a "white Christmas"

This last week was a week full of gratitude, love, and service. we were really busy helping people, especially members, during the christmas season. we also had the opportunity to spend christmas eve with an american family in our branch and thus the title white christmas. no it didnt snow...we ate dinner at their house and then acted out the birth of the Savior while reading Luke 2. it didnt compare with the follow the star performance that our ward does every year but it got me into the christmas spirit. the next day, christmas, i got to talk to the family which was great. we then spent the whole day setting up for a branch christmas party. the branch asked me weeks in advance to be santa claus and of course i accepted. the strange thing was that people continued to ask me and confirm that i would be santa for the party. i was a little confused because i didnt think it was a big deal but i soon figured out why they kept asking me and preventing me from backing out of it.
as santa i made my entrance into the party and was immediately trampled by a stampede of kids. they tried to take me down and steal my beard. luckily with the help of my companion we fought them off and i was able to call out the kids names and give them presents. the kids knew that i was one of the missionaries so it kind of ruined the fun. if i would have known all of this was going to happen i might have turned down the opportunity to be santa...

another highlight of the week was a referral we got from this same american family. they speak korean and actually have quite a few korean friends outside of the church. they invited a family they know over for dinner and had us come to. after introducing us as missionaries of the church we were able to talk to them while eating dinner and actually taught them most of the restoration. it was one of the most solid referrals i have ever gotten. i imagine that this is the most effective way to introduce neighbors and close friends to the church.
the father has a lot of interest in the church so we invited him to come to church next week and he said he would. we are praying that everything will work out and have faith that the Lord will prepare this family for baptism.