This week was great! It was a lot easier because we got our car back on Monday! The snow was all melted by Monday night. It's kind of funny. One weekend in Texas can be completely frozen everywhere, and the next is bright and sunny, hardly even wind-breaker weather! So I guess you could say it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! haha
On a more serious note, I feel like I've felt the Christmas spirit more strongly this year than I have since I was a little kid. I especially felt the Spirit during the Christmas Devotional when Sister Wixom, Elder Nelson, and Elder Rasband were speaking, and we got to hear the wonderful hymns from the Tabernacle Choir. This time of year is when a lot of people turn to their families. We see what is most important. For some people that brings them great joy, but for others they feel something lacking. I feel like that is the most special part about the Christmas season for missionaries. We help people fill the cracks with the gospel, so that we can all rejoice together! I think Christmas time should be a time of rejoicing more than anything else! That's why I love the Christmas hymns so much! Yesterday we had a mini stake choir concert (the real one was going to be last weekend but it was cancelled due to the ice, which was too bad. It was really going to be quite a production!) where only two choirs sang: the Spanish Ward Choir and the Stake Choir. It was cool to imagine how the people that don't speak Spanish felt during all the Spanish numbers. I bet it was a cool opportunity to feel the Spirit. The Stake Choir sang some meatier pieces; some grand compositions that were in German or Latin or some other ancient language. Probably about 3% of the songs sung in 2 hours were in English in an assembly of 80% English-speakers! I just love hymns. I feel like I feel the Spirit stronger when I reverently and attentively listen to hymns than almost any other time. I especially love studying the hymns. I love what it says in the introduction to the hymn book that some of the most powerful sermons are taught through hymns. I would also say some of the most powerful, heart-pouring praises are expressed through hymns. (even if heart-pouring isn't a word.)
The Spanish Ward Choir. The director is the dark-haired Hispanic lady wearing red and black...
More Texas skies. I haven't seen anything like the pics I have from Cleburne because I live in the city now, but we get our occasional sunset!
Anyways, may we all enjoy the Christmas Spirit and Christmas Hymns! I love you all!
God Bless Texas! I am Elder Black. Thus I end mine epistle.
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