MERRY CHRISTMAS!

December 17, 2007

Merry Christmas!

I really love the Durham Third Young Single Adult Ward! That has gotten a lot more apparent over the last week as a lot of the students have already gone home, and most of them will be gone in a week and won’t come back until a week into 2008! We’ll probably spend some time helping out the family wards by knocking doors and going on exchanges with other Elders in Chapel Hill.

We had a great Christmas Party at Bishop Condie’s house on Friday, the 7th. It was really fun to talk with ward members, especially now that I know most people’s names!
On Sunday, the 9th, we had an amazing Christmas musical fireside, Joy to the World. We have so much musical talent in our ward and a lot of the members brought non-member friends. It was a great opportunity to ‘talk of Christ’ ‘rejoice in Christ’ and ‘preach of Christ’ with our friends. Hopefully it will open people’s hearts to the message of the Restoration of our Savior’s Gospel. So many people have the misconception of Mormons not believing in Christ. I couldn’t imagine a simpler, kinder or more powerful way of dispelling that than sharing our talents and testimonies of the Savior!

I’ve been teaching a mission preparation class this semester to four UNC freshmen, but I was sick with a fever and headache the first part of last week and I missed seeing them give their final teaching of the Restoration of the Gospel. It will be good to write them when they go out to serve soon!!!

I’ve been playing wheelchair rugby with the Raleigh Sidewinders since August. It’s been a lot of fun and a really good workout. We had a tournament this weekend in Raleigh, so I was able to participate. I was feeling sick with a headache and fever again the night before and the day of the tournament, so I didn’t get much rest before the tournament.

I was able to borrow a rugby chair that we me rigged-up so it would work for me using three straps, a cushion and a lot of duct tape. It came apart once as I was playing, but with a little more duct tape, I was ready to go again! It was so much fun! I didn’t play my best, but considering that it was my first time playing, I was sick, using a chair I’d never even seen before, I had a FANTASTIC time!!!

The best part was that some people came to watch! Our Mission President and his wife, President and Sister Wallis were cheering in the stands as the Sidewinders battled the East Coast Cripplers. Afterwards, President and Sister Wallis tried out the rugby chairs. I think my favorite part of the day was seeing this sweet couple I’ve only seen in spiritual settings, ram each other in big ‘tankish’ wheelchairs. Holly and Jessica came from our ward, with a “Go Elder Walters!” poster and a “Go! Fight! Win!” poster. They too tried out a couple of chairs and everyone had a fun time. It was really great to have their support, and the Sidewinders ended up winning the Championship game, getting first place of the four teams that attended!

Thank you for everyone’s Christmas cards and packages and letters! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Elder Walters