Steven's letter Dec 28

Dear Family
Hey how was everyone’s christmas?  It was great talking to yall this last week.   It was good to hear everyone’s voices.   Christmas was great here.  We went around and saw 4 or 5 families in the ward and then went caroling.   We had a Christmas eve party with the Darby family.  They had a few of their neighbors over and we got to talk to them a little.  One of the families was a Hindu family from India.  They were really nice people.   They have a little girl about 5 years old.  They had never celebrated Christmas before, they really enjoyed the party.  The Darbies kids had a nativity play.  It was a lot of fun.  They invited us over for Christmas breakfast too.  They are a really nice family.  Then we went over to the Jessop’s.  That’s where we called home from.  They have a really young family.  Both of them went on missions.  After that we went to the McBride’s for an early Christmas Dinner.  All of their family lives in the Memphis area, so they had a full house.  I think Brother Harris said they had about 40 people there.  They invited a recent convert over to eat to.  His name is Brian.  He is from Simbobway.  He is going to University of Memphis for school.  He lives in the other ward.  He is a really neat guy.  His Wife is moving here this next week, and she wants to be baptized.  The elders that cover that ward are really excited.  After that we went around and saw a few more families and went caroling.
So I don’t know if you remember Kelly.     Elder Perza and I were working with him a lot trying to get him and his girlfriend to get married.  He got married the day I left Pocahontas and baptized that same Saturday.  Any way.  I got a call from him Christmas night.  Last Sunday,  he got the aronic priesthood.  And he is now a Sunday school teacher for 13-15 year olds.  So awesome!  It was great talking to him.  I miss being able to see him.  He is such a great guy.  There are a lot of people I miss being able to see in that area.  I’m sure its going to be the same way when I leave here.
   Elder Morris is getting transfered.  We are pretty bummed about that.  I guess it would have happened sooner or later though.  He is getting moved on Wednessday so half of this week we are going to be going around so he can say good bye to everyone.    He has to pack everything up today.    We are going over to the harris’ tonight.  They are having us over for dinner and then we are going to show them how to have Family home evening.  Things have been going a little slow this week.  Its been hard to catch people home over the hollidays.  Elder Morris and I have really been trying to find people are ready to hear and accept the gospel.  I’m a little nervous about him leaving.  I don’t feel like I know the area or the people very well yet, but I know that God will help me.  I have come to rely on that help with a lot of things since I’ve come out to Arkansas.    Well I hope everything is going good there.  I hope you have a great week.  I miss you all. 
Love Elder Marshall
Quote of the week
“Whenever we are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of life, let us remember that others have passed the same way, have endured, and then have overcome.”
        -Thomas S. Monson

steven's letter Dec14

Dear Family
How is everything going there?  Is everyone getting excited for Christmas?  It’s coming up pretty fast.  It feels like December has just started and its already half way over.  Has it started to get cold there?  Its kindof different here.  It can be real cold one day and be we will be wearing our big coats, and two days later it is t-shirt weather again.  It’s pretty nice today.  It’s been a pretty good week.  We go one on one off with the car.  This week was our walking week.  So we got a lot of walking done.  Brother Harris is getting baptized on Saturday.  He is real excited for that.  He was telling everyone at church about it.  He’s a great guy.  I don’t remember if I’ve told you, before but a week ago when we went and saw him,  he told us he believed that Joseph smith was a prophet, and that the book of Mormon was true,  but he didn’t believe that God would want him to give up the tobacco and the coffee.  He has been chewing tobacco since he was five years old.  He told us he would pray about it though, and if he got an answer to his prayer, he would quit.  Elder Morris and I were praying for him too.  Two days later, he had a doctor’s appointment.  He has problems with depression.  The doctor told him he needed to quit chewing tobacco, and drinking coffee.  That was pretty neat to hear.   Kind of like out of the mouth of two witnesses.  His wife has been less active for a few years now, but wants to start coming to church too.  They have the goal of going to the temple to be sealed together in a year.  It’s a great goal for them to have that will help them both as they become active in the church.  The members of the ward here are really excited for the baptism.  It’s the first baptism they will have since the ward was formed 2 years ago.  We are hoping that there will be a big turnout at the baptism and that it will get the members excited about doing missionary work.   Well I hope everyone is having a great week.  I love you.
Love Elder Marshall
Quote of the week
“They do not love that do not show their love”
                           -William Shakespeare

Steven's letter Dec7

Dear Family
Hey is everyone getting excited for christmas?  How long before school lets out for christmas break? I got the package. thankyou.  Its been a really good week here.  Im still trying to find my way arround collierville.  Elder Morris and i are working really hard together.  We have been working with a lot of the members here in  the ward.  We are trying to get them to do more missionary work.  Missionary work is a lot better when it is the members that are finding people for us to teach.  So we are trying to help them see that.  We have been working a lot with Brother Harris.  He is the 79 year old.  we are hoping that he is going to get baptized before christmas.  We talked about how he can get married in the temple to his wife.  Thats something that he really wants.   He has to give up his chewing tabacco though.  That might be a little hard for him to do, but i know he can do it if he wants to.  He has been chewing tabacco since he was 5 years old. He has to stop drinking coffee to, but i don't think that will be as hard for him.  I think its really interesting how big of a thing the word of wisdom is.  almost every person that i've seen get baptized has had some kind of a word of wisdom problem.  Even a 13 year old girl.  And most of the time, it was a challange for them to give it up.  It just shows how a testimony of the gospel can help us and those around us come closer to God.  They knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Word of Wisdom had come from God, so they knew that it was something they needed to follow.  well I hope everyone is haveing a great day.  I love yall.  Hope you have a good week. 
Love Elder Marshall

Quote of the week
"The spirit of giving gifts has been present in the mind of each Christian as he or she commemorates the Christmas season. Our Heavenly Father gave to us His Son, Jesus Christ. That precious Son gave to us His life, the Atonement, and victory over the grave.

"What will you and I give for Christmas this year? Let us in our lives give to our Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps. It was said of Him that He 'went about doing good.' As we do likewise, the Christmas spirit will be ours."
Thomos S. Monson