Mi Familia.
There is so
much going through my mind right now; I don't even know where to start... This
is all crazy. hahaha I can't believe that I have been out for over a year. I
can't believe that it is almost Christmas. I can't believe that I get to see
all of your beautiful faces so soon. I can't believe that so many people are
home from their missions. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I feel
old. Alright, now that I have that off my chest... Things over here are going
great!! (:
We got to go
to the Temple on Tuesday. I LOVE THE TEMPLE. I wish that we could go more
often, but I know that as missionaries we need to help those that are living to
accept the gospel. I am just grateful that we get the opportunity to go twice a
year! It is always an adventure though, taking the subway through New York
City. We probably look so weird to other people... Just a bunch of confused
missionaries! haha I have definitely developed a love for New York. (:
On Friday we
had our big Christmas All Mission Conference. It was a lot of fun! So much time
and effort goes into these conferences! They made us lots of yummy foods and we
got to play some minute to win it games! A bunch of different missionaries performed
different Christmas songs. It was so good! President Taggart spoke to us at the
end of the Conference and it was exactly what I needed to hear. It is so cool
to see Heavenly father answer your prayers through different people. It was
definitely an answer to my prayers. He talked about just being in the
"here and now". Wherever you are in life to just love it. Not to be
focused on the past and past mistakes or the way we used to be, but to focus on
what we are doing right now in our lives. He also talked about not looking
forward to the future and worrying about what we needed to do next in our
lives. JUST BE HERE. Wherever you are. Make the most of it and be the best you
can possibly be. (: I definitely needed to hear that for these last 6 months of
my mission. I want to just be here and not be worried about the past or the
future. Isn't there like a quote from Kung Fu Panda or something about that? I
think it says something like, Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery,
today is the present, that is why we call it a gift. I probably butchered that,
but you get what I mean! (: Anywho, President Taggart is so inspired! So it was
definitely a fun day! I loved being able to see so many missionaries and to see
how everyone is doing!!
On Saturday
we were able to go to Ellis Island and Volunteer there with two other sisters!
I always love being able to go to Ellis Island. It is so great. It is so
beautiful there. We will have to go as a family! (: Saturday night was our Ward
Christmas Party. I think it turned out pretty well! It was really fun! We had a
family that we are teaching come which was SO awesome! They are so cute and I
think they really enjoyed the party as well. We were also able to get a few
numbers from people that our Ward members brought! It was a really great
missionary opportunity! Our Ward is so awesome! They are so great to help us
out and they also do so much for us missionaries! They got us a bunch of things
for Christmas! It was so nice of them!!
We were
finally able to have a normal day on Sunday! It was a busy day, but we saw so
many miracles and we were able to catch up on the days we were able to teach as
much. We got to see 3 of our investigators on Sunday. We are teaching a younger
Haitian family. It is a mom and her 3 boys. One of the boys is 14 years old and
he is so interested in learning about the gospel, but the mom seems to be
getting in the way. We were trying to teach the whole family yesterday, but the
mom wouldn't sit down so we just started to teach the 14 year old boy. I had
almost finished telling him the First Vision, when the mom asked if we could
come back another time because she had a screaming baby and needed to get
dinner ready. It was so sad!! This poor boy wants to learn SO badly. So
hopefully when we go over on Christmas Eve it will go better! We are also
teaching an older Haitian lady and she is so awesome! She absolutely loves
talking about Jesus Christ. It was a little bit awkward at first because she
brought out her Jehovah Witness stuff... But it was good because we were able
to clear up that we are not Jehovah Witness. I can't even tell you how many
times I have gotten mixed up with the Jehovah Witnesses on my mission... But
she is really excited to learn! She committed to be baptized if she comes to
know that this is all true. Haitians are so friendly! God is definitely in the
details of this great work. And boy am I so grateful He is! (:
I have been
studying a lot lately about Grace and the Atonement and I was ready a talk by
Brad Wilcox titled, "His Grace is Sufficient". In it he says, "The
grace of Christ is sufficient—sufficient to cover our debt, sufficient to
transform us, and sufficient to help us as long as that transformation process
takes. The Book of Mormon teaches us to rely solely on “the merits, and mercy,
and grace of the Holy Messiah” (2 Nephi 2:8). As we do, we do not
discover—as some Christians believe—that Christ requires nothing of us. Rather,
we discover the reason He requires so much and the strength to do all He asks
(see Philippians 4:13). Grace is not the absence of God’s high expectations.
Grace is the presence of God’s power (see Luke 1:37)." The grace of Jesus
Christ really is sufficient for each of us. No matter what. I am so grateful
for the Savior. I have loved being able to strengthen my relationship with Him
and really focus on his birth and life this Christmas Season! He really is what
Christmas is all about!
Well family.
That about sums up my week. It was a busy week, but a really great week all
wrapped in one! I have received all of the packages and lots more! I feel so
stinkin loved! (: THANKS! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR FACES ON CHRISTMAS. I will
call you probably around 7:30 or 8 pm on Christmas Eve super quick to figure
out the details. Thanks for being so amazing! I am so glad things are going
well back at home! (: Have a great week and I will see you on Thursday! (:
LOVE
YOUS TO THE MOON & BACK!! WE GOT THIS!!!
Love,
Sister Woodland
p.s.
Mal's hair is adorable!!!
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