Josh's letter Nov 30

 Happy anniversary! I for one am glad you two got married, even if it was a six day engagement... I owe my life to that happiest of all decisions. I'm sure you didn't know what you two were getting into fully, but it has been a beautiful journey and there is yet much more to come. Speeking of engagements, what'd you guys think of Dia? All I got was that Mom loves her--which is nice but not all that informative, at least not coming from mom.
> So there is a chance that I will get transfered the eve of christmas eve, but President said he will try and minimize transfers, so we'll see.
> The work here in Brainerd has kind of Plateaued and we're looking for ways to break the level again. There is only so much tracking we can do.  Other creative ideas never seem to yeild much fruit. And as a missionary we have alot of responsibility but zero ward-authority. By that I mean we can't decide anything for the ward. Any ideas we have for the ward become just another burden on the ward and their time. So for the most part we just teach, track, and stop by. Quality refferals are few but we are still teaching over 20 lessons a week. So it's still going well. We'll have a white Christmas--a baptism on Dec 12. We are hoping for another miracle baptism.
> Well if you think about it it's probably a good thing they changed the ward boundaries. The Blairs would have had to be in our shadow all the time and just imagine how hard that would be...jk. Well The blairs can always move again... I guess you'll still see them fairly often. I do have one comment on one of the reasons for changing boudaries being home teaching. The people here in Brainerd cover an area thirty minuets to an hour in each direction. More than an hour north. Some people drive an hour to church each week. And home teaching can be an hour in opposite directions between two families. So if they changed the boudaries to make home teaching easier in Littleton... I'm just saying. So who is in our ward? Are the youth programs about equal between wards now? So will we finaly have some good competition in the Church BBall tournament?
> By the way has anyone finnished the Table at Ben and Gabby's?
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> This week I had one of the tenderest experiences on my mission. We have been going to the home of the Rosiers about once a week since we've been in Brainerd. Sis Rosier has been preparing for her rebaptism and we've been teaching her nephew Lemuel the discussions. He doesn't know who he is named after yet... We had Thanksgiving at their place. She was rebaptize on Saturday. We walked into the room and her Mother (90 years old) was crying and Sister Rosier was beaming. The ceremony was interesting but made perfect by Sis Rosiers sincerity. She was sobbing when she entered the font. When she came out she exclamed, "I'm so happy." It seemed almost childish and fittingly so. Seeing she was coming unto christ in her old age as a little child. she recieved the Holy Ghost and they were about to close the meeting but she wanted to bear her testimony. She spoke with the force and conviction of Elder Holland. It was a beautiful procession to see pass by and be a whitness on earth as there were witnesses in heaven of a prodigal returned into the father's home.  We are all prodigal and if we can just return each time we stray, humbly and contrite we will someday inherit the birthright.
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> A masterful talk was given in church yesterday. I asked for a copy and want to send it home. It was given by Brother Oldem who grew up actually in Littleton but the far end of Littleton.
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> I love you all. what we are asked to do is so small. It is only made large by our thinking so. If we can just bear our trials with patience they will become blessings. Hurrah for Israel.
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> Love, Elder Sabey