Michael's Mission - December 2006

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#FFFF66" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03c006e0dkfegl.gif"> <div>                          <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Michael's Mission Page</FONT>      <IMG SRC="04e55390.gif" border=0 width="85" height="57" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>                     California Santa Rosa Mission  June 2006 - June 2008    |   <A HREF="http://www.theHaslams.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.theHaslams.com"><U>theHaslams.com</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#009933" TEXT="#080000" background="03dbec00ddwnzy.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission Front Page"><U><B>Front Page</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="latest_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission Latest News"><U><B>Latest News</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="photo_album.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission Photo Album"><U><B>Photo Album</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="companions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission Companions"><U><B>Companions</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>=====================</B></div> <div> <A HREF="may_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission May 2008"><U><B>May 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="april_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission April 2008"><U><B>April 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="march_w008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission March 2008"><U><B>March 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="february_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission February 2008"><U><B>February 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="january_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission January 2008"><U><B>January 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="december_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission December 2007"><U><B>December 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="november_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission November 2007"><U><B>November 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="october_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission October 2007"><U><B>October 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="september_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission September 2007"><U><B>September 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="august_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission August 2007"><U><B>August 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="july_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission July 2007"><U><B>July 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="june_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mike_Mission June 2007"><U><B>June 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="may_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission May 2007"><U><B>May 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="april_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission April 2007"><U><B>April 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="march_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission March 2007"><U><B>March 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="february_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes mission February 2007"><U><B>February 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="january_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission January 2007"><U><B>January 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="december_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission December 2006"><U><B>December 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="november_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission November 2006"><U><B>November 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="october_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission October 2006"><U><B>October 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="september_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission September 2006"><U><B>September 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="august_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission August 2006"><U><B>August 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="july_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission July 2006"><U><B>July 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="arrival.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Arrival in Santa Rosa"><U><B>Arrival in Santa Rosa</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="mtc.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission MTC"><U><B>Departure & the Missionary Training Center</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>=====================</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.mission.net/california/santa/rosa/index.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mission.net/california/santa/"><U><B>California Santa Rosa Mission Alumni Site</B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <B>December 2006</B></div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="the_first_christmas"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>December 25, 2006 - </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >During his short Christmas day phone call (40 minutes), Michael updated us on the work in the Middletown ward.  Kristina Watson is all set to be baptized on Saturday December 30th. The Spanish sister they have been teaching has had difficulty in quitting her smoking habit.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Elders Haslam and Rosario have tracted all of Middletown itself.  Many people acknowledged that they had been previously contacted by LDS missionaries.  With proselyting their home area out of the question (it is a private community). That leaves just the area know as Cobb Mountain to tract in. Michael said he hopes they will be able to find someone to teach in that area.</div> <bR> <div> For the rest of their Christmas day they were headed to Clear Lake to spend some time with the missionaries in that city. Later they were headed to Cobb mountain for dinner with the Heizer family, the same couple which had hosted them for Thanksgiving.  After that it is back to Hidden Valley Lake for desert at the Bishop's home.</div> <bR> <div> Michael had received our Christmas box and said he was not in need of any other material goods. All we need is some people to share the gospel with.</div> <bR> <div> His siblings enjoyed describing their Christmas gifts, to which Michael said "Wow!", but you're not serving as a missionary!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>December 18, 2006 - </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >In Michael's E-mail he said, "We'll I'll be talking to you before I write you again, but I have no idea when or for how long. I do know that we will be having dinner on Christmas with the Heizer family on Cobb mountain.</FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="073902c0.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="300" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Michael shared a photograph of their Christmas tree in Hidden Valley Lake. A full 6' tree with one strand of lights!  That sure beats the 1' tree his Dad had in Thailand for Christmas 1974. The tree came from the apartment of the Lakeport Elders who had two trees.  The Elders wrote these names and 2006 on a pair of ornaments.</div> <bR> <div> In reflecting on his 1st 6 months of missionary service Michael wrote, "I can't find a whole lot that I've been able to accomplish on the outside but I know that I have been made stronger and learned a lot. You can definitely see the Lord's hand in the work even when you don't see the success you want".</div> <bR> <div> In his experience of the week Michael explained, "We went to a member's house to set up a time for a member referral discussion (MRD) and it was around 6 the usual time for dinner in this mission. We didn't have one today so we were going to work until 8 because most people don't want to talk with us when it gets that late. They just happened to have cooked more soup than they needed and their son happened to grab 2 extra bowls before we even knocked on the door! How crazy is that! The Lord will provide for His servants! We should go back to traveling without purse or scrip. I think that would be a better test of faith but that's OK.</div> <bR> <div> They are looking forward to December 30, when Sister Kristina Watson will be baptized. He wrote, "Kristina is still ready for the 30th of December. She continues to learn and grow every week. Her husband is also just on fire. He was a less active member for a long time but has been very active for the past 4 months and is just loving the gospel. I love teaching them and seeing them draw closer to God". </div> <bR> <div> <B>December 11, 2006 - </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Michael E-mail to say that neither he nor Elder Rosario were transferred so they will be working together for another 6 weeks at least.  Elder Haslam indicated that he really likes Elder Rosario and they enjoy working together. "He is a pretty good movie quoter too, so we have fun with that. I'm excited to serve another transfer with him". He added, "not much is changing in my district/zone. One Elder is leaving for home and another Elder is moving down to Sonoma.  Also President Stoddard has a new assistant in Elder D. Davis who was a DL in Vacaville while Michael was serving there. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Sister Watson set a date of December 30th to be baptized and her husband is excited about that. President Stoddard is watching to see which newly "reopened" area Middletown or St. Helena will have a baptism first.</div> <bR> <div> Commenting on the Middletown Ward Michael said, "The ward is really excited and appreciative of us and the work we do which is great, the only problem is they haven't been looking to find people yet! But the Bishop is awesome. He is definitely the most excited person in the ward. He was so disappointed when they pulled the missionaries 3 years ago. He was shocked and upset, now he's just the opposite!"</div> <bR> <div> There will be an all-mission conference in Santa Rosa on December 26th</div> <bR> <div> <B>December 4, 2005 - </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Michael E-mailed to say that things are slow in the Middletown Ward, their two best contacts from the previous week indicated on their revisit that they were not interested. He indicated that in the private community in which they live "Hidden Valley Lake" that they cannot go door to door, however, just like in Thailand they can talk to anyone whom they meet outside their homes.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Angie asked Elder Haslam, "How is it like in the country". Michael responded, "It's pretty tough because the houses are more spread out, you have to drive further distances and not very many people like to talk to anybody, much less Mormons." </div> <bR> <div> Commenting on the highlights of the week, Michael said, "Otherwise, we were out trying to find people by tracting and talking with members but we just can't seem to find any luck right now but I'm not worried. The elect are out there, we just need to serve diligently and we will find them". </div> <bR> <div> "The other success story this week happened at the end of the week. We went to a less active member's house to get to know them and shared a brief message. The father has been wanting to come back and has just felt so much opposition from the adversary that he's having trouble. We were able to uplift and encourage him and his son was there telling him that he needed to ignore all the temptations. His son is less active too. They both came yesterday and the son got up and bore his testimony!! He said that he has been wanting to come back and has just found a lot of excuses for not attending. He then said, "Thanks to two missionaries that came to our house last night, I came"'. That was awesome!</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>