Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey!

Thanksgiving was a real surprise because we actually got Grandma's package with the beef steak tips in it that day, Thanksgiving Day! So we got to have a treat for Thanksgiving Dinner! It rocked! How was Fort Thomas? Did you make it on in to Pima and Safford?

We have a stove and oven, but it's all gas. (We asked about his kitchen facilities.) We actually haven't opened anything from Elder Blake's Mom because it is the 25 days of Christmas, haha. (We knew Jeff's companion's mom had sent a package which we thought was food for Thanksgiving, but it turns out it is for Christmas!) But I've already opened one of my packages that was a 12 Days of Christmas package, woops! JK, I opened it and have had the 12 days of November. Adi, Aubree and Lauren sent it to me! Don't worry Mom, I found your two Christmas Packages in the office this morning and I left them there because you told me not to open them until Christmas!

The Baptism this past Saturday went good! We had Obenson get baptized, and the other Elders that work in the other half of the ward (areas here have the same boundaries as wards, and zones are the same as stakes) had a baptism too, so we had two that night, and then they had another one in the morning at 8 before Church started at 9! So it was sweet! We have another baptismal date for the 11th of December. It is a lady with two kids named Iraida. If it's in the Lord's Plan, then it will happen. She really doesn't like it when we say that she has a date for the 11th, because she wants to say when she's ready. But if it's in the Lord's Plan, she will be baptized that day.

Celio is amazing! Our last two Baptisms (And our only two this transfer) have been references from Celio. He has such a kind desire for the welfare of his friends, he is a huge reason for their baptisms. And because of him they will stay active, what a great example of Christlike love and friendship.

I had an interesting thing happen at church yesterday. A member came down before church started and asked two of the other missionaries that serve in the ward here to give talks in Sacrament Meeting and they both said no. I was surprised because they have both been out longer than I have. I thought they would say yes, of course but they both told him no. So he didn't ask me, but I volunteered and said that I would go up and talk. And so I did. I knew that the Lord would help me. I knew that He would help me know what to say. So, without knowing what I would talk about and in a language that's not my own and that I am still learning I went up and tried to serve the Lord by giving a talk without knowing what I was going to do beforehand and the Lord helped me to do it! And He didn't just help me, He did give the talk! There is no way I could have given that talk without Him! What a blessing it is to be a part of that! What an opportunity from the Lord! It's still a little hard when you (Dad and Mom) aren't there afterwards to tell me good job! But I'm learning that I shouldn't be concerned with the praise of the world. I think that's what I need to learn. I think it's pleasing Heavenly Father that I should be focused on. I know that I did my best to take that chance to serve Him. I guess that's what it's really about!

We went back to the Conde again today and ate at Pizza Hut! The chichiguas (homemade kites) went sooo good! We got it probably about two football fields away in the air, it was way out there! Ya, Dad will probably like to make a chichigua, they're sweet! We usually get more wind here than in AZ, and it is really needed because it helps keep the house cooler, haha. I think we got more wind because of the ocean.

Ya, transfers will be not tomorrow, but the following Tuesday, so we will know either Sunday night or Monday morning what will be happening. Sorry, I've already had one transfer, and we both just stayed here.

Wow, I do know Elder Wixom! (See below) He is in my group! I have talked to him! Wow, that is so awesome that his brother is ok!

Thank you so much for all that you do and I love you! Thanks for praying for me!

Elder Jeff DeSpain

I read something that one of the missionary moms wrote in the missionary moms email group that I belong to. The mother told about her son (Dallas Wixom) that is serving in Tennessee right now. He was involved in a freak accident on his bike. The back tire of a truck ran over his chest. Incredibly, he had no broken bones, not even a cracked rib. He had some damage to muscles in his shoulder but he has had some physical therapy and is doing great. His shirt was ripped, but his garment top was untouched. Truly divine intervention there! Anyway, this mom has two sons serving missions right now and the other son she mentioned (Doug Wixom) is not only in Jeff's mission, but entered the Provo MTC on the same day as Jeff so we were pretty sure Jeff would know him and would have been in the same group with him so we told him the story and asked if he knew Doug Wixom, the brother serving in the DR.