Merry Christmas to All!

Christmas Card Photos

Getting ready for the retelling of the Thanksgiving story!

Tin Foil Dinosaurs (I am guessing after Halloween and the chipotle
promotion-wrap yourself as a a burrito and get a free burrito)
How to entertain yourself with leftover foil...


"Jockos World Famous Fried Chicken"

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
It is almost Christmas... actually, I believe it is winter solstice today if I am not mistaken... So exciting huh! Who needs to celebrate Christmas when you can celebrate winter solstice? Just playing....

So life here in Hamilton Ohio is just dandy! Had a good pre-Christmas week! We have been talking a lot with our investigators about trying to figure out what they want... If they want to progress in the gospel, or if they just want. Had a good lesson with Maria in which my companion really just asked her what she wanted and how she was going to go about achieving that. She is a way good lady, just has trouble with taking another step of faith to go to church (she works on Sunday and doesn’t think she can find another job). So we are working with her to resolve those concerns...

My Spanish is coming along nicely... My companion corrects my pronunciation ruthlessly so I am actually learning how to say the words! It’s a good feeling; I have gotten several complements lately with my accent which makes me happy! In fact I spoke in church yesterday; it was like 40X better then my last talk in the Branch. I spoke for 10 minutes about Samuel the Laminate and how he foretold the the Saviors Birth to the people here in the American continent before Christ was born in Bethlehem(3rd Nephi 1). I figured everyone has heard the story of Christ's birth in Luke, so I might focus on a little different perspective. So I spoke about Christmas and only used the accounts of his birth from the Book of Mormon. It is all there. Prophets foretold Christ would come to save the people from their sins. A sign was given- Samuel said that, there would be a day and a night and a day of light, and that is what happened. The Book of Mormon really is another testament of Christ. President Robbins (our mission president) came to our sacrament meeting because my companion was singing. He did a solo of The First Noel. He did way good! The kid can sing! It was overall a success!

Also, we had our Branch Christmas party on Saturday with tons of people there (130+). It was really good! But... Something very annoying... The party should have started at 5 o'clock. But it started at 6:50. Yes almost two hours late!!! So I did a little equation... I figured out that Spanish speaking branches are probably the most non-punctual groups of people in the world... This is my equation:

Hispanic Time- 60 Min. Late
Mormon Time - 30 Min. Late
Lack of Organization- +20 Min. Late
Time when we start - = 1 Hour and 50 Min.

That is the perfect storm of lateness!!!

Ok... To another topic. I must first start out by saying this to my dear sister Emily King... You were right, and I was wrong! Before I got here to Cincinnati some people had told me it would not be cold... So I believed them. My sister Emily told me that it was going to be crazy cold... So here on this Blog (I am assuming my mom will post this on there) I will admit before the whole world that my sister was right, and I was absolutely wrong... I realized she was right when my overcoat was literally frozen!!! FROZEN!!! There was no condensation of any kind but my Jacket turned into a large black piece of ice... It was a learning experience because I did not know that solid, in adamant objects could freeze again!

Also... It was windy yesterday and we were riding against a really strong wind and my eyes started to water.... Then the tear on my cheek began to FREEZE!!!! I had to clear it off before it could!

Also... when I don’t breathe out of my nose I can feel my nostrils freezing ... NO JOKE!

Also... My scarf, I kind of put it over my mouth and nose like some Arabian Horseman (Mormon missionary on a bike version) but the moisture began to freeze so I just had my face frozen in my own saliva ice... Also... My pen ink froze... No Joke I had to open it up and rub it between my hands to get it to functioning temperature.

It was like 17 degrees yesterday but apparently with humidity and wind-chill they were saying it was below zer0 (it is what I heard it has not been verified as truth)! It’s cold, but it’s actually not that that bad (I just like to think of the Russian missionaries who are way colder!). It mostly just makes me laugh and kinda yelp when the wind hits us... Listening to my yelps is one of my Companions favorite things... I am pretty well set for the cold... Just lots and lots of layers and a good attitude and it is not bad! Just making mission memories!

Sooo basically everything is grrand! Loving life, getting ready for the Christmas Call!

Good Stuff!

Well I love Mission Life! Everything is good!

Merry Christmas everyone and I love you!!!

Love Elder Stiles

Seriously Now...

How’s it going everyone? Things are going well here! Mostly just working hard and having fun.

