Week 6 in Marksville: Quarantined for Christmas

Bonjour amis et familles!

You might be looking at this subject line and feeling bad for me. You might feel inclined to feel pity or other similar feelings for me and my quad. But I implore you not to, because this was actually a really awesome week and I'll tell y'all about it!

MISSIONARY MOMENTS OF THE WEEK

So yes, we're quarantined because Elder Kephart actually has COVID (but everyone else tested *coughs* negative *coughs again*). But there were actually missionary experiences galore!

On Tuesday afternoon, we got this urgent knock on our door. It was the First Counselor in the Branch Presidency (assistant to the Branch President), who exclaimed that he needed missionaries NOW! There was a lady who got her VW bug stuck in the mud while trying to turn around right next to our apartment. We all went out and helped her get unstuck. She was very grateful and even offered to pay us for our trouble. We politely declined, but instead asked her if we could "spiritually" pay her by setting up a video call. She said she was busy but she'd be more than willing to talk after the holidays! This really was a Christmas miracle. It just so happened that this lady got stuck right next to our apartment, and that the First Counselor was just happening to be driving by, and knew that we lived right next door. Now that's divine intervention. 

This was just one of the miraculous stories from this Christmas week. Even though we can't meet with people in person, we've been able to find many new people through other means. Hopefully, we'll be able to teach these sons and daughters of God in the coming days and weeks.

FUNNY QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"There's just so many lines..."

I've been hesitant to do this (I know I'm hilarious, but I've kept my humility when considering these weekly retorts) but this one comes from me. We were playing Settlers of Catan on Christmas with the new expansion pack that Elder Mills got, with a bigger board. So this is really only going to make sense if you've played Catan. But, while considering my strategy, I gazed wide-eyed at the board and made this remark. 

SCRIPTURE/SPIRITUAL THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Helaman 14:8:
"And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall believe on the Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life."

Context: this is Samuel the Lamanite speaking, prophesying to a group of people in the Americas about Christ's birth 5 years before it happened. What a beautiful and simple promise he gives here, that all people who believe in Christ will have the promise of 'everlasting life.' 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Though it was my first Christmas away from home, it was still a special time because I was able to better focus on the birth of our Savior, and what He means to me personally. I hope everyone had this in mind as they celebrated during this wonderful time of the year. I know that Christ knows each of you personally and is giddily waiting to bless you as you come unto Him. 

Joyeux Noël, 

Elder May

PICTURES:
1. Advent calendar
2. Cool pic of our 'tree'





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