Thursday, December 17, 2009 - Christmas is approaching!

Hey!

What's up?

With me, I'm sick... again, or still. I don't know. It's been at least a month since I had my cold. Normally, I have a cough that lasts a while and gradually disappears. A couple of days ago, it started to get worse. Sister Robison said it might be bronchitis or pneumonia. She insisted that I see a doctor, and this time, I'm going to listen. I set up an appointment for early next week. This is the best Christmas ever.

Also, sadly, the lady that was preparing to be baptized on Sunday asked us to stop visiting her. She had been making so much progress, and we don't understand. We love her and her testimony, so we took it pretty hard.

On a positive note, thanks for the card, Dad. I love the pictures of your baptism. It's also probably the most powerful testimony you've ever borne to me. I'm keeping it on the cover of my study journal so I can look at it and show it to others.

The Sisters are doing a "12 days of Christmas" thing for one of their investigators, and for the first couple days, they asked Elder Cherrington to dress up as Santa for it. He would drop off a gift on their doorstep, knock, and run. The costume was just in case they opened the door too quick and saw who was there.

The other day, we decided to visit a member of the Church whose name we didn't recognize. When we met him, he informed us that he was born and raised in the Church, but he had since converted to Catholicism. We did a daily mass reading with him, a few prayers, and then he and Elder Cherrington discussed doctrinal points for the next hour. I wasn't quite in the mood. Then Elder Cherrington made the terrible mistake of giving him our phone number, and he has since called several times to discuss scriptures. He explained that when we are ready to make the change from Mormonism, he will be ready and willing to help us make the transition.

I wondered how someone could lose all the light and truth they once had. Then I remembered a passage of scripture in D&C 93:36-42. It is interesting: we could remember every detail discussed in Primary, every verse in the Bible and Book of Mormon, but without light and truth, none of it makes sense, and the doctrines of the world suddenly become appealing. Light and truth come by living the Gospel more and more everyday. I hope all of us will change every day for the better. If you've lived two days in a row that went exactly the same, you've done something wrong.

I don't know when the next P-day will be. Just be on the lookout for my email (as well as a phone call!).

Anyways, Merry Christmas!
I hope everything goes well, and that you get your wish.
The Church is true!

I love you

-Elder Brandon Wong