Al's Christmas letter

Hello Whanau means family in Maori language. This week was an interesting week for all of us missionaries. We were all able to call our families which made the week even better. It was good to hear from family and to hear that everyone is still keeping themselves busy. This year has just gone by fast and seeing people grown and seeing a lot of different challenges being thrown at us. There is probably no harder work that I have ever done in my whole life and missionary work is the toughest, now I know why people say "it will be two years of a life time of experience". While on the phone with my family I was a little bit tired but that is okay because just hearing their voices gave me back that extra boost to keep on going.

On Christmas eve we went to breakfast at our Stake Presidents house with all the other missionaries. We all met up at his house around nine in the morning and were surprised with the food that was laid out for us. It was a good time for all of us missionaries to spend time with one another and the members. We started playing this hand game that my companion and I learned from little girls so we introduced it to the other missionaries, it was a game to never to be forgotten. Lets just say that I didn't come in last place in this game, representing the Thorpe family pretty well at card games and hand games. We later had to leave to go to the chapel with two other Elders to spend Christmas with their bishop and his family. The Christmas music was up, the family were taking nativity pictures, and kids and adults were dancing to the music. We were then asked to go up to the breakfast table to load our plates up with food, round two of food was not as bad as I thought it would be. Elder Hall and I then went to another members house of ours and had lunch with them. You could say lunch was longer than usually because our stomachs were already getting bigger. The McClugages family played some card games with us while we were waiting on another member to come up to take us to their house. We played three to four hands of cards that I finally at the last hand did come in last place. After hanging out with the McClugages, my companion and I headed to the farthest part of our area, near the bushes on the edge of the Island were we can almost touch the water. We spent our last visit with the Mahaga Family eating, yes last but not least, dinner. Surprisingly we were hungry enough to eat all of our food on our plates. Elder Hall and I played more card games with the kids and the adults. The Mahaga have seven kids. The oldest is 23 years old and the youngest is seven years old. We later went outside in their yard. The view is awesome, you could see the whole ocean, they lived on top of a hill and it was beautiful, the sun was coming down and we were all playing four on four rugby touch. Nothing like playing rugby during the night time in the bushes to call it a Christmas. The members took good care of us and gave us gifts each time we would be at their places, we didn't ask for any but the moms here do take good care of us. Best Christmas I have ever had in a long time, traveling from place to place, playing games, and remembering the importance of Christmas, spending time with the families and always remembering our Savior.  

During the week Elder Hall and I were able to see some miracles. My companion had an impression to go by one of our former investigators house to go check up on his dad but really instead of the dad, their son Jerome who we gave to the sisters to teach because he earlier moved in the sisters area is now back in our area. He told us that while living in his new place he was being bullied by other gang members. He had all his stuff stolen, tv, food, and bed gear. Jerome also told us that he didn't have his family to spend Christmas with because they were all gone. Right there at that moment he started to cry, he was lonely, scared and could not reach us and he wanted to call us but didn't have any credit to. I went over and gave Jerome the biggest hug ever. Here was this 23 year old looking for help and we were able to follow the spirit and be directed in his direction. I am so grateful to be able to be worthy enough to hold the priesthood because right there we offered a blessing to Jerome and he felt the burdens light on his shoulders. We are now going to be teaching Jerome once again but this time he is back in our area. He wants to see us three days a week and expressed that he wants to become a member of the church. It is wonderful to be an instrument in the Lords hand. When we are able to be used to go over to gave one of our brothers who is having a hard time our Heavenly Fathers love and encouragement. Even though we can't see them, they are able to use us members, if we are keeping ourselves worthy enough to be able to follow the guidance of the spirit to help others. 

My companion and I have learned a valuable lesson this week on how important it is to be in tune with the spirit. It was a week to stay true to our purpose and to focus on others rather than ourselves. Heavenly Father loves us so much, enough to cut us down so that we are able to humble ourselves to receive the guidance we need to help in the work. It was a fun week, a week of many blessings and a year to never forget. Still having fun, smiling and always making others laugh once in awhile. Thank you all for the letters, pictures and for being there for us missionaries. Have a wonderful week and always remember to smile. 

Elder Thorpe