Hellllloooooooo.

Hellllloooooooo.
So this week was a good one. I'm so incredibly grateful for the Spirit that has touched so many lives this season. I feel undeserving of the great lessons that Heavenly Father has taught me through the Holy Ghost. I have felt an abundance of strength this season. Family I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be a son of God in every sense of the phrase. What a blessing. I like this new area. The work is a little slow but I've met some good people and I'm sure that I'll meet many more great people. It was great talking to you on Christmas. I almost didn't know what to talk about as you probably could tell.

The new area is very rural. We spend a lot of time in the car. Also we have a huge shortage of proselyting time due to the holidays and exchanges and such. Elder Kicia is nice. He reminds me alot of a missionary that went home a while ago named elder leavitt. I loved that guy. Anywho there is some sweet things coming up. I might be able to go to a sealing of a family that was in wheatland named the Zepps. They are a sweet fam. There is nothing like seeing people progress in the Gospel. Man i love it. So as far as necessities go, i'm doing good. Thank you all for the gifts on Christmas. I'm still amazed at the powerhouse I have behind me namely you guys. Thank you all for the prayers too. I'm very grateful for you and the support you give me. So here's a great thing I learned this week! So you know the story of the Children of Israel in the wilderness after being led out of egypt. Well they received their manna daily right? Well that ties into the Lord's prayer in the Sermon on the Mount when He says, "Give us this day our daily bread." So the lesson learned is that we need to acknowledge our continual dependence on the Lord for the things we need. The Children of Israel didn't pray for the months supply of manna from God but rather the sufficient to get them through the day. To keep ourselves away from the "pride cycle" we need to continually express to our Heavenly Father our need of help from Him. He knows exactly what we need but he needs to hear it from us through the prayers of our hearts. I am realizing so much more that EVERYTHING good comes from Him and it comes out of love. He loves us and I testify of that.

I love you all and am grateful for you!

E. Baumgartner

So I've been called to be a Zone Leader...

Family!
I've had a stellar week yo. I got a transfer call to auburn! I'm leaving today. Right before Christmas. Great. So I've felt incredibly blessed this past week. Like undeservingly so. We had the zone Christmas party. Thank you all for the presents and I wish I could give more to you all. I know I've said this before but I love Christmas time. My new companion is going to be elder Kecia. I heard he's a really great guy. So our ward has been really nice. They gave us too much for Christmas. Sorry this email is going to be small. So I've been called to be a Zone Leader. It will be interesting to see what it will be like. pray for me. I really am humbled by this work. I want to let you all know that it is only through the enabling power of the Godhead that I am able to do any of the things that i'm doing. I feel honored to be able to work so closely with the Lord. I am grateful for the support that I receive not only from Him but from you all as well. I send my sincerest gratitude to everyone. I love you all and know that you are always there for me. About the call I'm pretty sure that it will still be at 8:30 but it may have to change to about 9:00 but it will be right around there. I love you all and will talk to some of you on Christmas! Godspeed
Elder B

Baums Elves with Alivia

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I love you all and give thanks for all that you do.

Hey family!
So what is new this week? Well I love the Christmas season. On our tracting extravaganza yesterday was pretty ridiculous. As we knocked and knocked and knocked we met some major scrooges. I try and stay positive when tracting but sometimes it's hard. We were drenched in the rain and the peeps were stone cold. There was this one where I thought it was moving into a bible bash but we kept it non-contentious and she ended up accepting the commitment to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. It was great! We're going to see her this week. You know what I love about the scriptures. All scripture points away from itself to the true source of all knowledge. That source being our Lord Jesus Christ. I read over Elder Holland's talk just recently that he gave in April. It inspires me to tell the world that The revelation from our Heavenly Father continues and always will! I Love telling this, the most important message to flow through the ears of everyone on the Earth. I wish, with Alma, that i could shout it among all nations with the zealous voice of an angel. This work is going forth and with more speed than we now realize. One of the greatest feelings I've ever had is when the whisper of the Holy Ghost tells me that God is using me as an instrument in His hand. What a privilege. I did get the packages from Grandma and the Jordans. Thank you all so much. I want to end this email with my testimony. I know that Christ lives and that He loves you and I and brothers and sisters and children of God. I am overwhelmed by His love and willingness to succor us in times of need. One of the things that I love about Christmas is, even though people lose focus of the true meaning, there will always be the Spirit of charity toward our family, friends, and complete strangers. Service toward our fellow beings shows love for our God. I know that as we continue to seek out the Lord this holiday season, the Spirit of the love of Him who is Holy will enter into our hearts and satisfy any need or want. I so testify in the name of The Only Begotten of the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ. amen.

I love you all and give thanks for all that you do.

Elder B.

New pictures of Elder B.

Drew was able to confirm a new member this week. It was a great experience for him!

Cool Christmas decorations!

I think this is a missionary in Drew's district. He loves his district...

So there's the weekly report!

Hello!
So this past week was a good one. There is a scripture found in Alma 26 or 27 that describes the feelings that I have. It is where Ammon sits his brothers down to talk with them after they have converted thousands. He offers praises to the Most High. I can feel the overwhelming power of the spirit whenever I offer gratitude to Heavenly Father. Especially this past weekend. Ed Roldan was baptized and confirmed. I really cannot express to you the happiness that I have. During testimony meeting in church, he got up to bear his testimony and thanked all of those who helped with the baptism. I started to tear up as he said, "I know the church is true." Also he said that he feels The Spirit. It was one of those moments that make you realize the immense power that our Lord has in the lives of us and those around us. I love this season too. Being out here I've realized how many people need our testimonies of the divinity of our Savior. That is one of the advantages of being out here. I get to do that all day everyday. I do recognize the unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that i have at this point in my life. it's grrrrreat! So we played manball today. It is basketball but we use deep voices. We have the coolest district too if i don't say so myself. We are doing a secret santa this year. Because they live in the same complex we might go over there at like 4 in the morning on Christmas to do gifts. We're going to film it too. I'll have to send you the video. We have the Santa run too. We might watch wall.e or something.
So My time is running thin... Ky sounds like you're doing awesome buddy. Keep up the good work! So there's the weekly report!

Thanksgiving was sweet!

Well hey there family!
This email is going to be a little short but I'll make it as sweet as i can. Um baptism this Saturday! We had a lesson with him to finalize everything and he's super stoked. So are we. It is going to be great! Thanksgiving was sweet! We did not eat as much as we planned but we did pig out. So the other day I ran into a guy that Matt (brother-in-law Matt) trained when he was on his mission. His last name is Evans. Small world. He gave me his info but i forgot to bring it. So things are great. You know in the spirit of Thanksgiving I would love to tell you all how much I appreciate and love you. I could not have asked for a better family to be sent to. At times i feel very undeserving of the things that I have, especially you all. I've learned out here that thanksgiving is not only a privilege but it is a commandment. To show our appreciation for all that we have we must serve those around us. Hence the giving part of thanksgiving. It is because of the love that our Heavenly Father has for me (and all of us) and drives me to serve all i can to the best of my ability. You all have been amazing examples to me of how we give. One of my most prized memories is when we went out among the homeless people and gave that which we had. I am in awe of the many opportunities that we have to just simply help someone out. I love you for all the help that you've given me. Thank you. Also i did receive the packages! thanks!
Forever your friend and son and brother and grandson and nephew. Yep
Elder Baumgartner