Christmas and the Atonement

Merry Christmas everyone!

I don't have a whole lot of time to write this week, but I will share what I can.  This past week was the slow build up for Christmas.  We got to share the Christmas story to several part member families, and combine it with the importance of the Atonement.  It was awesome to see these people make connections and grow a greater appreciation and faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement.  We also were able to teach Shannon.  She has now finished the first four lessons and is extremely willing to live all of the commandments.  She shared to us her strengthening conversion and showed how she feels the Spirit.  Each time I go over to teach her I feel like that my own faith grows from just seeing her faithfulness.  It is such a blessing from my Heavenly Father to have the chance to teach her.

Outside of the teaching front, we also had exchanges with the zone leaders here in Newport.  One of them has a super nice camera and took amazing pictures that will be used on Facebook and this blog, and outside of that it was a good time.  At the end of that day I had the chance to conduct a baptismal interview for a couple that the Sisters are teaching in Waldport.  It was an amazing experience and those people are more than ready and excited for their baptism.  It is such a privilege to be able to be included in that part of the teaching process.

On Christmas Eve we delivered chocolate Rolo cookies, that Elder Law and I made the night before, and delivered them to various investigators and members.  They continue to be a hit!  We had Christmas Eve dinner with the family of the little girl we are teaching, and then had a Zone testimony meeting.  Finally today I had the chance to Skype my family (got to love technology), and watch the Lego Batman movie with some members for Christmas from a list of approved movies from our mission president.

Thank you for everything that has been done to support me on the mission.  It has made a world of difference and I can't thank you all enough.  This Christmas season, lets go and serve others just as Christ would have us do, and thank you for all of the support!

Merry Christmas!
Elder Baxter

On exchanges

Christmas Eve

Skyping with family

Mom's best Christmas gift

True Christmas Message

Hello Everyone,

This past week was a good week for service and teaching.  Service wise, we have had several members move in the ward, and each time us missionaries have been called in to help out the poor High Priests out.  Fortunately, we have had great weather for the past two weeks which has allowed life to feel nicer and allow these moves to go smoothly.  We also had Zone Conference this week with the Corvallis, Eugene, Santa Clara, and Springfield zones.  I was able to see many of my previous companions and other missionaries I knew which was nice.

Outside of that, teaching has been great.  Shannon has advanced in the Gospel very well.  We discussed the Word of Wisdom and found out that she was already living the complete commandment, along with many other things she is doing that shows she is ready for the Gospel.  It has been awesome.  We also got to teach a young girl referred to us from Sister missionaries in Las Vegas.  She is from a family returning to church, and we were able to put her on date as well as see the family attend church which has been awesome.

The work is good, and getting to spread the true Christmas message has been a great blessing.  Talk to you all soon and have a merry Christmas!

Elder Baxter

Zone Conference

Using Up Miles

Hello everyone,

This week has involved a lot of traveling around the area.  To start, on Wednesday we had the adventure of getting called down to Waldport, by the assistants to the president, to help set up an apartment for a senior missionary couple moving in.  It was a fun, random move, but it forced us to move our schedule around and use a lot of miles on our car.  I get the feeling that will bite us later, but hey, that new apartment sure is nice!

Thursday we had district meeting, then that night we got to drive into Corvallis for interviews the following day.  When we got there, we found out that the Zone Leaders had some other Elders over that day for an exchange as well, making for an interesting night in the Zone Leaders place.  We then had interviews which were as good as usual, and then worked in Toledo for a while.  We finished out the day by helping our ward mission leader set up for the ward Christmas party.

Saturday was a normal day of missionary work.  It ended with the ward party.  In it Santa came and we got a photo next him!  He wouldn't take our Book of Mormon unfortunately, haha.  And then following the dinner our ward mission leader engaged in a large musical number, complete with a great funny dance for the twelve days of Christmas. It was pretty great, and Guillian and his mom managed to make it to the party.

Sunday was also good, with the highlight being meeting with many of our investigators that day, who also came to church.  The best lesson was with our on date, who is now locked in with the Relief Society president and is so awesome.  It is a miracle that is fun to be apart of.  Then today we had Elder Kellerstrass and his companions come on over to Newport for p day and spend some time on the beach.

The work is progressing and is continuing to build up.  Thank you for all the support and merry Christmas!

Elder Baxter

A picture from last week

This year's tree

Ward Christmas dinner set up

Go Out and Light the World

Hello Everyone,

This past week has been a blur.  To start, Elder Law and I went out to try to really make contact with everyone we hadn't really met with, and we did it.  We knocked on a lot of doors and figured out their stories, who has moved, who remains, and their interest level.  It has been a crazy but good time really, going and working hard out here in the Newport area.  Through it all we have had several miracles.

Some of those came in the form of learning about future people we will teach, from part member households, including a girl being taught by the Elders in Las Vegas and a man who is awesome at many different kinds of musical instruments.  Others came from referrals we received from other missionaries, but the biggest one came from a referral from Utah.

A couple of weeks ago we set up a lesson with her and it finally happened this week.  As we went over we found that she was more than prepared to learn, with a huge notebook ready.  She loved what she has heard and says it all sounds true.  In the past week we have taught her the Restoration and Plan of Salvation, seen that she has read through 1st Nephi, is praying, and attended all three hours of church!  On Sunday during our second lesson we put her on date for January 13th.  I may be transferred out by that date, but early signs show that she will make it.  It is a true blessing to meet those the Lord has prepared.

The work is progressing, and to all those at home, go out and light the world!  The best way to come to know Christ is by following His example and serving others.  Thank you for all of the support!

Elder Baxter

Tag picture of the week

Package from home

Making Tamales for P-day

The sister on the left is also from A.F.