Christmas Time is Here!

Hey Mom!!

I'm doing pretty great! Mission life keeps moving forward... a little too quickly. I'm fine I didn't get hurt after my bike wreck! I shouldn't have said anything... haha! But I just got my bike back this week, so it's working fine! It's so much better than the bike I was borrowing. And yes like a tan or light tan  color! We can wear light colors for slacks! I just checked the dress and grooming section so it's approved! Recently they've started to approve light colored clothes.

Restaurants, we have all kinds! Panda, 5 guys, Noodles and Company, Subway, Taco Bell... there are so many different ones! As long as it is not Burger King... haha! Norfolk has a pretty big selection of things. 

I can't believe Jordan is home. That's so cool to think! I love him so much, he's such a great example to me. Just him going on a mission and his conversion story has helped me so much in my life in general! Not to mention my mission. 

So for the call on Christmas, we can do Skype or facetime! I haven't confirmed with the member that we're going to be at whether Skype or Facetime would be better, but just in case, what is your Skype information? And we're having dinner with those members so maybe we could do our call around 6 over here, and 3 for y'all? If that works. I think we could do it anytime, cause we'll be done with church by 12:30 or 9:30 for you. Elder Hargraves family I think will be done with church early too. Let me know what you think!

We've been doing good over here! IT's been COLD the past few days. It got down to the 20s on Friday and Saturday night! I had to bust out my scarf and my beanie! Now snow yet... just freezing weather. I think being on a bike makes it a little colder just cause you're outside all the time. But it's been a lot of fun! People will let us in more because of how cold it is! 

We have been really struggling to find new investigators recently. We haven't found one in the past few weeks. But a lot of the new investigators that we've found in the past haven't been committed at all, so we haven't seen them in a while. We think it's because we're spending more time in the nicer areas so it's harder to have lessons with people. But the lessons that we are going to end up having are going to be much more quality lessons rather than quantity lessons. I'm excited for those! 

We have a less active member that we're working with, Angie, who is just doing awesome. She has been coming to church a lot recently, and our lessons with her are always so great! She finally started to live the Word of Wisdom, and it was because we really tried to help her. It took about 3 lessons in a row, but it was awesome because we really taught to her needs in those three lessons. And because of it, she not only started to live the word of wisdom, she also trusts us more, and has been more willing to live other commandments! She came to our ward Christmas Party and it was so cool to have her there! I love working with her. The Welkers are also still doing super good! Jasmine (Ashley's sister) read from the Book of Mormon for the first time!!! She was so excited to tell us. We haven't set her baptismal date yet, but it will be soon. Slowly but surely it's all coming together with them. 

I can't really remember anything else that happened this week. I've been thinking a lot about the Christmas story recently, and just how it's such a blessing to have a Second record of Jesus' birth! In the Book of Mormon Samuel the Lamanite prophesies of the birth of Christ, and in 3 Nephi, the prophesy comes to pass. "And it had come to pass, yea all things, every whit, according tot he prophets. And it came to pass also that a new star did appear, according to the word."  (3Nephi 1:20-21) With this #lighttheworld Initiative, we can really spread the Light of Christ to all those around us! I love helping people follow Jesus Christ, because He truly is the Light of the World! 

I forgot to pick a ponderizing scripture before we emailed... I'll do one for next week though! 

I love you so much Mom! I'm very thankful for the love and support that I receive from you every day. It's such a blessing. I love our family so much! 

Love you Mom! Have a great week! 

Elder Collier