The one where I won the zone ugly sweater contest

 Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and is going into the new year with excitement. It's weird that this is the last week of 2022. 

Merry Christmas!

This week was a fun week full of fun activities and snowy days. We had our combined zone Christmas party. We started in the chapel where President Barr had a little Christmas musical program planned. I sang Silent Night with Sister Snow. It ended up sounding good (at least that is what everyone told me). And then we moved to the gym to play minute to win it games. The Senior missionaries were in charge of judging the ugly sweater contest. I was wearing a spongebob sweater that I bought at Walmart. And that ended up winning one of the categories somehow. I didn't think I would win. I wasn't really trying but it ended up being funny. After that, we watched Rise of the Guardians. It was a good movie! I haven't seen it since it came out. 

Ugly sweaters

Sis. Mitchell & I

The day after our Christmas Party, the temperature outside was below zero. And it stayed that way for a couple of days. When we have days like that, we aren't allowed to go knock on doors. President Barr sent us a whole email about it. The roads weren't in the best condition either. So we had to stay off the roads. We ended up staying home pretty much the whole time. We went out a couple of times. The one time we went out was to pump air into our car tire. We went to the gas station and we started to fill the tire. Instead of inflating the tire, the tire was deflating. The air in the pump was frozen and it wasn't working. We ended up having a flat tire and we had no clue what to do. We called our district leader and he rushed over to the gas station to help us find a solution. After analyzing the situation, he didn't know what to do. He stepped away for a minute to call the zone leaders and ask them what to do. While he was on the phone, a man came to use the tire pump. My companion told him the situation about the air pump and advised him not to use it. He said that he had an air pump in the back of his car that we could use to blow up the tire. After a few minutes, our flat tire had air and we were able to leave. 

While my companion and I were in the car with a flat tire trying to figure out what to do, we were warning a lot of people not to use the air pump. Not one of them stopped and asked if we were okay and if we needed help. They all just got in their cars and left. But then that one man stopped and asked us if we were okay and if we needed help. I thought of the parable of the Good Samaritan. How many of us stop and look around to see the needs of others? We all have busy lives. We all have a mile long list of things to do. But have you ever thought that you might be in the right place at the right time to help someone else but miss the opportunity?  There is an inspirational message that talks about this same concept. She says that she doesn't want to be like those in the parable of the Good Samaritan. They see a need, and just walk past. I don't want to ever be like that. I want to be the one that looks for the needs of others in need and help when I can. I learned a very valuable lesson that day. To not get caught up in my list of to-do's. But to look around, and be observant to those in need. That is also why we have the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost can prompt us to be in the right place at the right time and can also prompt us to lend a helping hand. 

Our mission car

Christmas Eve was a fun one! There is a family that doesn't have a lot of money for decorations for presents for their kids. Sister Mitchell decided to lift up their spirits. We decided to put something together and we were going to be secretive about it. Well we totally got caught delivering the package that we put together. It ended up being okay. But let's just say that we aren't very good at being sneaky. We played games with the Elders in our district later that day and then we went to a member's house and had Christmas Eve dinner. We ended up talking about a lot of different things. Before we left, we sang a few Christmas songs. We ended the night reading Luke 2 with the district and writing down what gift we will give Jesus Christ this year. It was a really special way to end the night. 

Secret door deco

Christmas Day! We woke up and we had a zoom call with the entire mission. For the last couple of months, we have been reading the Book of Mormon together. We have been paying attention to the different names for Jesus Christ. So we read Moroni 10 all together and shared our favorite names that we found. It was a really special experience. My favorite name for Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. I was reading in Alma 5. My favorite chapter of the entire Book of Mormon. Verses 37-38 are my favorite. It talks about Christ will always be calling our name even if we aren't listening to his voice. No matter if we fall short or aren't doing what we are supposed to be doing, he will still be calling our name. Calling for us to repent and become better. After the zoom call, we opened our gifts that we got from home. Then we got ready for church. Church was really good in both wards. Then we got together as a district again and played more games. Then we went to a member's house and ate some yummy food and watched Santa Claus 2. My favorite one out of the three movies. It was a really good Christmas! 

District Game time

Christmas in Kansas

Fort Riley

The one where I moved to Junction City

 Hello everyone! Transfers were on Wednesday and I am happy to report that I am now in Junction City Kansas. And I already love it here so much! 

My companion is Sister Mitchell!! She is from Clinton Utah! And we are already having so much fun and working hard! 

