week!  Brandon's been up at his mom's house for the past 2 weeks, but he is back as of last night and we are seeing them tonight!  They are so excited to be members and Joe wants to be more involved in missionary work already!  They are great :)

There was a "snow storm" last night and we have a quarter to a half an inch of snow so the library closed, Walmart was empty, and we are emailing at the Mac Store today!  It's funny how things are so different over here! I love Knoxville, I love West Hills, I love being a missionary!