Merry Southern Christmas, Y'all!

I'm going to let pictures tell most of my story from this past week, but Christmas down here was a pretty great one! 

Last Monday night we ate dinner with Sister Ladnier and Charlie! Charlie just turned 6, and he wanted me to sit by him. Then he had me draw pictures for him. Then he said that I'm his best friend!! So my best friend, Charlie has my heart in case anyone was curious. 

With Charlie

Sister Thompson and I got some cute Christmas cups from Diana, a recent convert, so naturally we had to take some pictures in the car with them. 

The Young women gave us a gingerbread house!!!

We had a zone training meeting, so Sister Thompson and I got Christmas-ed out. Okay, we actually pretty much dressed up in Christmas themes all week. But we took a picture from ZTM. The meeting was great. One of our zone leaders talked about finding and related it to fishing. He talked about the best fish being at the bottom of the pond, and while we may catch some at the surface there are a lot more as you go deeper. So our finding efforts need to be geared to getting those fish and reaching the bottom. 

Oh, and you can always tell when missionaries are having a meeting because of the parking lot. 

Then for Christmas we spent lots of time with the McClain family! We made cookies and delivered them to less-actives in their area. They were also hosting Miss Debbie, from the nursing home that Sister McClain works at. Miss Debbie is Catholic, but wants to learn more about our religion! We had some good talks, and I even got to teach her how we pray. She's sweet!

Christmas was a great one for us! We opened up some gifts and then headed to church. I just love the spirit that comes from singing Christmas hymns so I was grateful we sang so many. A recently returned elder in our ward spoke and shared some awesome mission stories. It was fun to hear them, and then I realized that here I am making similar memories! Missions are great and I'm glad I got to spend this Christmas here in the South, sharing the love of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. 

Y'all stay warm now! If I could, I would totally send you some of this Mississippi heat. 

Have a good week, and a great start to your new year!

And to Marie:

May Your Home Be Full of the Spirit of Christmas!

This week has been a bit of a roller coaster. Sister Thompson and I have had highs and lows. We were rejected a lot this week. And some of it was a little more painful than the usual stuff. So we got a little down. Sometimes we just get anxious and don't understand why people don't want to even listen to what we have to share. Because we know how truly remarkable it is to have knowledge of the Savior and how we can return to live with Heavenly Father, and it is disheartening when over and over people don't want to hear it. 

But we had been praying to know who is really interested in our message and to be able to determine who we should continue to try to visit. And that prayer was definitely answered. I can't help but feel that this is just going to allow us to look harder to find who has a prepared heart here in good ol' Ocean Springs.

On a happier note, y'all can mark your calendars because Desirae is set to be baptized on January 7!! We went through the baptismal questions with her, and she's more than ready. We're ecstatic!! And remember sweet Brighton from Clinton?? She was baptized and confirmed this past weekend!! She said it was beautiful and spirit-filled. Man, I love that girl!

We have been looking for ways to spread Christmas cheer this week! So we went caroling, and took some little gifts to people. We also went to help Sister Beecher and David set up their Christmas tree!! It sure was fun! David makes me laugh :) 

Helping David and Sister Beecher

Instead of a white Christmas, we've been having more of a...grey Christmas. It's been foggy and humid here!! 

A Grey Christmas in Mississippi

I've been a missionary for 6 fantastic months now!!! So naturally we had to celebrate by eating cake for breakfast! Have we eaten too much sugar this month? Perhaps. Are we going to continue to eat more? You better believe it!!

Six Fantastic Months as a Missionary

I also can't say enough about my love for this ward. They are like family to me, and I already know I'm going to have a hard time leaving here. I love it!! Can I just serve here for the next year??

I love the Ocean Springs Ward!!!

Oh, and I forgot to mention all last transfer about the Ocean Springs Elders. So we took a picture last week before Elder Houston left. Elder Clark is still here. They are sassy and so fun! Oh, and Elder Clark is Carolyn Hunger's nephew!! (He's in the green, Elder Houston in the Orange). 

Sister Thompson, Sister Crosby, Elder Clark, and Elder Houston

Merry Christmas to y'all!!! Wish I could be there to celebrate, but there's nowhere else I'd rather be than right here right now. May we all remember the special birth we are celebrating and all that is possible because of that baby boy. 

