Dear Everyone,

     It is the week of Christmas and I have never ever been away from home at this time of the year. I feel great. I love everyone here and I love the work I am doing. I have never had five weeks as productive as these last five ever in my life. I have learned so much about myself and about the gospel. I used to think that missionary work wasn't that effective, but now I see. Being a missionary is only effective when you work, when you decide to give it all and not want anything back but knowing that you brought a soul closer to Christ and hopefully paved the way that will lead them and their family to the Celestial Kingdom.
   At the MTC we get to call people, real people, who ordered Bibles, Books of Mormon, or other church publications. On the surface it seems like we are just calling to see if they got what they ordered, and you can do that if that is all you want to do. But we were taught to go to the call center with a prayer in our heart wanting to share the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people we call. They usually don't answer and when they answer, they usaually just say " yeah I got it, bye". One night while calling a man named RJ answered his phone. The more I talked to Rj and he told me about what he was going through I devoloped a love for him. He told me that there was a lot of stuff he wants to fix and he ordered this Bilbe to help him fix these things. After talking for a while and finding out more about him I testified about the power of Baptism and I told him that all his sins could be forgive. I told him that God loved loved him and that he wanted to help him make his life better. He wanted to talk to some missionaries so some were sent to visit him. I don't know what happened or what will happen with RJ but I know I did my best and that is the feeling I want to have for the rest of my life.
     My Portuguese is coming along. I have taught lesson one in Portuguese five time now and through hard work I am being blessed with an understanding of this language that would have never dreamed of having in five weeks. I love this work and I love all of you. Thank you for everything. Natalie, I think about you every day and I miss you. Sing a Christmas song for me and remember what this season is all about, Love.

Com Amor,
     Elder Nothum