I've Grown A Foot Or Two!

Hola Mi Familia!

I am feeling a lot better!! But my companion got sick this past week so guess what I did on my birthday!? I was inside all day while she slept. ha-ha. Crazy but it was good. I was able to get lots done and now she is feeling better too :) And next time I will go to the doctors. My birthday was good! Since transfers was so close they just hold all the mail till then. I didn’t get my birthday and Christmas packages but I will tomorrow!! :) Thank you!! The sisters who live with us were awesome and decorated the house for my birthday. The elders came and ding dong ditched the house and left me cards so it was good :)) It still feels weird to say that I am 20. I still feel like a little girl ha-ha.

Keeping sick companion company on my birthday

Last night of being 19 had a slumber party in the living room!

My Birthday!

Twins

So before I get into anything else, we got our transfer calls last night and drumroll please................I am TRANSFERRING!! And this time it’s for sure. I am excited to go to a new area and have new experiences! I will miss Sister Smith so much. This past week has been a lot better. We have been open and have worked things out and now we are both happy :) I have learned a lot from her this transfer on how to be bold and she has helped me with my Spanish as well. It’s been a blessing even if it was difficult. It was inspired and I am grateful but I am excite from something new. :) This time I packed in record time!! I am already done! I am getting really good!

This past week we had our mission Christmas party and it was so much fun! All the dying missionaries (going home) gave there testimonies, we had a spiritual thought, then we ate food. Amazing Christmas food. Then we did our skits and got to see Santa. It was so much fun. It was so good to see the whole mission and be together. Super powerful. It was such a nice break. We did get some packages which was fun! I got one from the Robinson for Christmas which was a nice surprise :)

Mission Christmas Party with Santa

Frank is doing amazing and I am sad to leave him but he is so strong in his testimony. He is preparing now to get the priesthood which he is so excited about!! Now we are trying to focus on his son Louis. He is just so shy and afraid of us because we are girls but we don’t give up! The other day we brought him a pizza and marched right into his room. He hid under his blankets and wouldn’t come out so we sat there at taught him while he was under his blankets and talked about how the gospel of Jesus Christ is like a pizza. Then set him with a date for baptism. We didn’t see his face but he would nod and stuff. It was a powerful lesson none the less and we hope he felt the spirit. Just last night we had a FHE with them at a members home and Louis came and at first he was shy but at the end he started warming up. He wants to get baptized and go to church. He is just so shy and scared of people. But the Young Men have helped a lot with that. So excited for him to progress and keep learning and strengthening his testimony

Barbie is amazing and just eats up everything we teach her. We teach her with her member friend and it’s such a blessing. Members are so powerful, love them! She will be getting baptized this Sunday! She just has such strong desires and wants to go to the temple with her kids. It’s awesome to see how much the gospel really changes people. It just strengthens my testimony that this is the true church.

Our ward also had a Christmas primary activity and it was amazing! The most legit Christmas primary activity ever! We went because Sister Smith was singing in it as an angel. She was dressed up as an angel and I was dressed up like the people of Christ’s time. It was lots of fun and we had some less actives and their families come so that was super cool. Again another blessing. Lots of milagros (miracles).

Primary Christmas Program

Ward Primary Christmas Activity

This week I was asked the question, “what’s written on your heart?” As I sat in personal study and pondered that question, I decided that after this transfer the atonement has been and is written on my heart. In Alma 7:10-13 it talks about the birth of Jesus Christ and what he has suffered for. One thing I love about these scriptures is that he just didn't suffer for our sins, he suffered for our sicknesses, sorrows and pains. He suffered for all these things. I was taught this transfer that I can use the atonement when I feel sad, inadequate, when I have burdens. I can use it for these things and that has been such a great comfort and strength to me. The atonement is our physician. Heavenly Father is not a silent observer. He knows us perfectly and though He may give us trials and challenges, those trials and challenges are never wasted. It goes to our education. Going through these things brings us humility.

This transfer I have been reading a lot about Jacob and learned that Jacob suffered because of the rudeness of his brethren. But even though it was difficult, he was humble and understood that there must be opposition in all things. Because there is opposition in all things we need the atonement. There is a story about a women who was stuck in a very deep pit, and every time she tried to climb out on her own she would always slip and fall back into the pit. She realized that she couldn't do it on her own, so she called for help and soon someone with a ladder came and she was able to climb out. This can be likened to Heavenly Father sending His son Jesus Christ to bring us a ladder to help us out of our pit of sin. The ladder is the atonement.

Another story that I like is about an older women who said “I am like an old $20 bill, I have been worn, wrinkled, ripped and scarred but I am still a $20 bill. Despite all the wear and tear, I still hold the value of a $20 bill.” Jesus Christ saw and knew of our great worth. Even with all our sins, pain, and scars he still knew of our full value. He thought that you and I were worth it to suffer and die for. When we have the atonement written on our hearts we will become what he wants us to become. The atonement is the greatest evidence of God’s love for us. So now I will ask you the same question, “what is written on your heart?”

Thanks so much for the scripture Dad and all the support and prayers. It has really helped me this last couple months. I have learned so much and i just love being here. Heavenly Father is so good and I love the spirit and power that is here. Such an amazing experience that I am grateful for!!

I miss you all so much!!! Thanks so for all the gifts as well!! Hope you all have a good week!! See you guys in 2 weeks!! :)

Love,

Hermana Briaunna