HAPPY NEW YEAR!

December 29, 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

YAYYYY! 2014 is almost here!!!

I am so excited for this new year....I was telling Sister Nowels that I've never been this excited in my life. And it's because I get to devote this year to serving a mission...to serving God! What a neat time!! And I am so grateful for the learning, growth, trials, and tests that will come. As I look back on all the courage that it has taken to make the decision to come out on a mission and serve, I am so grateful that I did!

And I am grateful for the power of the Jesus Christ. I am so grateful we can all change and become more like Him because of his Atonement!  I am grateful that we all have this opportunity to come to earth and live!! My heart is just really happy and grateful right now, but it's true!

And I am grateful that I get to share that with others. We all can, it's AMAZING!

So here are some highlights from my wonderful week!

Christmas Eve we went caroling...and we are now on Instagram singing Joy to the World!! The man said, can you sing something for 30 seconds, I want to put it on instagram. That was a first, but YES of course!!!

We had made a roast for Christmas Eve (because we didn't have a dinner planned) but one of our investigator's invited us into her home as we had come by to sing her some Christmas songs. Then she fed us dinner! It was so humble and nice of her! One Christmas Eve I will never forget!

Then two days later we actually ate the roast :) And as I was washing the dishes a bunch of juice got on my shirt (the water had sprayed back at me)!   Well I was more than tired that evening, and I let out a scream (louder than needed). A few minutes later, our neighbor knocked on our door concerned that something was wrong! Oh good times! I was so embarrassed, but it's good to know that we have a really nice and concerned neighbor! :)

Of course talking to my family was a highlight :)

And we got to go to the Temple Visitor's Center to see the Christmas lights with Frank and Shirley!!! They are so wonderful! We did not get there in time to go to the concert, but we found tickets for Frank and Shirley to go in at least. As soon as they left, we found some members and an investigator from Sister Nowels old ward!! What a miracle! We got to spend time with them and explain more about the temple to this sweet lady!!

The lights were absolutely gorgeous!!!!

And we got to meet an amazing lady, a friend of our Bishop. She is so amazing! On our first visit we shared a lot with her about baptism and why we are so service oriented. We shared about our baptismal covenant in Mosiah 18:8-10. She was so touched by those scriptures. She could see that the members truly did strive to live that... "willing to mourn with those that mourn...comfort those that stand in need of comfort..." That touched me so much! What we do is seen. I pray and hope that my actions can be seen as our Savior's love for others.

And all in all, it was a fantastic week!!!!!

Love you all!!!! Have a fantastic week!!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sister Udall