Sister Mitchell

It's been busy trying to get to know everyone. I'm getting there. We cover two wards here in Junction City. So it's getting to know a lot of members here that is the trick. And since we cover two ward, we are already busy. 

Junction City is a military town. Fort Riley is in our area. We go on the army base a lot to visit members. When I was in park hill, we were allowed on McConnell air force base. So this is cool!! We went on base on Saturday for service. We went to the cemetery and placed Christmas wreaths on the grave stones. I found an LDS soldier who I placed my wreath on. Pictures down below. It was really cool to do that. 

Fort Riley service project

We got 3 of our friends to church this week! It was amazing! The people here in Junction City are so kind. It's been a fun last couple of days. 

It's the week my mother has veen waiting for! It's Christmas week!! I'm so excited!! We got invites to two different members houses so we are all set!! I'm really excited:)) 

This week we found the cutest couple!! Sister Mitchell and I shared the message of the Restoration with them. They had a lot of friends growing up that were members. They recognized that they acted different and that they were good people and never knew why. They were asking all of the right questions and they were eager to read the book of Mormon! It was an amazing miracle!! 

Anyways, I hope you all have a very merry Christmas! I love you:))

1-3: crazy house that's deced out for Chrismas!

4-5: Lights at the park!

6. Giant dog decoration in front of someone's house

7-11: the grave service at fort Riley 

12. Junction City district!!

13. Sister Mitchell!!

14: saying goodbye to sister Gallup

15: saying goodbye to Brett 

Thanksgiving call

The one where I finally went to Nebraska

 Hello everyone! I am the worst at writing weekly emails as you probably already know. But it's transfer week this week! And I am leaving Concordia. I am so sad to leave this area. It is an amazing branch and I will forever miss it so much. But I'm excited to see what the next two transfers hold for me. 

Monday call and Adam & Cami wanted to say hi!

Thanksgiving was amazing! And we still don't have snow here in Kansas. It's just been rainy. It's still cold though. 

Thanksgiving call with the fam

The past couple of weeks have been crazy! We went on exchanges and I once again was with sister Marlatt! We had so much fun in Manhattan together! 

Sister Marlatt & I

Clyde, Kansas mural wall

We have been able to put a lot of our friends on date for baptism lately. We received a training this transfer about having the faith to put our friends on date. And we have been much better at doing that and have seen lots of miracles.

Sister Fuller and I have recently been focusing on trying to find families. The majority of our teaching pool is made up of single men. Which as a Sister missionary can be pretty hard sometimes.  But we were about to discover 3 families that are interested in meeting with is. 2 of them are part member families. MIRACLES! And last night, we were able to find a family!!! ANOTHER MIRACLE!!!

Varsity donuts in Manhattan

Sister Fuller and I have also been blessed of being able to get our friending coming to church pretty consistently every week. The Elders in our district struggle with church. But lately they too have been seeing a lot of miracles for church! But we have an amazing group of people we are teaching and have been blessed for it!

Sister Fuller and I in Chester, Nebraska

We have now entered into the Christmas season! This was my favorite time of year when I was a kid. To a little kid, the month of December was always the slowest. I loved all of the traditions my family used to do around this time of year. My Dad's favorite tradition was to go to This is the Place in Salt Lake City and visit the pioneer Christmas village. I always went because he would buy me the doughnuts at the doughnut shop and candy at the candy store . Just kidding!! And my Mom's favorite was to go to temple Square every year and see the lights. And look at all the fun Christmas displays temple Square always has. 

Christmas is magical! It always has been and it always will be. The church made a new nativity within the last couple of years called the Christ Child. I love this video! It's not your typical nativity video. The church made it as historically accurate toward the text. I really enjoy it. It's something that I want to make into my own Christmas tradition. I invite all of you to watch the Christ Child with your family. And watch the joy that Jesus Christ brings to the lives of the people he touched by coming into the world. My favorite character is the main wise man. When he meets the Savior and weeps at his feet. I feel like I will have a similar interaction when I am at the feet of my Savior for the first time since leaving my Heavenly home. I know I will remember him when I see him. I know he lives and that he is coming very soon. I know that he came into the world so that he could give his life for each of us. We have Easter because of Christmas. I am forever grateful for these two significant days where the Savior's love is shown to us all. 

Cane's....it's soo good!

Border of Nebraska....

Ice Cream break

The one where my parents are in Kansas

This week was a pretty long week but a lot happened and it was really good!

We had zone conference in Tuesday in Salina. It was really good. We talked about consecration. We also used the analogy from the story of the anti Nephi Lehis. We "buried" our swords and President Barr buried them in his backyard. At first when he said he was going to bury them in the backyard of the mission home, I didn't believe him. Then he roasted me in front of the entire zone. I love President Barr so much! 

