So grateful for the Christmas season and His light 12-21-2015

Zone pizza party

So much has happened in the past 2 weeks!! First of all, I'm not sure how I've survived up to this point. My mind after 2 weeks without a Pday just shuts down. 

But anyways, it has been 2 weeks of MIRACLES. To back up quite a while, a week ago Saturday, we had our last little zone party and we ate pizza and had so much fun. 

 Tuesday was a day of miracles. It was Sister Howard and my last day as companions and we found 3 new investigators on the Square! We hadn't been able to find anyone for about a week and a half and had been praying that we would be able to find those who are really prepared, who want to learn about Christ. 

As we talked to all 3 of these individuals, they all agreed to meet with local missionaries when they got home. Then on Tuesday night, this guy who Sister Howard and I had taught at the beginning of the transfer finally texted us after like 3 weeks of silence and said he was meeting the missionaries the next day! 

Sister Almeida of Brazil is my new companion

Then, on Wednesday I got my new companion! Her name is Sister Almeida and she is amazing. She's from Brazil and she served there for 1 month waiting for her visa before she went into the MTC - so she pretty much already trained. We are having SO much fun together. We will be companions until the end of my mission. 

I seriously love training. I feel like Heavenly Father just sends you so many people to teach. It's been amazing to see the hand of God just in our 5 days as companions and how much He is helping us. 

I feel like this past transfer, my testimony of the Restoration has increased soooo much. I was thinking about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ the other day and how fundamental it is to Christianity. If Christ wasn't resurrected, than why follow Christ on earth because there's nothing after this. 

That led me to really think about Christ as living today and got me thinking, If Christ lives today, what is He doing? Why would He just come to earth for 33 years and minister and organize his church for this tiny period of time and than break the bonds of death but never speak to us again. 

Christ leads His church today. I know it with my whole heart. Christ established His church on the foundation of prophets and apostles, he himself being the chief cornerstone. The gospel makes sense and I am beyond grateful to belong to His church.

This week we've had several guest speakers come talk with us! Lynn Robbins, Michael Wilcox and Elder Rasband all visited our little mission. 

Goodbye to Sister Howard

Michael Wilcox really focused on the signs of Christ's birth in the Book of Mormon. It's so cool because it's where I'm reading right now. I feel like we always read the story of Christ's birth in Luke 2 but I would definitely invite you to read the story in the Book of Mormon. 

I think it's best to start in Helaman 11 and read up to 3 Nephi 1. The faith that the believers in Christ had that what Nephi and Samuel had prophesied would come true is incredible to me. 

Brother Wilcox also pointed out to us that there were 2 signs of Christ's birth in the Americas: the star and the night where the sun would go down, but it would stay light, He pointed out how God always works with 2 witnesses. 

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert
 

I feel like my thoughts are in a million different places right now, but I also got to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert which was amazing. 

  It's been snowing like crazy here and my poor Brazilian companion has never seen snow before! 

  As we were walking to email, I was telling my companion how this one time crossing the street we ran into Russell M. Nelson and literally as I said that Elder Jeffrey Holland was right next to us!! 

I am so grateful for the Christmas season. I'm grateful for my Savior and really can't express it in words but I know that His light is real. 

He is the free gift given to each one of us and there are so many opportunities God gives us to feel His light in our lives. 

I'm grateful to be a missionary for another Christmas to really remember why we celebrate. I love being a missionary. I can't believe how fast it's going. 

 I'm so excited to Skype the family on Friday!! Could we do it at 9am Utah time? So, 8am your time? Is that too early? Let me know :)

Love you!