Transfer 7 Week 1

HAPPY BELATED CHRISTMAS!!!! What a wonderful time of the year. Sorry I didn't get to write a big email last week--my comp and I had NO TIME with running around on the last p-day of the transfer/p-day before Christmas!!! It was wonderful, though. Well, at least I'm pretty sure it was wonderful because I honestly don't really remember what happened this past week!! We did lots of service, that's for sure, and we had EVERY SINGLE APPOINTMENT we had cancel on us. But that's okay, because we got to do service instead.

Tuesday, District Meeting, was awesome. I gave the Elders the stockings Mom sent and they were all super excited about it. They even took a picture (I'll send it home) posing with their stockings. It DIDNT snow, but 2 Fridays ago it did and Sis K and I shoveled the church parking lot before 1st ward's Christmas party. It was dreadful though because the snow wouldn't stop falling down!! LAME SAUCE!! And then two brethern from the 1st ward showed up and unveiled the SNOW BLOWER. So they redid everything we had been doing the past hour. Our egos were only injured a little. But just imagine...shoveling snow with a skirt and a bum ankle. It was awesome.

Wednesday...I don't remember. Thursday I ruined Christmas for a 13-year-old boy (really, he needed to know) by telling him Santa didn't exist in a round-about way. I felt SO BAD...the poor kid didn't know what to think and just was laughing hysterically...but I think it was border-line hysteria. But I was able to share a spiritual thought that night with the Millers about Christmas, and it really hit me how important this season is. The birth of Christ--could you just imagine? We were all rejoicing in the Heavens when he was born because we knew that through him we would be saved. And he wasn't forced into it. He had his agency just like the rest of us. But he rose above all temptation and pains and sufferings because he loves us. He loves us so much. It's hard to imagine that I took the gospel forgranted for a period in my life because now I recognize that it is only through the gospel that I am who I am. My mission means the world to me, as does this gospel. How fortunate are we to have a knowledge of the love Christ and our FAther have for us? Especially this time of year!!

Christmas Eve was fun--we went with the Elders to a member's home and played games and ate food. We then went to the Turley's with EIGHT GIRLS and celebrated Christmas Eve. They gave us a gift--a CD and some lindt chocolates. Mine were hazlenut, which I am unfortuantely allergic to, so I had to give them away. But in the long run that was much better because I have received enough sweets to last a LIFETIME.

CHRISTMAS was amazing. We played Santa first to our RC, Laurie, and gave her a scrapbook I made, a picture Sis K drew, and a quilt my mom made for her. She was in shock when I pulled out the quilt and said, "look what my mom made you for Christmas." She said, "no, that's not for me." and I said, 'yeah it is, Laurie. Look, it's your favorite colors!" And she took it and covered her face and started sobbing, saying, "It's so beautiful, it's so beautiful." The true meaning of Christmas came out for me right then--the feeling of Charity in giving her this gift. She wasn't expecting anything for Christmas, let along a nice quilt that was made especially with her in mind. That's what we're here for--to help others recognize their worth as a child of God. In that moment she knew because a complete stranger (my mom) acted out of kindness and made this quilt and gave it to her. Thanks mommy. We then played volleyball and ate breakfast with the Russells, went to lunch at the McLaughlins where I totally TRASHED everyone in this basketball shooting game thing like they have in arcades, and we went to dinner at Sister Riley's. Really we were very fortunate this Christmas and it was a fantastic first and last on my mission. Oh, and of course it was FABULOUS to speak to my family. I love you guys so much. Oh, and we learned about transfers--we're staying together, but switched our 3rd ward for Walker Branch in Walker, CA. The Elders get 3rd ward now. I'm really excited because it's almost like opening a new area, only not really. It's awesome.

Sunday we did a lot of meetings and transitions. We met the branch president, introduced the Elders to some folks, etc etc. And today is P.day.

This email seems a little more lame than normal. My bad. I think it's because the Holiday season.

ANYWAY I love all of you so so so much. Read your scriptures--I'm almost finished with Doctrine and Covenants, and then it's back to the BoM, and then New Testament!! I have to have them all read before the end of my mission. I totally got this. HAve a wonderful week and feed a missionary!!

love love love,
Sister Mack