Hello all you on the mailing list and blog followers!
I have a pretty good amount of time to write, and someone called me out on not really putting substance in my correspondence, so today you're getting the whole enchilada.
So, this last week we had a baptism with a really awesome person named Trung. He's a really great person, his family is from Vietnam, but he was born here in Australia. He's led a pretty crazy life, having a lot of fun, has a lot of great stories, but decided that fun wasn't really bringing him happiness, so when some missionaries asked him if he wanted to be baptized, he said yes! Because he's Vietnamese he was referred to us, and we began to teach him. We started slowly and went thorugh each of the lessons making sure that he understood what he was learning, and the commitments he would be making when he entered the waters of baptism. He committed to read the Book of Mormon each day, and for the most part, did read it. He really put in his best effort, and was able to get a confirmation of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. Elder Nguyen performed the baptism, and it was wonderful!
We're still patiently waiting for two of our investigators to get Sundays off. We're hopeful, but we'll see how it goes.
Last night we had a Stake Christmas Sacred Music Fireside. It was beautiful!!! I was particularly touched by a solo performance of Pie Jesu, and the closing number Dona Nobis Pachem. This week I will be performing a piece by Mozart for the Missionary Christmas Party "Laudate Dominum" It's technically challenging, it's above my range, but I am going to SMASH IT!!! If I can even make one person cry, I'll feel accomplished.
Other than that, it's been pretty normal nothing too exciting...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
I love you all,
Elder Ryan