Cheers! :)

This week was filled with Christmas cheer... Let me tell you! :D

This season I have learned so much about how Christmas is meant to be
simple. On Monday we were trying to make these super cute Christmas
cards (you know, the kind with the pictures and all that) but the
photo machine wasn't having it! Everything in the Photo Section of
Walmart started to shut down.. literally. After getting pretty
frustrated, we finally left. Although it is sad that we didn't get
cute cards sent out, our Christmas seemed to be a lot less about
"looks".

Our ward Christmas party was on Monday night! We had a nice bbq feast
and an ugly sweater contest. (Luckily some other Sisters in our zone
had some sweaters to share for us!) It also ended with a fun white
elephant gift exchange. It was a blast!

It was Sister Otteman's 21st Birthday on Tuesday! We had pancakes for
breakfast. In the afternoon we went to Cold Stone with one of our
investigators named Theo! Later that night we got to go caroling with
a lot of the missionaries in our zone. That was the best! It was so
fun to see people's faces light up when they opened the door. :)

On Wednesday night we got to meet with David again. He got his
Patriarchal Blessing on Tuesday! Someone interpreted in ASL while he
was given the blessing. How incredible! David is doing awesome!

Christmas Eve was amazing. We had lunch with the Parkin family (they
have two YSA's) before we drove to DC for our Mission Choir
performance! The concert was super
awesome! We had two shows - one at 7 and one at 8:30. Through the hot
spot lights and tired legs, we all sounded pretty good. ;) The Spirit
was so powerful when we sang the last song at the end of the night!
Our mission has some amazing talent. I'm so grateful I could be a part
of it! Oscar and Hector came to support us - they're awesome! I also
got to see Brother & Sister Davis! (I lived with them last year!)

Drum rollllll please..... Christmas!! Skyping with my family was the
best!! I can't believe how much deeper my brothers' voices have
gotten... haha! :) I can't believe another year has come and gone. I'm
so grateful for my family!! They're pretty much the best.

That day we had Christmas lunch at the Lewis's and then Christmas
dinner with Bishop Janzen's famliy. Party! I'm so grateful for all the
support and love we receive out here.

On Saturday we got to go help serve at the DC Temple Visitors Center!
It was awesome! My cheeks hurt from smiling. :) I had a really cool
experience! A man and his girlfriend walked up to me and another
Sister (she's from England!) and asked us a lot of questions about the
church. He was pretty intense about some of them and almost came
across as bashing, but the conversation went well. It is amazing how
the Spirit works through you while teaching. I do not know how to
answer every questoin, but I do know that God loves all of His
children. He will give us help when we need it.

I love you all and hope you have a Happy New Year!!
Love,
Sister Winterton