Christmas Time is Here!

Hi, Family! Today is December 10th!

We've had a pretty cool week up here in Karratha, (relatively speaking...) I think the highest temperature this week was about 44C. (107F)

Elder Pasina and I spent a majority of it tracting, trying still to find new people to teach. It's pretty funny, actually, just about everyone in town is going Out of town for Christmas. WHERE DO THEY ALL GO? (Karratha is in the true outback) Anyway, we had some pretty cool things happen!

We were finishing up a street, and knocked on a particular door. A man answered, and we introduced ourselves. Then the cool part: He invited us in, right there, to talk to him and his family! It was the coolest thing; his wife and daughter joined in, and sat down. We talked to them about their beliefs. Elder Pasina was impressed, they had very strong testimonies of Jesus Christ. We taught them about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and introduced them to the Book of Mormon. The man, whose name is Joseph, said that he and his family would read it, and said that we could come back again sometime and continue to teach them.

I'm really loving this area. The branch is very much involved in missionary work. Something they're trying to make sure of is that every new convert has the support that they need, and that they are able to have their questions answered. One newer sister has been going through a rough time, and it's so great to see the whole branch trying to reach out and help her. The Christmas party for Karratha Branch was on Friday, and we had many nonmembers, investigators, and recent converts attend! There was a barbecue on, (we helped cook it), games for the kids, and then everyone went inside to sing carols and watch a nativity by the primary. That was one of the cutest nativities I'd ever seen a primary do, by the way.

Sunday, we got to see the First Presidency Christmas Devotional! Now that brought the Christmas spirit :)

(By the way, I saw Aunt Danny in the Choir! Also, in the November Ensign, Uncle Scott is in a picture of the choir singing)

Sunday was pretty cool in other ways, too. We had a Lightning storm! Usually, clouds build up in the mountain range near us, but don't actually come to Karratha. Sunday, they came all the way over, and it drizzled a bit, and started a couple fires out in nowhere from all the lightning. I couldn't believe how much there was.

We got news from the Assistants about after Christmas; we're going to be Flying again! Down to Perth, for a mission-wide training meeting, and to attend the temple! Cool!

So that's been my week. Merry Christmas, everybody! I love you all!

Love,

Elder Reeder