Hallo Meine Familie!
I started off my Christmas early, we woke up at 5:30 to do laundry. Merry Christmas to us:) haha It was a lot of fun though, I love when I have time to spend with all the amazing missionaries and get to know them better.
This week was a hard one. One of the Elders in our district had to go home and it was devestating. Our district had already grown so close and to see one of our family members leave was so hard. He had some things he had to straighten up in his life, so we know he did the right thing on leaving, but it was so difficult to say goodbye. He was such a strong part of our district and I KNOW that if he comes back in a year he will be a phenomenal missionary. Please keep him in your prayers. I can't even imagine how hard it would be to go home. We found out on Friday and our whole district just cried together. Even though it was such a difficult experience, it was also very powerful. Our district grew so much closer together and we became so much more united. It also just gave me more gratitude for the Atonement. We are SO BLESSED to have the Atonement in our lives. Christ WANTS to help bear (sp?) our burdens. I know without a doubt that he loves each of us so much and that he will not give us any trial that we cannot overcome.
Sister Bauer and I continued to teach our investigator Alex. We worked really hard to prepare lessons and have the spirit with us as we taught. Then on Friday night we got a new teacher and guess who it was?? Our investigator Alex!!! We were shocked. It was hilarious. He walked in and our mouths dropped to the floor. We yelled "Du BIST EIN LIAR!!" hahah it was funny. Brother Mower is actually his name now. He acted as one of the people he taught on his mission. I feel sooo blessed to have the teachers that I have. They are amazing and I learn so much from them.
THE MTC REALLY IS JUST SO GREAT. Don't get me wrong, it is dang hard. I have already experienced so many trials, but it has all made it worth it. I have grown so much closer to my Savior and my testimony of this gospel has skyrocketed.
Today Elder Russel M. Nelson came and gave us a Christmas Devotional. I had such a cool experience as he walked into the gym. We were all singing Silent Night and the doors opened and he walked into the door. As soon as I saw him I was overcome with this spririt and love, and I KNEW, I KNEW that he was called of God and was a servant of God. I will never forget what I felt this morning when he walked in the door. It was so powerful. I am so grateful that I got to listen to him speak.
My personal study in the morning has been one of my favorite parts of the MTC. I have always had a strong testimony of this gospel, but I never it could grow this much more in such a short amount of time. Yesterday I was studying in preach my gospel and the Book of Mormon. It was such a powerful study time. The BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE!!!! What is so great about it is that it goes hand in hand with the Bible. Both books are so important and each can bring us closer to our loving Savior. I challenge you to read the Book of Mormon and the Bible again. Read them OVER AND OVER again. I promise you guys that you will learn more out of it each time. O meine gute, we are soo lucky to have these books.
So Elder Anyanwu got flooded with letters last week. I wish you guys could have seen how happy he was. Today he is actually wearing the tie that Tami sent him. The day after I asked you to put his address up on my facebook, he got 8 letters from my friends. O meine gute it was such a great feeling of joy. He was so happy. He loved the packages as well. Thank you to everyone who sent him things. It definitely made his week.
Also, thank you for sending Elder Colson packages as well!! He was so happy too. It is crazy how happy letters can make you.
I feel truely blessed that the Lord wanted me to serve a mission. I am sohumbled to be able to have the oppurtunity to teach the people of the Alpine-German Speaking mission. I am just so grateful for the oppurtunity. I know it is going to be dang hard, but I already have felt little pieces of how it will be so worth it.
I also just feel so loved by my family and friends. I seriously am the luckiest girl in the world. I literally have the greatest friends and family. Thank you for all the love and support.
MOM!! I got the See's candy. Thank you so much!! Are you trying to fatten me up?? hahaha I have already eaten a whole box!! (don't worry I shared too.) Kim, Aunt Tammy and Uncle Kirk, and the Covey's all sent me packages. It was soo nice of them!! Please tell them thank you for me!! I will make sure to write them as well. O and Rebecca made me a Thank you book from her 2nd graders when I came into her class. It was so stinking cute. Made my day.
Well Family, I love you guys so much. I wish I could be with yall today to celebrate but I know without a doubt I am where the Lord wants me to be. I LOVE YALLL!!
ATL SHAWTY FROM THE MTC:)
My companion and I and Elder Anyanwu doing ATL Shawty!
All the Alpine-German speaking goers.
Me with the cute little book Becca and her class made me!!
Me and my companion