Love each of you, and to those who wrote Sister Thompson and I, a big heart-felt thank you!! We love you!! And you've helped to make this Christmas season extra special for us.

"Mom, this isn't the 1990's!"- Brynna. The 13 year-old.

​And in that one line, Sister Thompson and I officially felt old. 

We were teaching Desarae this past week, and Brynna wanted some string cheese but they were out. So Desarae told her she could get on her bike and get some from the store down the road. And that line was her reply. We're still laughing about that one. 

But Desarae is doing awesome!! We should be setting her with a new baptismal date tomorrow, and we're excited! It should be soon here, and Sister Thompson and I are excited that we'll be together for another 7 weeks, so we should both be able to be there! Desarae is the best. This baptism has been a long time in coming, and so we're excited it's finally here! She's SO ready, and pretty much is already a Mormon, she just isn't baptized is all. 

On Wednesday night, the YW made our entire week when they surprised us with Christmas! We walked in the primary room, and they sang us a Christmas song, and then had a pile of presents for us! We were so touched that they thought of us, and I honestly can't even begin to say how grateful I am to be in this ward. Those girls and leaders did more for us than they realize. This ward has just taken us in and been a major blessing. I did not know I would come to love them so fast, but they have taken my heart. Ocean Springs feels like a home away from home, and that's been a blessing this holiday season. 

The Ocean Springs Ward Young Women surprised us!!!

Needless to say, I love it here!

Amanda is doing great! She believes that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and has liked reading it. She came with us (actually, was our ride to) the Ward Christmas Party!! We ate way too much, sang far too little, and had a great time! She loved it, and we got to show her around the church a little bit! Hopefully she'll come to church with us soon! 

With Amanda and Sister Thompson at the ward Christmas party.

Also, one simply doesn't come to Ocean Springs and not know David. David is in the ward, and he takes good care of the missionaries. He's friends with absolutely everyone!! He brings us soda just about every week, and he's a goofball! We all love David :) 

David is friends with absolutely everyone!

We went with a member to the Air Force Base early on Saturday to do some service. We tied quilts for retired veterans! It was fun, and a neat opportunity to talk to people about the gospel when ordinarily we wouldn't get to do that there. Plus who doesn't like service and a beautiful drive by the ocean??

Yesterday, after church, we went caroling with the Youth at a retirement home. It was the sweetest! Afterwards, we went to the Pettet's home for lunch and we painted Christmas ornaments! Those little girls are pretty much my favorite. They are some of the sweetest, best behaved kids I've ever met! Such a fun family, that makes me excited to someday have a little family of my own. 

Painting ornaments at the Pettet's home.

But all in due time, because right now it's all about doing the Lord's work! ;) And what a special time of the year to do it! 

Hope y'all have plenty of opportunities to share the Christmas spirit this week! 

Putting on the Armor of God

This week's update is brought to you by rain, the Air Force, and a whole lot of Christmas spirit! 

A few weeks back while Sister Thompson and I were at Dollar General (super popular store in the South), I started talking to the girl working at the register as she was checking my items out. Turns out she lives in the building right across from our complex and has seen us outside a lot! Her name is Amanda, we got some of her information and she said we could come by and visit. So now she's one of our investigators! And this week, she and her husband, Justin, invited us over for dinner as well. Justin is in the Air Force (as many people here are) and so he started talking about how his back hurts because of it. Which got us talking about his armor, and that led to Sister Thompson and I trying some of it on. 

I have a new respect for military people wearing that hefty attire. 

But they wear it all, solely for protection (even though it does look pretty fashionable). And that's the kind of protection we all need. And every time we pray, give service, read our scriptures, or even just smile, we are adding to our own spiritual armor. So this week I invite y'all to add to your armor. Become spiritually stronger by working on something that perhaps you've been putting off doing/changing. Or a good way to add to yours and help someone else is by following the church's Light the World initiative. 

Love y'all! Stay strong!


This Week's Pictures:

Christmas Countdown! A big thanks to anyone who helped with that!
We've been loving it so far, it makes everyday just a little bit more special.  

Twin Day 

New Christmas music!!

Finally went to the doctor. Two creams, a steroid, and some
antibiotics later, and my hands are healing beautifully! 

 I made us dinner yesterday, and it's basically amazing. Pesto may be my new favorite cooking item.​