Christmas!

Como estan familia?

Just hanging out in basketball shorts at the Dysart/Greenway building sending you emails with my District and the Lord's iPad! Pretty cool. We just got word that we can go to the Gilbert Temple Open House with recent converts or investigators so Hermano Covarrubias said he would take us before transfers (Jan. 29). We are excited for that. Christmas was way fun. We studied, opened presents, did the Skype call--you all look great! Sam hulked it and has grown up a lot since I last saw him. I think I would have more fun with the old immature Sam I know so don't mature too much please :D-- we then went and had lunch with HErmano Handley. He is the coolest guy and made us a fantastic meal even though he isn't very well off and sells cacti for a living so it was really nice. We were the 8 missionaries who visited from Surprise. We drove our district up and our roommates drove ahead of us. We sang some Christmas songs, ate Taco soup, and talked with President and Sister Taylor. I love them! Then we came back and played basketball for a few hours to end the night. That was awesome. Elders Hancock, Nelson, Jones, McMillan, Fife and I just shot (I have been out longer than anyone in the District! It is weird) for a couple hours. I felt like I was back in High School for an evening. It was pretty relaxing. Then our whole apartment got sick the next day. It was actually kind of funny. Everyone coughed, sneezed, grumbled, had trouble sleeping and the whole spectrum. Elder Fife was actually fine and I wasn't too bad--I had to stay in to do a 3 hour nap but I was good other than that afternoon--so it was fun being with the suffering Elders. We don't know what we are doing for New Years. I just want to hang around the apartment. I think the last time I hung around a whole day and did nothing was with Big Rich at BYU. That is what I want to do. We will be inside at 6 on tuesday and all day wednesday. I am not very focused at all emailing like this so I will try to scrounge some more out... Saturday was a great day. The Rama Estrella has really continued with their missionary work. I have seen this place transform since I have been here. Yesterday Rosa, friend invited by Ignacio and Luz, enjoyed all three hours and told us to come over to Ignacio's house to watch and explain the Restoration DVD with her. She enjoyed it and committed to praying and truly searching! It was sweet. We knocked on Hermana Lopez' house and she took us to her next-door neighbor's house and we talked to him, Edebeto for an hour. The Dominguez family who is "less-active" have handed out 3 copies of the Book of Mormon this Christmas. People are catching the wave and seeing the vision of the Hastening of the Work of Salvation here! We hope to keep that going. The Rama was also very very giving and loving for the 4 Elders in the Branch. We got like 5 pounds of cookies from the relief society president. There is a lot of food and sweets in the apartment so we are going to ENGORDAR.

I am learning and progressing a lot. I really feel the influence of the Spirit out here. I feel like I am getting better at communicating with my HEavenly Father out here. Following the Spirit is something I have been working hard all Mission. It takes courage to follow most the time, but I feel like I am. I feel like the first half of my mission was a very successful one. I was looking back on it today :/ I am usually pretty hard on myself, but I feel like I have worked as hard as I can in every aspect. I feel like I have put my whole effort into what I have done and learned so far and The Lord as sure filled in on what I need specifically to grown and learn. I have already learned so much to apply to the rest of my life. I love this work and want to be a part of it in whatever way I can for the rest of my life. I love Arizona and I love this people, no matter how frustrating some people can be at times! I love them and want them to learn how they can feel their Savior's love. See you in a year!

Love, Elder Parry