Monday, November 21, 2016

Letter #18 - Happy Thanksgiving!

November 21, 2016



Dear Family and Friends,

This week at zone conference we got to see the video that the church will be releasing on November 25th for their Christmas initiative #LIGHTtheWORLD. It is a good one. I really really enjoyed it. Starting on Dec.1st they are encouraging 25 acts of service. They will also be releasing an advent calendar where each days gives a way that we can be more like Jesus with very simple ways of working towards that particular way. It was really cool and I would encourage you all to participate this year. I will hopefully be getting to do stuff as a missionary and will write about it in my letters. 

This week I also got the flu. Despite my best efforts and a flu shot several weeks ago. I spent all day and night of day one in bed. The second day I spent about half the day in bed, and the other half deciding whether I should try eating or not. I slept soundly the whole second night. Then day three was Sunday so we just did our regular church meeting/ ward council at 7AM thing. So luckily it didn't last a long time. 

This week for Thanksgiving, we will be going to a ward Friendsgiving potluck. It is the fifth year they have held it and last year about 60 people attended. It's for all the people in the community that don't have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving, so it should be a nice little event. 

Things I was Thankful for this week: 
A companion who made me soup and gave me extra blankets
Concerned ward members

Christ is the light of the world. Our lives are filled with the Spirit was as we focus on and give gratitude to Him. He is the reason that the holiday season is so bright and enjoyable. Make him your focus as you serve and celebrate and the coming weeks will be filled with peace that comes from the Spirit. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving this week!  

Love, 
Sister Prue

Letter #17 - Peppermint Hand Soap

November 14, 2016




Dear Friends and Family,

This week has probably been my best week yet out in the field. Lots of good stuff happening here. Sunday was stake conference and I really liked the stake president's talk. He called it worse, worser, worst :) He talked about how bad days are really just small tests from the Lord that help us assess how Christ-like we are becoming. We are able to see how we treat others and handle situations when we are annoyed and frustrated and things just aren't going our way. Then we have worser and worst days when we are hit with longer and more serious trials that are opportunities for us to build our faith and grow. Anyways, now any day I have a bad day I'm going to think about how I'm measuring up. I thought it was a nice perspective to get through those inevitable bad days. 

Last week we received a little ring of paper where each day we write something we are grateful for that day. Mine have included: Peppermint Hand Soap, Sister Hovenier, Appointments after dark (it gets dark around 6, and we have to be out until 9), Warm weather (it's getting to the 50s now, but we still are having warm days), and Soup made by members (my companion got sick and then I got it, but not nearly as bad)

One day after dark we were looking for someone we might be able to visit, and we weren't sure who to go to, so we said a prayer. One of the names that popped into my head was of a less active member who has been impossible to find at home. I disregarded the idea and we started heading to another member's house. As we were driving, a car was tailgaiting me and I couldn't figure out which street to turn down and I couldn't slow down in order to do so, so I ended up missing the right turn, at which point the car went around me. I decided to turn on the next street so that I could pull over and figure out where we were. Where were we? Lo and behold we were on the street of the person whose name popped into my head, and so at that point I knew what was going on. We went and of course the person was home and we were able to make an appointment for later that week. We visited them and it was great. The end. The Lord helps us repent even when we are unwise and don't follow his advice the first time. 

Things I'm looking forward to this week: 
Using the peppermint hand soap we bought
Zone conference

Love, Sister Prue

Monday, November 7, 2016

Letter #16 - Fall is finally here!

November 7, 2016



Dear Friends and Family,

Wednesday was transfer day, and I now have a new companion: Sister Hovenier (for those of you who speak spanish pronounced: joven-ir). She is wonderful and I love her already. She is a convert of about 3 years and has a beautiful testimony of how the gospel changes lives and makes us happier! She is from Washington state, but hates the colder weather we've been having (it has now dipped into the 60s and is rainy again.) She is so kind to me and I really appreciate the way she prays for me and our companionship. I think we will be able to do great things together in this area. I am now the driver in this area, and things have gone pretty well in that department. I did get lost one day, but Sister Hovenier has a GPS, so we were able to get back to our area safe and sound. 

Yesterday was the first day that I felt that the holiday season is finally upon us. We had a Relief Society Lesson on gratitude and I got the warm fuzzies commonly associated with this time of the year. We also had pie for dessert at Bishop's house. Yum. As always, I love the members here and they are probably what I am most grateful for this week. 

Sorry this is so short, but I hope to have some good stories for you next week!

Love, 
Sister Prue