Hauoli Makahiki Hou - Happy New Year!

Dear everyone:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  I can't believe it's already 2013!

This past week was the best & almost worst week ever.

It was the best because of Christmas Eve (p-day & dinner with a part-member family), Christmas Day (Skyping my family & a slough of meals & parties), our double-zone missionary Christmas party on Saturday (food, games, white elephant), & teaching a new investigator.  It was the worst because almost everyone we tried visiting was out of town, sick, or busy, so we only taught a couple people during the week.

But!  It's ok because our newest investigator makes the down times of the mission so worth it--he is a really nice guy who wants to start a new life & have God in his life more.  He brought himself to church 2 weeks in a row, he asked if he could take the lessons, & is a very dedicated person!  I was one told that it's after a little bit of downtime that you're springboarded to new heights, and it's true!  I look forward to this week & the new people we'll find!

In other news, transfers are tomorrow & Wednesday; all of us are staying where we are except for Elder Moyle, who has been called to be a traveling Zone Leader, which means he & Elder Sanft (my previous District Leader & the other traveling Zone Leader) get to work with every companionship of Elders in the mission!  Sisters Firmage & Nunn were also called as traveling Sisters to work with all of us Sisters in our missionary work--it's very exciting & I can't wait to see them!  While it is a bummer to see the last of my first District leave, I wish Elder Moyle the very best as he continues working hard & being an awesome example to those he serves!

Hope you all have a safe & Happy New Year!

Be strong & faithful because He was!

~Sister San Diego

missionary snow angel (p-day)

It snowed actual flakes!!! (usually it's just snow crystals)

Mele Kalikimaka - Merry Christmas!

Hi everyone!

Hope you had a Happy End-of-the-World Day!!  ;)

This week, I would like for you to focus on something--what is the most valuable thing that you have?  A smartphone (with facebook)?  A car?  A ring?  The temple?

These are all nice things, but they actually aren't the most valuable thing in your life. 

I encourage each of you to read this article before continuing to read this post:

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/12/latter-day-saint-voices?lang=eng (the one titled "I Hope Someone Will Love Her")

John 3:16--

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Tomorrow, we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ--he and His Atonement are the Most valuable gifts any one of us could ever receive.  Our Heavenly Father gave his only perfect Son so that all of us, His imperfect children, could have the opportunity to return to Him.  Christ gave all for the same purpose, and He did so willingly because He loves us so much.

Are you willing to receive these gifts in your lives?  What gifts can you give in return?

I hope you all have a very Mele Kalikimaka, and may you cherish the time with your families & remember the reason for the season :)

Love ya much!

Be strong & faithful because Jesus was!

~Sister San Diego

Merry Christmas from our 2 districts

Only in Northern Nevada, lol...hanging a deer from a tree
(they do that after getting their deer/elk hunt)

Happy 29th Birthday, Mom!!!

Hi All!

First off, I would like to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! to my Mom, who will be "29" tomorrow!  ;D

Tomorrow also is my 5-month mark since I came out into the mission field!  It's crazy how quickly time flies by!  13 months to go...!

Quick bit of news for any future Sister Missionary--lds.org has awesome tips on the main page!  Hopefully they will still be there by the time you read this :)

This week we got our car back on Wednesday!  The best part was that it snowed the day after--we were SO grateful the snow was held off until we had the car again!

We have still been having a little bit of a hard time in scheduling appointments & helping people to progress & come to church to be spiritually strengthened, but it's ok because this is a new week & it will be better!  And even though we've been having some difficulties, we have met a lot of people who may be interested in learning about the gospel!

CHRISTMAS IS A WEEK & A DAY AWAY!!!!!
Remember the reason for the season!  =)

Be strong & faithful because Jesus Christ, the Savior & Redeemer of the world, and our Exemplar, was!

~Sister San Diego

Nativities from the Creche

Santa Nativity 

We had to bike it last week,
sure glad we got our car back!!

Pieces Of Our Testimony Are Like Popsicle Sticks

Hi Everyone!

This week has been pretty good, considering we were without a car!  I don't recommend biking in the winter--it's bloom'in cold!!

Back in September, our car had a not-so-friendly encounter with a coyote, & the coyote ripped out a few cosmetic pieces.  We finally got to take it in for repair last week Monday, and we will get it back either later today or tomorrow (Yay).  In the meantime, we have done a combination of walking, biking, & catching rides w/ members & the other Sister Missionaries.  It was definitely an experience that made the two of us extra grateful for our car!!!  And like my brother ( http://eldersandiego.blogspot.com ), I can say that my mission has had an "impact" on me--I was biking, wrecked on a curb, & hit the top of my knees on the road.  I'm ok & can walk fine, but I now have a nice "battle wound." (Elder San Diego got a baseball-ankle)

Now as I said, despite us being car-less, it was a good week!  Even though a few appointments fell through, we have still met a bunch of people & had some good lessons with those we are teaching!  We also got to help with a service project for a family whose mom recently passed on--that was one of my favorite parts :)

We've been working with 2 brothers, JJ & Chris--they are awesome kids & are really good at reading the Book of Mormon & praying!  We meet with them every night to teach their lessons & read with them.  Their family is awesome :)

Another investigator named Ray came to church with his roommate yesterday!  They really felt that it was good for them to be there, especially on that day

We also are working with several others who are either investigators, part-member families, or people who may be interested in learning more about the gospel--I wish I could tell you about each of them, but I am running out of time!  I will let you know more about them next week :)

The work is good, the people are great, & I hope to serve my calling as best as I can while here!

Yesterday, Sis. Michaud & I had the opportunity to speak in church--our topics were about why Jesus Christ was born & why He was born in the circumstances He was, and about the shepherds & the wise men coming to see the Baby Jesus, & how we can relate their story to us.

I chose the latter topic & related us to the shepherds & wise men, the star to the Gospel, & the angels to prophets, including several other traits of those people & ways we can come to/find Christ as they did.  I will see about taking my notes & actually writing them into a talk for my family to post.

On Friday, we had a visit from our Mission President & Mission Mom, Pres. & Sis. Hermansen.  Sis. Hermansen gave a nice lesson on how pieces of our testimonies are like Popsicle/craft sticks--the more pieces we have, the stronger they are together & the more difficult it is to break our testimonies.

I encourage you all to continue building your testimonies, even if it's about one principle of the gospel at a time!  I promise that when you do, you will have greater spiritual strength & you will know the truthfulness of the gospel even more!

Hope all is well with you & that you are having a good week!

Be strong & faithful because He was!

~Sister San Diego

Sis. Michaud & Sis. San Diego

OUCH!

Happy December!!!

Hi there!  How is your December going so far?

This week we spent most of our time visiting part-member families & tracting, telling everyone about the Christmas Creche, which was last Thursday-Sunday.  The Creche is an event where most of the local Christian religions come together to display hundreds of Nativity scenes, tree toppers, and other artwork of the virgin Mary & baby Jesus.  Several musical performances also go on during the Creche.  It was an awesome sight to see all the displays!

In our visiting different people, we found a few who have been very nice & willing to have us over again!  We hope to have a few more solid investigators from these people we have met :)

Last night was the First Presidency Christmas Devotional-- the music was beautiful, and I loved the messages from each of the Presidency about graciously receiving gifts, treasuring our families, & giving of ourselves.  Watch it at http://www.lds.org !

Hope you are all having a good week, and that you & your families are having a good time together as we approach Christmas!

Be faithful & strong because the Savior was!

Love,
~Sister San Diego

Christmas Creche

It was an awesome sight to see all the displays!

Nativities from Mexico