i've got all your gold!

Last week came and went real fast. We had snow on Saturday night, so that coupled with all the town's Christmas decorations and I'm in the height of the season. Definitely the time to think of home the most. I'm not homesick or anything just...more aware of it. The year has certainly gone by fast, but I have plenty of time to talk about that later.

Snow. Outside.

The snow was pretty cool. We were basically praying for it cause we just really want a white Christmas here. It was all melted by the time church got out but still. It's also been very cold lately. And windy. Cold windy. I've been wearing that sweater Jacob sent pretty much everyday and it's helping. But I definitely want a hat for Christmas. Just like a plain black beanie or something. I didn't know we could wear those but apparently we can. I've been using Elder Christensen's extra one for now but eventually I'd like my own.

We did some serious leaf raking last week. First we did it for an investigator, then a potential asked us to, then a lady was driving by while we were doing that and asked if we charged to rake leaves. We said no and set up a time to rake hers, but then she told her friend and so we'll be doing both of theirs. We're trying to not become the local leaf raking service so we'll have to put the brakes on if others try and jump in here, but we figured there's been crazier ways people have been introduced to the gospel. Maybe something will come of it. Maybe not. Either way our hands will suffer. And it will be cold.

Me jumping into a pile of leaves
with a real dumb look on my face.
There was no one around.

Oh, I also went back to the foot doctor and had another ingrown toenail removed. It was on the same toe, just the other side. This one was A LOT more painful than the last one, which allowed for a very painful thanksgiving weekend cause the foot doctor was closed the whole time so I just had to walk on it. The nearest Patient First was an hour away so we were told to just wait for an appointment with the Petersburg guy. The needles going in seemed to be a lot more painful this time. I kind of went crazy in there and started humming Silent Night and asking weird questions about what they were doing. I think I just go nuts when I'm in a lot of pain. But now it feels better and I'm walking right again. For a while I was the limping, coughing, groaning sidekick to my companion. Not cool.

The area's doing pretty good though. Charles came back early in the week so we talked to him a couple times. He stopped reading and living the commandments while we was away cause he just started moping around and shutting himself off but he knew what he had to do. He's back in Norfolk now so we think it's just to get the operation done finally but we're not sure. Plus we've gotten a couple investigators that are essentially member referrals that we'll start teaching so things are looking up right now. We were looking back at all the people we've dropped since we've been here and it's a very large amount, relatively speaking. Our soon-to-be new zone leader is the same missionary that we replaced here so we're a little afraid of some "why aren't you teaching this person" or "why aren't more people at church" garbage. Oh well. We'll deal with it.

Hm, what else. We're allowed to text now. I guess that's cool. Oh, we did watch one of those Living Scriptures videos this morning. Nephi and the Brass Plates. I remember those videos way too well. We'll probably borrow some more next week too. Little pleasures.

That's about it really.

-Elder Parker