This week was great. We were finally able to contact a lady who had just disappeared for a few weeks and she is doing well. We also set a few baptismal dates and we are looking forward to a family being baptized at the end of this month. They are from Liberia. They have family members and friends that are members of the church in Africa and her in Des Moines and all over the rest of the world. We are excited for them and it is amazing to see the changes in their lives. In many ways the work is still slow but it is doing much better. We are working hard and trying every method available to us. There are always disappointments. Some of the people I have worked with have fallen are are starting to fall away. It hurts to see them leave when you know they have had those spiritual witnesses but I also know that I have done all with in my power and within reason to try to help them. Surprisingly it is not that cold here. We are having a really mild winter. I was kind of hoping for an awful winter just so that I could have cool stories to tell but I guess we will just wait and see what happens. If we have a warm winter and a dry summer again it will impact a lot of the people out here. We have had a little bit of frost but no snow yet which is extremely unusual for Iowa. I am still not losing hope that a huge storm will hit us. Other than that things are going well. We are doing our best to work hard and to bring people to Christ. I want you all to know that I know This church is true I know the book of Mormon to be true. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that he really did appear to the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that keeping the commandments brings blessings and that if you follow rules you will be rewarded greatly. I love all of you. If you feel inclined to send me a Christmas present send it usps so it will be forwarded. It is hard for me to get it otherwise (not that I am suggesting that I need presents but ties are always a nice things to have) again I love you all. Have a great week.