Elder Christian Hall in TSAM: Swim

Dear family and others,

Great news to start out with, A member from the ward here will be taking us to see the Rubio family baptism back in Windcrest -- That means we will be able to see Sister Rubio get baptized. Better than presents is to be present at such an event. Pray that we travel safely! I might even attend the temple as we will be in the area. That would also be exciting, as I haven't entered a temple since about 18 months ago. Fewf.

Not even five weeks and I'm whisked away to a new area. Lake Travis. We can go swimming every day. Just kidding. Water can wait. Essential, with Cedar Park covering Lago Vista, the north side of the Lake Travis, I'm on the other side of this body of water. We share the apartment with the Elders of Bee Cave/Barton Creek: Elder Aguila and Elder Blackhurst. First time that I've ever shared an apartment with other elders, and this is the 8th apartment that I've been in. Elder Hansen, the trainee of Elder Hart, is my companion. I'm serving as the junior companion. Funny, seeing as he only has 7 months in his mission. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned in this uncommon situation. There really is a lesson to be learned in all situations.

Christmas is coming up. No snow, no chill, basically I could close my eyes and pretend that I was in California. Or inside. It'll also be fun to spend the season in a ward almost completely foreign to me. I met, perhaps five families. Or rather, I learned the names of five families on Sunday. The Christmas decorations at some houses were hysterically deep. There was one house that had more decorations that a theme park. Then, on Sunday, we went to a lesson that we had set up earlier, and this house also had a mean set up. We talked to the people there, and found out that in the community, they had a massive festival of parties set up. For 18 days straight, a different residence would volunteer to host a party each night. It seemed like a very Hispanic tradition, with many Hispanics participating later that night.

Luckily, we cover only one ward. There was a ward split not too recently, so the ward is a little bit smaller than the average size that I've seen around here. The attendance was about the same as Huebner creek. A little more quiet in Sacrament meeting because of the size. I'm excited to spend 7 weeks here instead of the normal 6 -- to compensate for the 5 week transfer that just occurred.

There are a few pocketed communities of Spanish people that we sometimes visit. It's a little sad that we aren't able to teach and baptize them, but we have our focus. Another blessing is that Elder Hansen is a Spanish speaker. We will be able to practice together throughout the day. He has already demonstrated a hardy desire to speak Spanish every day. Sometimes it shames me the amount he speaks in comparison to me. I need to pick it up.

I'll need to develop an exercise plan and pace myself if I plan to return home as a super-hunk. Just kidding. Just a healthy body is reward enough for the effort you put into it. It doesn't help that our apartment has an entire drawer devoted to candies and treats sent from home to the missionaries here. There are quite a few in there. I need to pace myself. Did I mention that I need to pace myself? I need to pace myself.

Lots of good news ahead of us; our most progressing investigator is R. He is set to be baptized on the Saturday after the 26th. He seems to already be well acquainted with the members and fits right in. I will inherit the opportunity to see his baptism without really have done much, if any, of the work that required him to get to this point. I'm excited for him though. He's married to a member that was really pushing to help him progress in the gospel.

Questions and Answers

Your new address indicates that you are more rural in your present ward?

Well, I suppose to a degree. The houses here are large like the houses of Cedar Park and Carriage Hills. Many places that we go to are residential. From the looks of it, however, the areas that we cover are more of suburbs.

I know you will tell us about your new area, so do tell, please?

It's a mid-sized area. I told you a little about the members. It'll take a little more getting to know before I can give y'all a proper description.

What are your thoughts related to this last months of opportunities and challenges serving?

Time goes so fast. If life continues at this pace at home, which it likely will, my kids will grow up and serve missions before I can lay grasp on the idea. Time is short. I've yet to hate a single area that I've served in, and I've had so many different areas to serve in. Life will likely send plenty of more variety.

I've been impacted by every single companion that I've served with. Directing this to future missionaries, it makes me wonder what impact have I had on others? Will they remember me as the companion that helped them grow, or impeded their growth? What opportunities will I have, even as I approach the end of my mission? (A cat just fell into a Jacuzzi. Oh wait, false alarm, it was empty of water. My mind is scrambled.

I'm eager to find as many people as I possibly can. TOUCH as many people as I can.

What tender mercies has the Lord sent you this week of change?

Well, being able to attend the Rubio baptism is a tender mercy. I had in my mind the moment I discovered I would head to Austin that I wouldn't be able to attend it. But, I talked to President Slaughter, and he said that as long as a member took us, it would be appropriate. *Dances*

The frog I caught the other week.