Christmas Conference, Cards, and Over 100 Carols

I am glad you got to see the youtube clip. It was really random. Elder Cline and I didn't get to practice at all so it wasn't as good as we would have hoped. That's ok the spirit was there and that's all that matters. I love being a missionary. I just love it. I can't express the delight I have about being one. Its so great. If I could have it my way I always want to be one. It will take alot of effort but I know that I can take the things that I have learned in my mission and apply them after words.

Well I was definitely grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the Christmas Zone Conference. That was a really enjoyable time and a very revelatory experience for me. I am so grateful for my testimony of the Savior. It was really nice to watch that nativity and reflect on my personal relationship with My Savior.

I am so grateful to be in this area. The wards are amazing. We have finally got all the paper work done for the Sisters, our ward mission leaders and our bishops. The idea of having a binder for the bishop was a great idea. Our bishops loved it. I am really excited to work here in these magnificent wards. They are truly amazing.

The members are really keen on giving us referrals. We have the trust of the members and we are definitely grateful for the love that they have for us. We are trying our best to do all that we can. It has taken a while for things to get settled here but we believe in these next couple of weeks that we will be able to get things moving in the wards. The ward mission leaders, Brothers Dixon and Larson, are wonderful. I am really blessed to be under their direction.

We met with a part member family this week that we will begin to teach. It has been a real miracle. They invited us over to dinner when we asked if we could come and visit them. Brother Wellborn is already reading the Book of Mormon. He said that he really likes the Mormon religion alot and wants to learn more about it. He has a very scientific mind and likes to ask alot of questions. It keeps us thinking. We will be meeting with them again after Christmas. It was amazing the environment the spirit made to help us have a really great conversation.

We also met with Brother Trubilla this week as well. The lesson went really good. We set a baptismal date with him for January 15. We know that he can be ready for that date but he has to have the real desire to change. We have been making sure to be keeping daily contact with him and my love has really increased for him that way. I have gained a real testimony of daily contact. We are going to get our ward mission leader to find some people that can contact him everyday so we are getting the members involved.

We also met with the Cancellierni family this week. He is so wonderful. It is another part member family. They are lazy. He did have a real desire at one point to know that the Church is true but that has left him since he has not found out the answer yet. He has been through about 30 missionaries and so knows alot of the material. We hope to help him gain that testimony of the Book of Mormon. We had a great get to know you visit and shared with him Moroni's promise. We also challenged him to make a plan that he can follow to find out if the Book of Mormon is true. He really liked that idea. So we will see how that goes!

The members are really loving to come out with us and do whatever they can to help us. We have alot of young men in the wards that are 18 and older that want to come out with us. Things are going great here. I love all of the people. I am truly blessed to be here.

I have been working alot on staying focused and not getting discouraged this week. As I have turned to the Savior and the Book of Mormon I have seen a real difference. I am so grateful for the healing power of my Savior and the comfort he gives me when I am in need.

Well I am sorry this is going to be so short but we spent most of our Preparation Day doing a service project for someone in the ward. We are trying our best to help out in the wards as much as we can to gain that trust and because we love them so much. We got to know alot of the members at the Project and hopefully by the end of the week will know them all. We are doing something really crazy. Since we are sharing two wards with the Sisters we are splitting the 2nd ward and visiting all of the members and giving them Christmas cards with our testimonies in them. Its going to be a stretch but I know that we can do it. Alot of the people that we are visiting are going to be gone so we are going to go carolling and give them all cards. There are over 50 active members in each ward so we will see how it goes. Pray for me please!!

Well know that I love y'all and will talk to you soon.

Love Elder Butler

P.S - Thanks for all the support you give me. I love yall so much!!!