Christmas Week and New Years Week.‏

Christmas Week!

“What you get by achieving your objective is not nearly as important as what you will become by achieving it.”
I had a good week. It's nice to relax and learn from the spirit how much your loved by your leaders, by your friends and also by your family. We had a decent bit of difficulty this week due to the fact that we either couldn't get appointments with those we are teaching or we couldn't get members to come out with us because they have gone west or they are busy with the Christmas season. Tuesday was really great, I enjoyed growing in unity as a mission and just feeling the spirit. Very few times in my life will I have opportunities like Christmas in Kirtland.
The investigators we have been working with have once again stopped answering their phones and doors. So we are yet again back to the beginning of finding and praying for miracles and also praying that the ones that have dispersed will get in contact with us again.
Caroling on the 24th was a wonderful experience, I never thought I would end up in the home of Bro. and Sis. Anderson. It was a great experience and I think we really touched some hearts.
Christmas day was wonderful and I will never forget it. I'm glad to be out here testifying of the Restoration. My family could not be more proud of me and that feels good. I know that people here have needed me in someway that I will never fully understand but I've seen. I love seeing people grow and become better.

New Years Week!

"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing is changed, but that our power to do is increased."
~Pres. Heber J. Grant

Sorry this e-mail is so late by the way. We have had exceeding difficulty getting to the library this week due to closure on Monday and because we have been busy.
It has been quite the week. We have had to shift a lot of our focus towards finding because we can't seem to get members out with us this season. They have been very busy and or out of town but nevertheless we try our best. We have spent a significant amount of time just talking to people on the Cleveland bus system. Due to that we end up handing out a decent amount of referrals but we have found some really good people that we will hopefully start teaching soon.
A promising girl named Amanda walked on to the rapid a couple weeks ago and a week ago we were able to teach her. She is very intelligent and I'm hoping things keep progressing with her. She's a little shaky about making life changes which has made it difficult for us to obtain further teaching appointments. But she believes in Jesus Christ and is following him as much as she feels she can right now.
We were able to get back in contact with Chris Davis this week and we have an appointment with him Friday night. He has an Obamaphone with limited minutes and he had run out making it difficult for us to contact him. However he could've made more of an effort to get in contact with us during the few weeks we haven't heard from him. I am very grateful that he did call us because he is a very good guy.
Lots of other people on the radar because this is Cleveland and there is lots of people, but I don't know how things will turn out with them yet so we will see.
I love you all, Jesus Christ lives and this is his one and only true church. Stay chipper because he loves you too.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion