Dear Family & Friends,
Yeah, I know that it is really late. But I figure everybody would like to hear from me before next year...
My first Christmas out on the mission was pretty great! I got to spend it with a great family in the ward, and I had a great time. I got a sweet engraved pocketknife, and some other stuff. We lounged around for most of the day, and watched Frozen because my companion hadn't seen it yet... He didn't enjoy it very much. I was kinda bored with it as well. It's not like I saw it 10+ times before I left on my mission. I had more fun watching older Disney movies, like Lion King or Tarzan.
We hit a deer on the 27th, I think it was a Saturday. It was 7pm and dark outside. He was running at full speed, and I didn't see him until he was on the road. I didn't have a chance to stop. But it was just a little guy, only about a year old. He was only about 3 feet tall standing up.
We were only going 40 on a highway, so he didn't even make a dent in the car. We went right over him, and he hit the back tire which flung him from the road into a barb wire fence. I sat next to him and felt him over to see if he was okay. The impact didn't kill him, but his ribcage was crushed and he couldn't breath. I felt really bad, so I sat next to him stroking his head until he died. I couldn't bring myself to end his suffering, so I prayed that our Merciful and Loving Father in Heaven would take him quickly. The little deer died 15 minutes after we hit him.
I regret the loss of a beautiful and majestic creature on this earth. But I feel like it was for a reason, like it was to help me learn something. I might not understand what the lesson is yet, but I know that the value of life is great in the eyes of God.
I love ya'll, and I want to wish you a slightly late "Merry Christmas"!
~Elder Hegsted
Yeah, I know that it is really late. But I figure everybody would like to hear from me before next year...
My first Christmas out on the mission was pretty great! I got to spend it with a great family in the ward, and I had a great time. I got a sweet engraved pocketknife, and some other stuff. We lounged around for most of the day, and watched Frozen because my companion hadn't seen it yet... He didn't enjoy it very much. I was kinda bored with it as well. It's not like I saw it 10+ times before I left on my mission. I had more fun watching older Disney movies, like Lion King or Tarzan.
We hit a deer on the 27th, I think it was a Saturday. It was 7pm and dark outside. He was running at full speed, and I didn't see him until he was on the road. I didn't have a chance to stop. But it was just a little guy, only about a year old. He was only about 3 feet tall standing up.
We were only going 40 on a highway, so he didn't even make a dent in the car. We went right over him, and he hit the back tire which flung him from the road into a barb wire fence. I sat next to him and felt him over to see if he was okay. The impact didn't kill him, but his ribcage was crushed and he couldn't breath. I felt really bad, so I sat next to him stroking his head until he died. I couldn't bring myself to end his suffering, so I prayed that our Merciful and Loving Father in Heaven would take him quickly. The little deer died 15 minutes after we hit him.
I regret the loss of a beautiful and majestic creature on this earth. But I feel like it was for a reason, like it was to help me learn something. I might not understand what the lesson is yet, but I know that the value of life is great in the eyes of God.
I love ya'll, and I want to wish you a slightly late "Merry Christmas"!
~Elder Hegsted