Christmas Conference

Dear Family and Friends,

I am so excited about the Christmas Zone Conference coming up on
Friday! Every time I think about it I just want to scream and jump up
and down like a little kid! I love zone conferences and I am so
excited for this one because I will only have one Christmas in the
mission field and I need to make it better than any Christmas so far!
We have lots of plans with the families in our wards and it is great
because I have been here since August so I know everyone well and I
love them like family!

I am so excited to be with Sis. Mecham on Christmas too! It will be
like watching a little kid on Christmas morning! haha! She is such a
sweetheart, I love her so much! We had a really tough comp inventory
the other day. She said some things to me that I was not expecting and
it threw me for a loop. With all of my former companions we had always
gotten along fine and I felt the same with Sis Mecham. She informed me
that it was not the same on her side of things. We were able to talk
about the things that I had done or said that had unintentionally hurt
her feelings or made her uncomfortable or anxious. I explained some
things about myself that helped her understand that I didn't intend to
do the things that she didn't like. We shared a lot of things that I
think brought us even closer as companions. We have a more open
communication with each other that she felt was lacking before. I felt
so terrible and was blindsided by the things she was telling me that I
was baffled and speechless for quite awhile, while I thought about
her concerns. We are great with each other now and we look back at
that conversation and thank our Heavenly Father for it. I am
constantly working on the things that she said I needed to, in order
to make this work a little bit easier for her.

On to the next topic, in my personal study of The Book of Mormon, I
just so happened to be at the end of 2 Nephi today. I read chapters
29-33. I obviously loved being able to read these wonderful chapters
that talk so much about The Doctrine of Christ. In the very last verse
of ch 33 it says, "...for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must
obey. Amen" Since Sister Greer unpacked 2 Nephi 31 at the The Doctrine
of Christ training I have really been focused on the word "must". This
phrase struck me deeply today. Nephi did not acknowledge that the Lord
gave him commandments and it was his choice to obey or not. He said
that he must obey them. How often do I think that yes the Lord has
commanded me in all things... but I still have my agency. I NEVER want
to think that again! I always want to think as Nephi did. The Lord
commands and that means that my agency should be gone. Not because He
takes it away by His command, because he would never do that, but
simply because I have already made up my mind that anything the Lord
asks, I will do it because I MUST do it. I am so grateful to be a
representative of the Lord Jesus Christ because I must share the truth
with those who lack the fullness of His gospel.

This week was kind of rough! I have been sick with a very nasty cold.
I felt like I wanted to die or just sleep all the time and since
neither were a luxury that would be allowed to me I was able to suffer
through it. I am thank goodness feeling better but still not 100%.  We
had a big district lunch this week since it was transfer week so that
we could meet all the new missionaries in the area. I probably looked
like death so our zone leader Elder Peterson offered me a blessing. I
accepted and the Elders all stood around me a gave me a wonderful
Priesthood blessing of healing and comfort. I instantly started to get
better and better from that time forward. I am so grateful that the
Lord is mindful of our individual needs and that He loves us so much.
I still struggle in the mornings and late at night to overcome the
ills I feel but the Lord provides the way during the daytime hours so
I am thankful for that! Sister Mecham has really stepped up and helped
a lot! She is going to be a great trainer at the end of January (next
transfer). lol

I look forward to seeing you next week! Sister Combs, who we live
with, will email you tonight to figure out all the details of when and
how I will be skyping home! Sorry for not being more on top of things
about that! Love you all!