Happy 20th Birthday on December 20th 2010 Email

iMERRY CHRISTMAS!
We had an early white Christmas with the baptism of Angeles Quezada yesterday. She was super ready and it was a special baptism. Angeles is going to make a strong member. Other big and surprising news is that Elder Simmons is not getting transferred. He has been working hard here since June. It's a good thing we get along because this will be our fourth transfer together. That's got to be close to a record or something. So our happy threesome will remain intact at least until Elder Quinn receives his Visa. I guess very few changes were made at all this transfer. Probably because it's Christmas and because this past week was one of our best ever as a mission with 27 baptisms. So this coming week should be fun. We are going caroling at an old folks home on Wednesday, and we'll be looking for random acts of service all week, maybe we can swing by a soup kitchen or something. So I will share a thought that we have been sharing with our members this Christmas season. It's a pretty common one but good nonetheless:

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7And she brought forth her ^afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the ^binn.

Make room for Christ in your lives this Christmas Season!

I am very grateful for my Savior. I am reading in the New Testament right now and it's amazing what he accomplished. The Prince of Peace, our Perfect Example, the Redeemer of the world. He is the Hero for mankind.

Thanks for all the Birthday and Christmas wishes. I'm 20! That's OLD :0

I hope we all can feel the love of our savior this week and help others to feel it as well.

Hey fam :) iFeliz Navidad! This Morning I opened three of the presents from that birthday package you sent, (I'm saving the other three for Christmas) they had been sitting under the tree- Thanks! 20 is pretty old isn't it? I've been thinking about it lately and things are going to be different when I return home. I'm going to be an adult. O well. I guess we all have to grow up eventually... So Andrew is getting some meat on those bones, huh? And Dad, 185? That's pretty slim for you- have you been losing weight? ;) A-Town! Merry Christmas :) I think rugby would be pretty sick and you would probably be pretty good at it. It's good to hear Eli is doing well. Well I'm excited to talk to you all on Christmas! I will try and call atleast after 2:00 p.m. I'll try and call like at 6 but we'll see. Welp, talk to you soon!

Love Elder Flake

December 13, 2010 Email

Hey Mom :)
I'm glad that you are having a wonderful Christmas Season. Things here in Holly Jolly Hollister are great :) I don't know what to tell you about how many or which missionaries will be here for Christmas. Because transfers are on my Birthday. Elder Simmons has been here for 6 months so it is likely that he will be going. But then again there is the weird situation with Elder Quinn and his Visa so it will probably just have to be a waiting game. So I'll let you know next Monday :) Thank you much for my B-Day/Christmas package. It's nice to have some presents under the tree:) Good call Andy on including 'little Marcus' and 'Bum chin'. I was definitely missing them;) You aren't sending another package are you Mom? i don't think I need anything, But if you HAVE to, maybe include a wrapped present for both of my comps because their Moms don't spoil them as much as you spoil me :) Oh, And I will be most likely using a members phone to call on Christmas. A few have offered already.
Lots of love! Elder Flake

Hey Dad:)
Sounds like you all are enjoying the Christmas Season. That is a LOT of stuffing. It's good to hear the ward is doing well. Did you get a tree with 2 good sides this year? Or has the perfect tree evaded us once again this year? It's good to hear that the Jazz and the Cougs are doing well. We are still playing basketball every Saturday. It's fun. So was the Christmas party in the church this year? I still remember that one year when you set it up where Grey Stone is now, up below our mountain. That was really cool. Our Branch Christmas Party will be this coming Saturday. It will be intersesting to see the Mexican twist on that. We got to go up to San Jose last night for another outgoing fireside. My second companion in the field, Elder Medrano was one of the missionaries going home that bore his testimony. It was nice to say goodbye to him. There were also some really moving musical numbers performed.
We took our recent convert Rosie and our eternal investigator Salvador up there with us. He's the one who needs to divorce his first wife who is back in Mexico before he can get baptized. His brother is probably getting deported this week and that whole process has kept Salvador from working on getting divorced. He's dirt poor and needs a few hundred bucks to start the divorce papers. What do you and Mom think about me using the $200 that you just gave me to get his divorce papers started so that he can get baptized? Just a thought... We will be playing Futbol (soccer) today with some members of the branch. I'm excited for that. And then we will be having another baptism this Sunday with a really cool lady named Angeles! She is in her 20's and has a little 4 year old girl. She also recently went through a divorce. She's smart and is just eating the Gospel up. We've been meeting with her for a month and she's through First Nephi :)
Well Dad, Thanks again for supporting me while i'm out here and just for everything. Have a Merry -Christ Centered- Christmas.
Love your son Elder Flake.

December 6, 2010 Email

Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 12:16 PM

iFeliz Navidad Mom!

You had some cool experiences this week. We had a special experience this week with the baptism of Rosie Reyes yesterday:) The Spirit was present, lots of members showed up to support her, and it went picture perfect. The Gospel will be a great blessing in the lives of Rosie and her daughter Crystal. I give thanks for the opportunity I have had to be a part of her conversion. I am excited about the Christmas season. We have plans to carol and also door bell ditch gifts to members of the branch who are struggling financially and have kids. I know that you are already making plans to make your Christmas special by making the Christmas of others special. You have been a great example to me of doing service. It truly does bring more joy to serve than to be served. Have a great week.

Love your son

Elder Flake

Hey Lindsey:)

Yep, it's crazy how time flies, isn't it? That's funny you have resorted to stealing branches from the park to make your own Christmas tree. Way to be resourceful;)
We were lucky to discover a 6 ft. plastic tree in a box in our closet! I'll send pics, it's nice. You should send me a pic of your makeshift tree:) So mom just reminded me of that big disapointment you had with your recent convert on your mission. It's definitely tough to see someone reject such great light when they have tasted it. But ya, you just got to keep moving forward...

I don't know if you had a chance to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional last night, but if you did, I'm sure you loved President Uchdorfs talk as I did:) He basically quoted 'the Grinch' for his talk! I still quote the Grinch among my companions all the time:) That's one thing I'm definitely going to miss this year- watching that with you and the fam. I'm still excited for the Christmas season, no doubt. Basically every member of the branch is dirt poor, so we should have lots of opportunities to bring smiles to peoples faces. We just bought a bunch of stuff at the dollar store we plan on giving to kids in the branch. Do you have any ideas regarding this? Well Lindz, thank you for the note and I hope you make this Christmas special.

Love Elder Flake