E-mail from Neal - Received 12/21/09

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Neal sent several pictures, which I will post later today.  Check back! 

Hello to everyone this Christmas season!

We have snow here in rainy England. There is about 2 inches (maybe) on the ground. It makes me feel closer to home, but it is still nothing. I have really been laughing cause no one here knows what to do in the snow. I heard so many comments that made me laugh so hard. I got a call Sunday morning from a man that was going to give a recent convert a lift, and he said that he wasn’t going to chance it. I then called a good member that always helps us out and he said that he could, but he asked me how the roads were.  My reply was something like this….. “I would drive on them, but then again I am from Colorado.” Elder Burnett just laughed cause he felt the same way! At church we heard another member say this…. “Well we have the 4 wheel drive so I think that we will chance it.” I had to really hold myself back from bursting out laughing. People in England crack me up! This isn’t even snow. Look at the picture that I sent home and judge for yourself.

That is so cool that you had a good sing in yesterday. I would have love to have been there. I think that I have told you this, but I have gained such a huge appreciation for singing on my mission. I usually sing with the special musical numbers at Zone Conferences, and I love it. I would have loved to be there and sing in the chorus. I am going to join the choirs when I get home. Both in the singles ward, and in Lakeside if they need the help. I think I have told you this too, but I am not a tenor. Well actually I think that I am a Baritone, but who really knows. I just love to sing now.

Ok now that I have rambled about all sorts of random things I am going to tell you what I learned about Diligence this week. This has been a great attribute to study, I have really enjoyed it! I learned some way cool things. In D&C 107:99-100 it teaches us that if we are not diligent we will not be able to stand at the last day. I thought to myself why that is? I found the answer in Jacob 4:19…..

And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.

Well I think that that teaches us exactly why we must be diligent when it comes to missionary work. I thought that was very cool, but what about in the rest of the things that we do? We have to be diligent in keeping the commandments, or else nothing good will come. We have to be diligent to win the prize, and what is that prize? Eternal Life of course. That is reason enough to be diligent I would say. As we all strive to be diligent we will be greatly blessed. The great part is that after you establish your diligence in obedience then you don’t really need to worry too much at all. You know what you must do, and you are excited about doing it. Be diligent, and you will win the prize!!!!!!

We have a great new investigator named Felix, and he is going to get baptised in January. He is so prepared, and so much fun to teach. He is from Zimbabwe, and he is really looking for this gospel! All the questions that he has had, have been answered by the two lessons that we have taught him. We are going to date him for baptism tomorrow when we see him, and I am really looking forward to it!

Well I think that is going to do it for me. We have a lot of stuff to get done today. I have a lot of letters to write as well. We are allowed to write letters over the holidays as well, so that is exciting. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and I hope that you enjoy all the time together. I am looking forward to hearing from you on Friday night. I love you all so much, and I am so grateful for all the things that you do for me. Keep on studying and living all the Christ like attributes that you have been learning about and applying. The goal is to become like him, and I hope that we all can!!!

Have a good week
Until Friday…

Elder Neal