1st Christmas on the Mission!

Elder Farley, Elder Gomez and Elder Bodda

Hey Mom!

What a great week!  I couldn't have imagined a better Christmas away from home.  Brother Weitzner of course treated us well and the King family also made Christmas very special and fun!  I was so stoked to be able to Skype and see all of the family.  It has been wonderful to get pictures of you all over email and of course through Facebook but actually getting to interact via Skype was really special.  I am very glad President Cook is allowing us to Skype home now for Christmas and hopefully Mother's Day.  The only thing I wish we could have had this Christmas was snow.  Being down in the southern part of the mission we are in a lower elevation and close to the ocean so it is actually warmer than the areas closer to DC and the surrounding areas.  So a lot of people got snow but we just got rain. And then it was in the 70's last week so that was lame. ha ha But besides that it was great.

The work in the area has been going back and forth.  Elder Gomez felt inspired to just start calling all the members we have no clue about.  Because what could calling hurt if we never see them anyway!  So far we have been making progress so hopefully we will be able to get a few families back to church and excited for the 9am church schedule of 2014! Woohoo! ha ha We also have had a couple opportunities where we have run into our investigators Curtis and Chelsea.  They are really great people.  Chelsea is finished with 1st Nephi I think already and Curtis is in 1st Nephi right now.  She seems a lot more interested while Curtis seems a little more skeptical and more interested in investigating to start up his own church or something.   But we are going to continue to pray that his mind and heart will be softened along with hers so that we will be able them to both find their own answer to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the Gospel.  The really cool thing is that they are always over at the home of the Douglas's home to work on their business that they are starting up.  

Something sort of sad that has been hard for us is that the P. family has not been to church for a while.  They have had some family situations that seem to be holding them back each Sunday even when they commit to coming.  So pray for them that they will get back on track and come to church.  I know they have testimonies, they are just letting Satan get in their way of the things that are most important in their life.  

I am very excited for the new year.  2013 went by so fast, and I know 2014 will be a great year for sharing the Gospel.  The Lexington Park ward is getting excited for the new year's Ward Mission Plan which is: Pray, Share, and Invite.  It is so simple!  I love it.  All in all it is to have courage and faith in what you know is true.  Do not be afraid to pray for those who you care about and pray specifically for them to have open hearts to the Gospel.  Share:  Never hesitate to share what you believe or what something means to you, especially when that something is the Gospel which has brought you so many blessing.  Invite: Reach out to others and invite them to church, FHE, Dinner, Dessert, Movie Night or really anything!  Just show that you love them and want to become better friends.  It seems really simple, but I know it is going to work.  If we all just are friendly and Christ-like people will enjoy our company and want to know why we are so cheerful and friendly.  I love this Gospel!  We all need to unite as members and help our brothers and sisters come back to our Heavenly Father and we can do it by taking simple steps!  It can start any way... Invite, Share or Pray in no specific order.  It just takes that first step.

Keep sharing the Gospel and working hard to unite the ward and love the people around you.  Love you and Miss you!

Love your son,

Elder Sean Farley

P.S.  Merry Christmas Everyone!  Thank you to everyone who has sent out Christmas letters and packages!  Thanks to Mom, Dad and Brian.  Grandma and Grandpa. Summer, Jonny and the Kids.  Rachel.  The Lacey Family. The Marcums. And the Tanners!  Thanks so much everyone you all are great! :)  Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Love you!