MURRY CHRITMAS

Temple Day!

HEY IT'S CHRISTMAS GET EXCITED!

GOT TO SEE THE FAM!

Teresa and Sister Johnson, from OUR end of skype

Also that means that I got to skype the family! Honestly it's weird cause I haven't talked to them in over 7 months. But they're all still alive and well which is definitely a bonus!

4 of our family

3 of the family in Florida
and BIG EYES in California

Don't ask

(Note from Mom...we were in Florida at Frank's parent's house, it was so nice to wake up in warm temperatures, and spend time with grandparents. Teresa skyped with us there, so Grammie D and Poppa Dave also got to see her! Sound was too quiet so we just told them about the call. We talked for just under an hour and she gave each of us challenges for the upcoming year. She looks good and sounds good. Awesome to chat, and learn some missionary slang. BTW "Nugget" is a good thing...haha!)

...when you get asked to move
with a 12-hour notice

FRESH APARTMENT. But, this week has decided to follow the trend of my last transfer and just be a little nuts. Remember how I finally got to settle cause after moving 3 times in a transfer, my mission president decided I could stay in an area longer than 9 days? We got a call Thursday afternoon and were informed that we were moving apartments. I cover all of Rocklin and Lincoln, and they moved us to Roseville, which is outside of our area even though we have so much area to cover. (Don't ask me, it makes no sense to me either.) My new address will once again be at the end of this email cause I've had 4 in the past month.

Christmas devotional and I got to see people!

Christmas morning!

TEMPLE VISIT. Aside from having to move within 24 hours, earlier that morning I got to go to the temple with Sister Johnson! Since the temple is outside of the mission boundaries, we can only go once every 6 months. I haven't been in 7, so it was amazing to go. The feeling you get from even just being on temple grounds is something that you can't get anywhere else. After being there, I was so much happier, and able to take on the week. The temple is one of my favorite places on earth, and I'm so glad I got to go with Sister Johnson too.

We were allowed to open one gift before Christmas:
Thanks, Bishop!

This weekly is probably gonna be a bit shorter, because it's Christmas, and I'm also getting lazy with emailing. The whole week was a bit of a blur but I know we did things!

Sister Johnson's amazing food-packing skills

GOING TO CHURCH. Oh, I've mentioned 2 of our investigators (both named Lauren) and they each had moments this week that make missionaries PUMPED! Lauren M came to church yesterday, and made the comment that she would never miss church because it's that important! So it's been cool to continue working with her and listening to her as her testimony grows.

Shout-out to Sister Orton
(may she RIP/she went home)
cause she's back on the east coast
now and way too far away
for my liking

Lauren R is someone who's been investigating for a long time off and on, and during our last session, she said "I honestly don't know why I'm not baptized yet!" (!!!) So because she's gone through the lessons twice already, we get to go off track a little and do our best to pick out the things she needs the most, to help her take another step of faith closer to Christ and our Heavenly Father. It's been so cool to work with her!

Shout-out to the best Mum out there
(best trainer), still looking out for
me even after she's dead (went home)

I finally unpacked my desk, the day before we
moved apartments...so now it's a mess again,
but I liked how it looked before!

HOLIDAY DEVOTIONAL. Final piece: Saturday was a half mission Christmas devotional, and yours truly was privileged enough to be a reader for part of it! Sister Swenson also read part, so I got to sit with and be with one of my fav people for that! I loved seeing people, and learning more of the story of Christmas that we all know so well. Being on a mission has 100% changed my perspective and understanding of so many things. I hope that each of you can continue to keep up the Service Mentality, not just in the month of December!

Talk to ya next year!
Sister Whitesell

teresa.whitesell@myldsmail.net
751 Central Park Dr. apt. 321
Roseville, CA 95678