Ok, this letter might be a little different than most... It kind of has a different tone. I got a new companion about 2 weeks ago his name is Elder Spjute. I think it is safe to say Elder Spjute has had the hardest mission of anyone I have ever met or ever will meet. He left on his mission Feb 07 and so is almost done with his mission.

Elder Spjute is known in the mission as being super obedient, and super hard working but pretty quiet until you break his shell. Well, in May of last year he had something terrible happen. His older sister who was serving a mission in England was on a morning Jog and went into cardiac arrest. She passed away almost immediately. The mission president delivered the news to him a few hours later in a personal visit. He was given the option to go home at this point in time, to be with his family. When president asked him about that he said "No" without even considering going home. He called and talked to his parents and they were supportive of his decision. He recovered from this pretty well; he basically lost himself in the work and kept on moving forward (with lots of prayer).

Everything was going pretty well until about 4 weeks ago. He received a phone call from his Dad. His Dad explained that his Mom has terminal Cancer. He once again talked with the mission president and was given the choice to go home to be with his family for the Holidays. His Dad's only council was to not make a decision based on emotions. So he prayed and he decided to stay. The sacrifice that he is making is amazing. I do not think I have ever met a stronger more faithful person. He signed up to serve the Lord with all of his heart and that is what he is doing. It is a SACRIFICE, but it is something he knows is right.

I think it is kind of an interesting story at this time of the year. We always associate Christmas with family time, presents and good dinners. BUT there is actually something much much larger than those at this time of the year. Sacrifice, Jesus, made the sacrifice for us, if we remember that the wise men brought Jesus gifts, it was not that this little baby Jesus wanted any presents or could do anything with them, but it was a display of the sacrifice they were making for Christ.

So my invitation to all of you is to sacrifice something this Christmas. Do something you wouldn’t usually do for someone else... Give of yourself. Do something Hard! And you will find there is a different holiday spirit. I would also ask that everybody say a little Prayer for the Spjute family. They need all of the prayers they can get at this time. I love you all and I am proud to be a servant of The Lord.
Love,
Elder Stiles

Enough binge blogging for now, gotta go to bed!

In the Aviary 1

This is a total action shot! Delaney in the back and Ryan hoping to catch those two birds on his bird stick.

This cockatiel landed on Delaney's head. It creeped me out, but she thought it was funny!

Feed the birds tuppence a bag, tuppence, tuppence a bag. Ryan with his own little flock of mooching birds. lalala

Delaney with a little yellow parakeet or is it a lorakeet?

Yes, Reese was there, but she was in the baby bjorn on my chest, and I was the one with the camera! She had a good time too.

The Aviary 2

Because the Zoo was deserted, the birds were hungry! We barely got inside the front door and they were
feeding off the kids bird sticks!

Ryan was loving it! it was so funny to see the birds flock to the little ones and the kids were not afraid at all!

Two big parakeets on Ryans bird stick!

Day at the Zoo

Emily and I and the kids went to the Ft Worth Zoo.
It was a gogeous day at the Zoo, there was hardly anyone else there and the kids were perfect!

Thanksgiving- A great meal was had by all

Gramps and Ryan and Delaney watch a little football!

Delaney is 2 1/2 and cooked the turkey almost all by herself. It was delicious!

The turkey was also beautiful
Ohhhhhhh Yummmmm!Our Little Pilgrim had a bump on the head before we feasted!

One happy baby!

The Dallas Childrens Christmas Parade

We got up bright and early the first Saturday in December and went to the Dallas Childrens Parade! It was lots of fun. Lots of balloons from the Macys Thansgiving day parade were flying high over Dallas. When the handlers got to intersections, the crowd would chant, spin, spin, spin and if they were able to turn the character 360 they would.

Next year we will try for an even better spot!

Reese thought the whole thing was a snoozer!



Delaney and Her Daddy

Frosty the snowman was there

Ryan and Em enjoying the morning all bundled up
Here comes Santa Claus! He is the one we have all be waiting for, It's the end of the parade.

Ryan had a great view too, perched on Gramps' shoulders

A good time was had by all! We lunched at a crazy gas station in Downtown Dallas with live longhorns, bikini clad ladies in a pool in the summer, and 1.19 tacos! Only in Tejas!

so, I must have been inturupted!

When I began to post, I must have just downloaded this photo of katie and the girls taken november 08. I guess I will just post again with the rest of the pictures I wanted to share!