Dear family
Well here's the truth of the matter; I was applying for college and now I don't have time to write. So let's see what we can do in the next few minutes....
Last night it snowed. This is the best news yet! The rooftops were lightly glazed with snow and my companion snickered as people slipped around outside :p mean, but funny. Super funny.
My baby brother Elder Forbes emailed me today. Aside from a few very distanced letters I haven't talked to him. I took a shot at guessing his email address last week and today I got a response and a few pictures! :) He is doing great and he is
still an example to me. I'll always look up to my little brother.
I got a puppy for my birthday. My dear sweet ex-companion/ex-missionary Sister Ford sent me a birthday package. She finished her mission in October and somehow remembered 1) My Birthday, 2) My 22 year long request for my own puppy 3) My love for hot-wheels, and 4) My favorite kind of tea. It is the fluffiest, biggest puppy stuffed animal and it functions as the perfect pillow. I have slept significantly better the past few nights because of it.
We played "Simon Says" with a recent convert and humiliated ourselves completely. After a Family Home Evening one of the kids picked a game to play. When she said "Simon Says" I thought that it was going to be boring. Why would it even matter? Either way, I was not super stoked about it and even thought, "I wish she'd pick a cooler game". Haha I'm such a child. As we started to play everyone was smiling, and by the 3rd Simon Says action we were all bent over in laughter. She had us mimic her mom, which lasted 3 minutes and brought her mom to tears of joy, she had us play "bumper cars" (with sound effects) and then later had us play "bumper cars" like girls which involved "breaking fingernails", "texting" and ended in "whining and name-calling". We played for about 20 minutes and by the end we were all exhausted. I highly recommend Simon Says to all families. Just get more creative with what Simon tells you to do. None of that stand up-sit down stuff.
I learned how to use Modge-Podge. A member got the idea to give personalized Book of Mormons to some friends and asked us to help her make box-cases and help deliver them. Another member is mighty talented with the hot-glue gun so we had her help us.
I got "lost" and my companions frantically looked for me for a half hour. We were on splits and one member dropped me off at someone's house. She had to go so I told her I could just make the person we were visiting my "companion" till the next member showed up. She was on her way still. I didn't have the phone and the member that was on her way had forgotten hers and home, and she forgot the address. So she ended up going back home. She got a hold of my companions and the member that dropped me off and everyone thought that I was lost. But in the mean time I taught an awesome lesson and met this person's husband and little son and it was perfect! We had no idea about all of this chaos that was happening. I was just waiting for the member to show up. Eventually my companions found me and came and picked me up. I had a great night! My trainee told me I gave her a few grey hairs :p
Someone asked me if my husband is Hispanic. At the same appointment just mentioned, they asked me if my husband was Hispanic. I was so confused because I assumed they would know that I'm not married... because I'm a missionary. His wife is a less active member and she didn't hear him ask the question. So I asked 3 times... "What? My husband?" "Si, su esposo. El es hispano? Tienes un accento bueno. Did he teach you spanish?" Finally I just laughed and said, no, not I'm not married. Then I showed him that the ring on my finger is on my RIGHT hand and that it says CTR, and doesn't have a diamond. It was really funny.
I taught 5 lessons in Portuguese. The next day I went on splits with the Portuguese sisters for the day. I've gone with them before but didn't really say a whooole lot. It was the day that I taught a lady thinking she was the investigator, but she was actually the investigators member mother. Remember that? Well luck would have it that we went to their house again this time and I got to have another stab at my Portuguese. This time I didn't humiliate myself. Not too much anyway. It was a day full of appointments and I learned a TON.
I found a new best friend
Another sister told me rumors about a possible future assignment.
I had the worst day of my whole mission
I had the best experience of my whole mission
I don't have more time but I hope I haven't left you with too much of a boring read today. Here's the thing; this is the best time I've ever had. I'm so happy and every day I lay in my bed and smile. This is hard, and it's worth it. Here's something that's on my mind. Christmas is the best time to make goals. It makes so much more sense than making goals in January. We are focused on family, and on friends, and if we remember to make it a priority then we can be focused on Christ. Don't forget that his name is in the holiday. He is your #1 supporter, and your #1 example. You are surrounded by good people who love you and care about you and if you don't believe it, or can't think of who, then know that
I care about you and that
I love you. And even more than that, your Heavenly Father loves you. You are ready for what happens next. You are capable of achieving your goals. So think about it... what aren't you happy with? What frustrates you? What do you wish would be different? God wants you to be happy and I guarantee that if you let him in on these thoughts, he'll show you a way out. Set some goals. Do something every day that helps you grow, and that strengthens others. Do something right now that will make someone smile. And never forget to keep a smile on your own face. It seriously takes less muscle so I don't know why you'd ever chose otherwise.
I love you very much. Thank you for your support and your prayers!
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