Su San is getting baptized this Saturday!

12/15/ Email Message

Mom,

I am so happy the Choir Concert was so good. It is so cool that Mike and Laurie went. What an amazing setting to experience the spirit of Christmas. Im happy for them and for Little Michael, Im sure the spirit of the nativity made a great impression on his little heart. I love that festival.

Too bad it didnt snow! Snow in Alabama is always fun - we definitely dont get enough of it. Hopefully, Kendall will get snow sometime this year. Funny thing is I bet it is colder in Alabama than it is in Nagaoka right now. Its been surprisingly warm so far. It was really cold for a week, but ever since then its been pretty warm. We havent seen snow since that one day we were dendoing [proselyting] in it. Not that Im complaining - Id prefer it never snowed again. Dendoing in the snow is not exactly my favorite thing in the world.

One sad thing about the warm weather is it detracts even more from the Christmas season. Christmas in Japan just isnt quite the same. Its a little sad to know we are ten days away from Christmas because it just doesnt feel like Christmas at all. But it is better when we are with the church members. Yesterday we watched the Christmas devotional with our district and then we went caroling with the missionaries in our zone and some members. It was cool - it created a little bit of the Christmas spirit, but I still miss Christmas in America.

However, Su San is getting baptized this Saturday! She asked me to baptize her too so that should be pretty exciting. Everyone is so excited for her. The branch members love her and she loves them. She is going to fit right into the church I think. She will be a great member. So cool!

Im just as surprised as Elder Rowley is [at how fast ime is passing]! A couple days ago I was wearing the tie he and his companion gave me and I was looking at the notes they wrote me on it. I was blown away that they gave me that tie over six months ago. It doesnt feel like Im already a fourth of the way through my mission. I seriously dont know where the last six months went.

I still dont even know what Im doing! I feel like I just wake up, go to work and the Lord does the rest. Even with all my shortcomings the work gets done. Everyone tells me that feeling never goes away. You never feel quite adequate. But still the work gets done. Pretty amazing!

Im looking forward to calling everyone next week! I think dads plan sounds good, but Ill let you know more specifically when the time gets closer. I love you! I miss you and the family so much, especially now around the Christmas season. I hope you all have a great holiday together and really enjoy the season. Just know Im thinking about you and love you all so much!

Merry Chrsitmas!

Much Love,

Elder Kingsford