We found 2 people this week! Woot woot!! And we have 3 of our friends on date for baptism! Woot Woot! It wad a huge miracle. We also found a part member family that wants to start meeting with us! Which was a huge miracle! We are just trying to find a time to meet with them. 

My parents are driving through Kansas and they went to church in a ward that's in the stake I am serving in. I got a text from the Stake President of the Salina stake saying that he met my parents and loved them. It was cute:)

Thanksgiving is this week!! I hope y'all eat good food and spend time with family. I love you all! Sorry this email wasn't very hype. 

I had to give a talk in Sacrament:  Concordia branch talk

Chick-Fil-A is our go to

District Lunch

Teapot chandelier at Gallup's home

Farm in Kansas

The one where I almost had to teach a lesson in Spanish

 Happy November! I cannot believe it's already November. I bet my mom is excited because now she can decorate the house for Christmas and listen to Christmas music. But who am I kidding?? She's been listening to Christmas music since July. 

This week was a miracle filled week. We went on exchanges again. I was in Manhattan with Hermana Luke. Half of their teaching pool speaks Spanish. And I do not know one lick of Spanish. So I was pretty useless. But that's okay. I did all I could but she is an amazing missionary. It turned out okay. 

We found our new friend Larry. The first thing he told us was that he wanted to he baptised. We taught him the Restoration and gave him a book of Mormon. He loved it and by the end of the lesson, he was weeping. He felt so much love. He came to our friend Tracy's baptism on Saturday was he was sobbing the entire time. He feels the spirit so deeply and strongly. He is incredible. 

So the baptism did happen on Saturday! It was an amazing service. Everything turned out so good and everything ran smoothly. As soon as she came up out of the water, she paused. She then thanked the Lord out loud. My companion and I got pretty emotional. She had come so far and wanted this more than anything in the world. It was so incredible. And the confirmation yesterday was amazing! 

It is transfer week! And I am.....staying in Concordia with sister Fuller. We will.be together for 3 transfers! Yay!  Enjoy the scenery from Concordia in my pictures:

The one where I haven't written in a long time 😬

 Everyone knows by now that I am the worst at my weekly emails. But the last 4 months of my mission I promised myself that I would do better! 

Today is Halloween! Happy Halloween! One year ago I was in Valley Center at a trunk or treat the ward did. I cannot believe that was a year ago.

The work in Concordia is growing! Last week, we got 6 of our friends to church. That is the most people missionaries have gotten to church in a really long time. We found 5 new people and we have 2 friends on date. Our friend Tracy is getting baptised on Saturday! This will be my first baptism that I am apart of. I am really excited. Tracy is amazing and she is so excited for her baptism. And I am excited that I have been able to be apart of her journey. 

We had a HUGE miracle. It was a couple of Saturdays ago. We had only found 1 person and our goal was 4. We were about to walk into a lesson with 2 potential finds. We walked in and they had a less active and 2 other non members there. We were able to teach them all the message of the Restoration. And the next day, they all came to church! It was insane!! The Lord does really provide for us. And there are people prepared everywhere to receive the gospel. 

We had zone conference 2 weeks ago. We were asked to prepare 5 minute talks about our favorite general conference talk. I decided to prepare mine on Elder Christoffersons talk called "the Doctrine of belonging". Well President Barr called me to be the last speaker at zone conference. It was cool! I have never spoken in zone conference before. I was nervous. I do not like public speaking. 

While eating lunch at zone conference, I received some really sad news. A friend of mine that I taught in Ridgepoint passed away. She was older and it was her time. She was still meeting with the missionaries and she was very close to baptism. But I am grateful for the knowledge of the plan of salvation. And even though she was not baptised here on earth, that she will be given a chance to be baptised in the spirit world:) 

This past week, we were walking down the street taking cute fall pictures. As girls at this time of year do. There wad a guy walking down the street. We said hi and he got to talking with him. He ended up being interested in the message we share as missionaries. So we found a new person just being dumb. I thought it was really funny. I walked away laughing from that experience. He's a really cool guy! But he ended up not being interested in meeting us more. Sad! 

Giant pig of a recent convert

I have a deep love for the book of Mormon!! It answers the questions we are all asking. I kmow it does! Even if you think it won't, it somehow always does. That's how God speaks to us. We speak to him when he pray. It's amazing how it all works. 

Exchanges with Sister Marlatt, my MTC companion