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| Joshua's "roomies"...this threesome are a companionship, and Joshua's two companions live in another apartment with the two english-speaking elders. |
Feliz Natal!
Last Tuesday was our Mission Christmas Conference. We had a nice collection of talks from the mission presidency and some musical numbers. Then we had a lunch catered by On the Border. Afterwards, we had a performance from our mission president on the bagpipes. And then we broke two pinatas. It was kind of like a conglomeration of culture for Christmas. <-- alliteration
We then did a white elephant gift exchange. I gave a $5 gift card to WalMart and an astoundingly irritating music-playing tie (which I had received two days before from a member, and which I promptly re-gifted at first chance). I received a toy dinosaur. Interesting...better than the ancient pair of sneakers with a smell like unto a long-dead animal that the Elder two down from me got. I was jealous of the bright blue waist-length wig another Elder was privileged with. It was fun. I spent most of my time at the conference with the Elders and Sisters with whom I worked in Athens. It was good to see them again and be in their company. Also, on the way to the conference, I caught glimpses of downtown Atlanta (our area is on the border of the Atlanta North mission and the Atlanta mission). That was exciting.
An anonymous member gave each companionship in our zone $100 to use for service before the end of the year. So, on Wednesday Elders McGregor and Gneiting went with me to Kroger where we bought everything to make an Italian Sausage Soup (which recipe I brought with me) for the single mom we are teaching who I mentioned last email. Her name is Fatima [FA-chee-muh]. Her sons are Luca (10) and Rafael (2). She works long hours and then has to come home and fix dinner, which often prevents her from doing anything with her children, or for that matter much else. So, we cooked that up-- sausage, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, in a delicious beef broth. We also cooked rolls. It was fun. I was the only one who could peel a potato in less than a minute. I was ashamed of my fellow Idahoan, Elder Gneiting. To his credit, he specializes in growing them, I simply peel and eat them. I can't complain. We delivered it to Luca in the late afternoon. Turns out on our next visit that she was very appreciative of the meal and that it actually tasted good (and truth, when she answered the door, she had half a roll in her hand and was chewing a bite of it). She said that it had been a long day and she was especially un-excited to come home at 8pm after 12 hours and cook something. Instead, her and her sons warmed the food and then played games before going to bed. That was a cool experience!
The man who was baptized last week wants to receive the Priesthood, so that will probably happen this coming Sunday, which is exciting. The main barrier we are facing before becoming an official Portuguese branch is the number of Priesthood holders. Good news.
We spent some time in a Brazilian bakery and found some Portuguese-speakers who are interested in hearing from us. We also got to eat these tasty chicken and cheese dumpling type things whose name I forget...let me go ask Elder McGregor. He doesn't recall either. Anyway, that and papaya juice. Yum.
Then came Christmas Eve. We spent three and a half hours in the morning raking leaves for a service project. It was very pleasant weather. I wore a light jacket and wasn't cold, nor did I sweat. We got a lot of work done. Our ward mission leader then treated us to lunch at Subway where I ate my customary Meatball Marinara sandwich. Delicious. We went and bought needed items for Christmas gifts for some of our investigators at WalMart (madhouse to the max) and then we wrapped them. We doorbell ditched them anonymously at their houses. Then a member family had us for dinner and we had a nice program where we all played Christmas songs on chimes. (Like wind chimes but all separate. Each chime was numbered, and the order of the numbers was on sheets of paper. We had to work together to hit our notes in the right order, in accordance with the rhythm and melody of the songs.) Then they asked me to play some hymns on the piano, and then we went home. The family, in whose house we were visiting, has no more kids at home. Their youngest is on a mission right now in Alaska. There were a couple other members they had invited. It was a very nice day.
Christmas Day. We opened packages and gifts. Excitement. I got among other things, a sweater, gloves, a calendar, a memory card reader, lots and lots of fabulous CHOCOLATE, new pens, a tie, popcorn, etc etc. Fun stuff. Then five of us went caroling at a Rest Home. I played the piano. The other four Elders attempted to sing. Let's say that I just smiled and felt happy as we shared hymns as best we could, which wasn't very musically impressive, but was heartfelt and warming. We visited with some of the residents for a time before we departed. We then visited a member of the English ward whose wife died several months ago, who lives alone. We brought him gifts and chatted with him. Next, we went to a different member's home to Skype home to our families! That was exciting and enjoyable for all of us.
The member and their family provided us an awesome Christmas dinner. We then talked, ate desserts, and held a massive ping pong tournament which spanned about five hours. I took third place among the eight Elders and the ten family members. It was fun and comfortable. Round about 1 o'clock in the afternoon it started snowing (the first time it has snowed in Atlanta on Christmas since 1993). The remarkable thing is that it stuck to the ground and accumulated two inches! It was the first time that measurable snow has been on the ground on Chrismas in Atlanta since 1882!!! Over one hundred years since the last white Christmas in Atlanta. I saw it! The snow is still, in large measure on the ground. It is chilly again outside.
Yesterday I wore my new sweater, my coat, my new gloves, my suit, pajama pants under my slacks, and borrowed a scarf from Elder Mundt and was comfortable though. We had a really powerful lesson with Fatima last night. It was quite a mind-boggling, busy, hodge-podge of a week, but I've come out alive, and happier than before. Easier said than done. A special thanks to all those who sent me Christmas cards and gifts. I am still glowing with gratitude. Thank you for your love and support, all. Have a delightful New Year!
Tchau e Feliz Ano Novo,
Elder JOSHUA BODILY
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