December 12, 2011

Family,
The baptisms went great, with one of the girls i baptized we had to do it 3 times. I felt so bad, because it was all my fault. She seemed really nervous after the 2nd one and I was worried that I ruined her experience. Other than that all went well. Yesterday they all showed up late for church, so we did the confirmations between the first and 2nd talks in sacrament meeting. They are such great kids. We do have transfers this week and I will be staying in Thomaston and be getting a brand new missionary, a greenie. I’m pretty excited to train, I hope he comes pre-trained. That’s sweet you looked up Thomaston on Google earth, if you find the big white church which is just south west of the main town square, look a little more southwest and you will see a little community of condominiums that is where we live. Thanks so much for the 12 days of Christmas, I’m stoked to do that, and I am looking for a nativity, but it isn’t looking promising, don’t worry I’ll get you one though. I just want to say something to you all about an experience I had this week. There is a guy in our branch who is handicapped in some way and is really an odd guy, but he has a great heart. I don’t think throughout his whole life anyone has made him feel like he matters. He has only been a member for like 4 years, but has been less active for most of that time. We worked with him for a while and all we did was love him and be his friend, and he came for 4 weeks in a row. Then out of nowhere he stopped coming, we asked him why and he said "maybe I don't belong", the thought came to my mind, "how can someone feel like they don’t belong in Gods church". It broke my heart, and ticked me off. He has felt out of place his whole life (even in his family), and we aren’t even making him feel comfortable in the Church of Jesus Christ. He told us that on Tuesday and we could tell that he wasn’t coming back to church this week, but on Saturday we ran into him and took him out to lunch with us, bought him a burger and spent probably 40 min with him. So he came to church on Sunday. But at church on Sunday, I watched with my own eyes him be treated like he didn't matter to anyone. I honestly don't even want to invite the guy back to church now. Anyway I don't mean to be negative, but I just hope that we never treat people like that in our family, even if they are weird, or dirty, or awkward. I hope that we treat people with love always, and even seek out opportunities to serve people who are spiritually and emotionally starving, which really just means that they are starved for love, this is where true happiness comes from. Mom I loved the last paragraph of your e-mail about serving God, its Mosiah 2:17 then follow that up with Mosiah 2:41. We find joy in this life by serving others. Anyway I love you all, please love those people who the world finds it hard to Love. I love you all (your all not hard to love).

Elder Hendrix