Christmas in June

December 23, 2024

 Bon tardi mi rumannan stimá! This week was insane and I did a double take thinking about the fact that Zone Conference was this week! It was a blast of a week so let's chat:

             Preparation for Christmas

      Honestly being a missionary in Aruba for Christmas is crazy cause out here it's still got the heat of mid-July, but I'm hearing Michael Bublé through the store radio. But one of the things I have loved is sharing Christmas messages with people. Thinking about the nativity and the birth of Jesus Christ, our savior, and older brother, just brings me so much joy! And I love sharing that joy with others! I also love coming home at night and turning on our string of lights over the couch, it makes it all a little more festive!

            Zone Christmas! 

      So zone conference was on Tuesday, and President and his wife made it a Christmas-themed Zone Conference, complete with a talent show and a white elephant exchange. Here are some highlights!

     Our talent show consisted of sisters playing Christmas songs on recorders, singing, and a hot dog eating contest. I was challenged to a hot dog eating contest by Elder Larson, where each of us would have 90 seconds to eat as many hot dogs as we possibly could. It was perhaps the most chaotic minute and a half of my life. Yelling and screaming, hot dogs, cameras, I'm pretty sure most people thought one of us would choke and die, it was a good time! 

     White elephant gift exchange I received a swimsuit for a 2-year-old, and there's a video of my reaction to that out there somewhere, but I think I laughed for a solid minute. 

     I saw my son again! Elder Day has been in Bonaire, but I got to see him for ZC, and it was so cool to see how much he has progressed. *sniffle sniffle* I'm so proud of my son :) 

          I need a new toaster

     OK listen up. About 15 minutes before this email was gonna get sent, we had a toaster mishap. Our toaster doesn't have a timer, so you have to time it yourself. My companion, bless his heart, has a love-hate relationship with this toaster. Sometimes his alert that his toast has finished is the smoke alarm. But today we learned that pop tarts are flammable. Elder Winfield and I are in the kitchen and start to smell smoke... THE TOASTER! As soon as I look over, the pop tart has CATCHES FIRE. That one was new for me. We couldn't get the fire out immediately, so I grabbed the toaster, ran outside, and Chuck the toaster into the dirt road. I love making mission memories! 

          More highlights

   - I had an exchange with Elder Magee the new greenie. It went incredibly well, but unfortunately, we could not find a living snake.

   - We have a new friend on a date! He has been taught for a while, but we were able to show him that baptism is a first step, not a last and he asked to be baptized in January!

   - I translated the first chunk of sacrament meeting, and can confirm that translating to more than 2 people is kinda terrifying, and really really fun!

       It was a great week out here in San Nic! So many blessings and so many little miracles! I studied Ether this week and Ether 12 is a powerhouse of a chapter. Go read it. But I'll share my favorite verse:

     "4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God"

     Faith is the foundation of all things. When we have faith, God gives us the power to accomplish anything he asks. It's a really special promise, and I love thinking about the things God is willing to help us do when we believe in his power and his love.

     I love you all! I hope you all have a very merry and bright Christmas, and I hope it snows everywhere!

Bon Pasku/Feliz Navidad/Merry Christmas,

Elder Aldrich