Californian in Kansas: Ugly Sweaters. Lip Sync Battles, and Eternal Families

So on P-Day last week we got together as a zone and had a lip syncing contest, where companionships could enter in and lip sync to a song and it was so much fun. I got to be the MC for it and ended up just jumping in randomly to people's songs when they need some extra back up dancers. I don't know really how to explain it, but I'll attach some screen shots from some of the videos and maybe you'll get the idea.

On Tuesday we were able to have a really awesome Zone Conference where we got together and received trainings on how we can have better Goals, Plan better, and be more accountable for our work. It was super revelatory and after we read Luke Chapter 2 together as a Zone, each taking turns reading verse by verse. There is something just so immensely powerful about reading about the Saviors Birth. I personally felt the spirit so strong and just felt how much our Heavenly Father loves us. I would love to challenge you all to read that chapter with your families this week and really just talk about what it means to you personally that that Savior was born. Let's try to put CHRIST back in. CHRISTmas!

On Wednesday we were able to have our district meeting, and I gave a training on how important it is for our Investigators to feel the spirit each and every day. Our spirits are just like our bodies, and they need to be fed. Unlike our bodies, our spirits don't tell us when they're hungry, but there is always an impact if we don't feed our spirits every single day. And when we are teaching people it is our job as missionaries to feed them spiritually, and follow Christ's commandment to "FEED" His sheep.

We also got to have interviews with our awesome mission president on Wednesday! Interviews are super awesome and it's really like our only one on one time with President McCuistian. We get to ask him questions and get advice and he really helps us be better missionaries and we get to talk about

Oh my goodness gracious ladies and gentlemen take a seat and buckle up because I have some awesome news to tell you, and you'll wanna be safely secured for this one. . . LUIS'S WHOLE FAMILY IS GOING TO GET BAPTIZED. ALL 6 BAPTISMAL AGED MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY. We are so so so excited for them and it is absolutely amazing to see how much the Gospel has opened up and blessed this family.

When we first started teaching Luis we tried to teach set up a Family Home Evening with his family, just to get the family together and have a small lesson/ activity, and his mom shut it down so fast. She was like," No, I'm catholic we aren't doing that" and so it never happened. Anyways, after Luis got baptized she has jutted opened up like a fresh jar of peaches on a hot summer day and it's wonderful. She LOVES the Book of Mormon and even already has a favorite verse (2 Nephi 33:4) and she cannot wait for her family to be sealed together in the Temple in 1 year. Absolutely incredible

One of our investigators gave us this super awesome drink this week called Atole. SO GOOD. We were drinking it and asking her how she makes it because it was so good and all she did was pull out some cookies. We super confused at first, but then she explained that the drunk is literally those cookies blended up with milk, with this sort of cinnamon flavored water and it's all heated up and it tastes like Christmas. AGAIN, SO GOOD. We got the ingredients to make it and now we can make it anytime in our apartment. Y'all should make this stuff it's heavenly I'm telling you.

I just want to take this time to tell you all how much I love you and how much the lord loves each an every one of you. Before my mission I took that knowledge for granted, I knew that God loved me, but I didn't KNOW what that meant. For me it was never a very personal thing. And as I've been on my mission and I've been out here devoting myself 100% to the lord, I have seen just how much he does love me. It's become so real for me, I feel his love each and everyday in a way that I couldn't even begin to explain and it fills me with so much joy and happiness, especially in this Christmas season. It is such a special time to remember all that Jesus has done for us. He came to this Earth and he lived a perfect life. He suffered and felt all of our pains because he loves so much. He felt everything you have ever gone through and he is always there to help you through any trial. He is our Savior, he is our Brother, and he is my best friend. I challenge you all to strengthen your relationship with the Savior. What does he mean to you personally? How has he blessed your life? What can you do or change to be able to say that he is YOUR best friend? Look for these opportunities in your life and in your day to strengthen your relationship with him and I testify to you, as a servant and representative of him, that you will feel his love more fully in your life.

I love you all! Email me! Send me letters! Send me packages with cool ties or something idk! Loveeee you!

Elder Murphy