email dated 12/21/09
Well, I just said goodbye to my companion, Elder Pawlak. He left for the mission home in Bloomfield, CT about an hour ago, and his flight leaves tomorrow morning at 4AM for Arizona, where he’ll be for about a week before he starts schooling and football practice at BYU in January. It feels really strange to see a companion go home. It's even more strange to have a companion leave and then not get a new one for a week. I'm in a threesome with the 2 English elders here in New Haven for a week. This will be interesting. We will be getting 5 new Spanish speaking missionaries on December 29th, and we had 12 leave today. We're really short on Spanish missionaries-I sure hope I don't have to train a new missionary this transfer. I can barely scrape by with my own Spanish.
This last week was really different, because my companion was gone for 3 days of it. He spent 1 day at the Boston Temple, 1 day on exchanges, and yesterday he had to pack all day, so I split with an English missionary to do work. I have loved living in a 'foursome' (2 companionships in the same apartment). It's so exciting!
It snowed hardcore yesterday, and almost no one came to church. There was only 3 or 4 Spanish people there, and then there were only 15 or so English members. It made for an interesting day.
It really doesn't feel like Christmas is already here. For a missionary, stuff doesn't change too much for us at this time of year. We keep on working, proselyting and tracting, teaching investigators and members, etc. The temperature isn't too bad, but the humidity in the air coupled with a 30 degree wind chill makes everything much colder. It doesn't matter how you bundle up, the wind and humidity cut right through every layer you have on.
I love life as a missionary! This is going to be a really special Christmas for me. I get to spend all my time serving others. I don't have to worry about myself at all, but I get to make others happy. Yesterday, a couple of people from the ward, along with Elder Janssen and I, went caroling at an 'old folks' home for Spanish people. I was the only Spanish speaker there, so I got to be the translator. It was lots of fun, and I got to talk to some really neat people. We're gonna go back there on Christmas to spend some time with them.
Don't forget what the reason for the season really is. Have fun with all the usual Christmas traditions, games, and celebrations, but take the time to remember your Savior and what He did for you. Reflect on His suffering, His infinite atonement, that encircles us in the 'arms of mercy' (Alma 34). The Savior said, "He who loses his life for my sake will find it..." The only true and lasting happiness we experience is in serving others, which love is most often experienced within families. Happiness doesn't come from self-gratification, but in those closest to you, those around you. Tell them that you love them, and do something nice for them. Always remember what is most important.
I love you all, and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
-Elder Shepherd
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