Hey everybody! Sorry I didn't email or anything last week. We had a zone conference come up and we left for Farmington in the morning. They had vehicle inspections up there too so we had to wash our truck before we left. We just never got time to email or write, so I got your letters in the mail though thank you so much. I also got a Christmas card from Gma and Gpa Thieme. That was nice to hear from them.

I loved that story about Jurgen Mumm, that's awesome. Things like that happen and they are never coincidence. God works in mysterious ways sometimes, but everything happens for a purpose and His hand is in all things. This is His work. That is why these small miracles happen every day. A couple weeks ago, we were talking about the service section in Preach My Gospel that talk about using service to find people. We knocked on some trailer door that day and the guy wasn't real interested and a little weirded out by us, but then we just asked if we could chop some of the wood outside his house that we'd seen. He was still a little leery but he said yea and he came out and we talked and he turned out to be really cool and friendly. We haven't taught him much yet but we've developed a friendship with him that may open the door to that soon. It just showed us that as we do the things that we are supposed to, like search the scriptures and follow preach my gospel that the Lord is with us and he will lead us to opportunities to find His sheep. 

Yesterday we went to visit a recent convert at the college and we usually leave the phone in the truck when we visit people but my companion had a thought to grab it, so he did. We were there for a few minutes when we got a call from the hospital. There was a very sick elderly woman being life-flighted to a bigger hospital and her and her family wanted to receive blessings. I guess Navajos really like blessings, whether it be for healing, strength, or for their homes. It's pretty cool. So luckily we had the phone on us and we rushed over and I was able to give a healing blessing and two blessings to her daughter and her granddaughter who were traveling with her. I think these were the first blessing I'd given since confirming Bryson and it was so cool to be able to use that Priesthood power to help other people. Well that was last night and we haven't heard any news about her yet. Oh ya, we also had this family who wanted blessings for their kids. I got to bless their little three year old girl. She is super cute and when she talks you have no idea what she's saying to you.
Happy Birthday Jackson! 15 dude! Things are going to start happening to you now!
It sounds like you guys had an awesome New Years. We had to be in by seven, so no partying for us. We just went to bed listening to other people shoot off fireworks.
Man, I can't believe your painting the house. Just curious, what have you guys done with my room so far?  Will I even recognize the house when I get back?
 

So you guys are going no dairy? I usually don't get to choose my meals but I've tried to eat well by buying carrots and those snap peas and stuff. I even have oatmeal that I enjoy on cold Sunday mornings. I eat plenty of fruit for breakfast too. My companion only buys whole milk though so I'm not exactly cutting back on dairy yet. Well that's great for you guys. It sounds like a really good thing.
Ooh we had this one salad at a member's house last night. It was carrots and apples chopped up real small with craisins and then mixed with some real cream. It was so good! I thought maybe you could substitute something for the cream maybe. But this stuff was so good. I thought it sounded weird, but it was amazing.
That's good that you got to visit Lorraine. I feel like we haven't seen any of their family for a long time. 

So last Monday was my first and only zone conference in the Farmington New Mexico mission. We got ready, did a few things and the drove to Four Corners to take some pictures and stuff. I got a picture of Flat Stanley in all four states. It was pretty cool. Not super exciting. It's the only place where four states touch in one spot or something like that, so I guess it was pretty exciting. Then we drove to Farmington from there and ate at a Mexican restaurant and then we had no idea where we were supposed to sleep that night. We had to call the elders in the area to find it and they had no idea anyone would be coming. There were like four companionships in this house for two people. I slept on a recliner and my companion slept on the floor. Oh ya, that was the day I was sick too. I had a cold for a couple days last week. I just had a runny nose and congestion and stuff. But I'm all better now. That night was not much fun though. I didn't get much sleep.
So we've had some good things happening. We've been finding some new people to teach and we've got some of our less actives to come to church. There was a baptism this Saturday for Aaron Tree. He's fourteen. My companion and the ones before me had taught him, but now he is in the sister's area. But we went to his baptism so my companion could be there for him. It was awesome. When he went under the water and then came back up, I felt something I'd never felt as much before. It was like pure joy. I was so happy that I was like, excited. I could feel the Spirit telling me that was Aaron was doing was what He wanted him to do. What he was doing was stepping through that gate and onto the path that leads to Eternal Life. It was so cool. And I hardly knew this guy. Bryson has done the same thing recently and Kenzie is getting closer. its such an important thing, I wish I could remember mine more. 

We also were talking to a recent convert named Rhoshondalynn and she was talking about wanting to serve a mission. It made both me and my companion so happy to hear her talk about that. She'd been praying about it and God has answered her, and she's decided that after a year, when she can go to the temple, she wants to go on a mission. She already shares things she learns from the Book of Mormon with her family, her mom not being a member. It is so cool and it strengthens my testimony to see her righteous desires growing. As we learn the truth of this glorious Gospel for ourselves and we learn to love people with a Christlike love, we can't help but want to share it!
I'll tell you some stories in a letter.
I love you all! Love you Miranda, Jackson, Evan, Bryson, Kenzie! Love you mom! Love you dad! Send all the rest of the family my love and let the staff know how I'm doing once in a while. I miss you all.