Out of the hardest days, come the biggest moments.

What's up Mama,

How the heck have you been? I had a pretty good week. This week should be really fun with Christmas and all that. I actually got my packages on Saturday so they came faster than expected I guess. That's cool. You will be happy to know that I am saving them til Christmas morning to open, by orders of Sister Ware haha. She doesn't want any missionary to have to sing "I'm getting nothing for Christmas" haha. She's funny sometimes.

You like Sister S? I am glad you got to talk to her. I like her too, she's awesome. You should have gotten a couple texts with pictures this week. When we have dinner with families who have missionaries out, they always want to send a pic it seems.

I am staying healthy. The past couple days I have had some allergies so I don't know what the heck is up with that. My right eye has been bugging me because I can't see as good in it. I am going to the eye doctor tomorrow though, so I will see if I am actually blind or going crazy haha.

Amazon is amazing haha. Now that you have free 2 day shipping it's even more great!

Jeff is going to have a hard time competing with your fave son huh haha. ;)

Our investigators are doing well. It was a good, busy week. I had some cool experiences too, so it was awesome.

Mama: Hi Son! I’ve been great. I’m glad you have had a good week. Sister S said she is taking you to the doctor tomorrow. You’ll have to let me know what happens when we talk to you this week.

I did get three pics of you this week! Two from the M family and one from the Ns. They are all great!

You’ll always be my favorite son. Wink!

I forgot to tell you that Brother and Sister B gave you another $25 this Christmas. I will put it in your account.

Elder Sed: Yep, she is taking us to the doctor bright and early. 6:40 in the morning hahah. When I heard what time it was, I was like holy cow haha. It should be fun though.

Hey it's good that I'm still the favorite.Tell the Blacks thanks for me!

I am thinking about going and getting my grey suit tailored this week because it is huge on me and looks terrible. Mr Mac does free alterations but I am not in Utah and they don't have Mr. Macs here so I might just take it to a place and have them do it. I heard though that it would be somewhere around $40. 

Mama: Oh yeah, you’re still the fave. Yesterday all the kids were telling me, “But you said I’M your fave!” haha! I may or may not have told them all that.  

Yeah, I think you should get your suit tailored. I could tell it’s huge in that pic you had taken for a cutout. 

Elder Sed: Oh so the truth comes out huh haha. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

You can be sure that I am the favorite--just an fyi.

I will be calling sometime Christmas Eve to set up the final details on the Skype. Should be fun!!!!

I will probably have my suit done then. I like that suit, just not right now because it's huge. Even the pants on my black suit are big, but the jacket fits better than it does on my grey suit so I will probably not worry about that one.

Mama: Can't wait to hear your voice!: it will be awesome. We will all be at grandpa Hilton's house.

Elder Sed: I have to get going now. It was great to talk to ya. I am glad everything is good back at home base. I hope you have a great week! Talk to you on Christmas! Love ya!

-Elder Jake Sedlacek

What's up Dad,

It was weird because when I started to read the email you sent, I was reading it as Mom sent it and I was thinking to myself  "Why is mom going to Cabela's to spend her birthday stuff???" haha!  I realized after that though that I was reading your email instead haha. That's awesome you were able to pick up a case of shells. Is that all you bought? It's going to be fun to use those next year. Jeff is going to have to come along too. If I remember correctly he hasn't duck hunted before, right?

This week for me was a great one. We had lessons with most of our investigators. I had some cool experiences too, with finding and gaining answers to prayers. I am going to give a short update of where most of our investigators are at.

M**** is still doing well. She came to church yesterday and really liked it. Like our ward back home was, our church was on Christmas in every class. It was fun. She still is having a hard time studying, but in this crazy, busy world who isn't? I think that is one of the most used tactics by Satan. He tries to convince us that we are too busy to study the scriptures, which is absolutely false. Dang Satan. Stop messing with our investigators.

L**** has been slammed with work with Christmas coming up. He is busy all this week too, which is just crazy. He still tries to find time to read each day somehow. He's awesome.

D*** we lost contact with. He got kicked out of where he was living and we have no clue where he's at now with his phone not working anymore. I hope we are able to find him soon. Miracles happen.

T****** is really busy with work too. (See the common theme with all our investigators?) The bishop went over and visited with her to see if she had any Christmas needs, so that was great. She is really awesome. Sometimes I just wish I could buy the things that she needs. It's really tough for me sometimes that way. I care about them so much and want them to have the things that they need.

C***** unfortunately got anti-ed by her boyfriend and dropped us this week. That was a tough day, but I did get a way sweet answer to my prayers immediately that day. When we got back inside that day, on Wednesday of this week, we had had a really long day and I was just ready for bed. In my night prayers to Heavenly Father, I always just try and relax and go over my whole day. I was just thinking about the days on my mission where it seems like nothing is going my way, and then all of a sudden I had a distinct thought in my mind. It went like this: "Out of the hardest days, come the biggest moments."  My thoughts went right to the Savior after that. I was just imagining the morning of the atonement and what or how Christ would have felt. He must have known that the day was going to be the hardest experience of his mortal life, but in reality the hardest day of all human history brought the biggest moment in human history as well. Out of that garden came salvation for human kind. How grateful I am for it this Christmas season!!!!!!!! It's so awesome to be a missionary this Christmas season. It may not be a "White" Christmas for me per say, but I have learned some meaningful lessons.

That answer to my prayers was just one of the cool things that happened this week. It was just a great week. I'm looking forward to this week, too. It's going to be fun to be able to see you guys over Skype.

I have got to say GO UTES!!!!! Oh yea, I am so happy they had a great game. I would have loved to see that trick play they did to score at the beginning. I bet it was awesome! I hope they can finish in the top 20 this season. That would be the icing on the cake. Now they just need to do amazing next year.

Well, I know the gospel is true. I am so grateful to be able to serve a mission. I love it! I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know the Savior lives. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet that god has called in these days. I know the priesthood is on the earth as well. What a blessed life we live. Thanks for all that you do for me Dadio. Your awesome! Love ya!

-elder jake sedlacek