Dec. 19, 2011

Hello Hello!
HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY MOMAMIA
AND HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY LINDSAY AND LAUREN!

Well the theme for this week is CANCELED LESSONS! Ya not too fun... we get it, this time of year is busy and even people go out of town but its kinda rough!  i am SOOO thankful that i only have to miss one Christmas... even if that does mean that i have to endure the Arizona summers!

Nonetheless we were on our bikes ALOT this week but that is a good thing to try to counteract all the cookies and other treats that we have been given. One particularly hard day this week when all of our lessons fell through and we had been rides our bikes all day we went to a members for dinner and they surprised us with the "12 days of Christmas"!  What a blessing!  So now even if the day is hard,  its okay, because each night when we come home we open a Christmas present and with each present is a Christmas story. Those stories have really helped to bring the Christmas spirit into our home. There are classic stories of the Christmas Orange and the Christmas Shoes and then there are others that I've never heard before but  are very touching and inspiring.

I am so grateful for all the I have and for the warm home that we get to live in. Yesterday at church was the best ever because in one of our wards the whole sacrament meeting was just full of stories and beautiful Christmas musical numbers! Of course knowing me, I was a ball baby because it was just so touching :)
I just love Christmas and being on a mission and not being preoccupied with the stresses of shopping for presents and making treats. My mission has helped me to really focus on Christ and the real meaning of Christmas.

Our 12 Days of Christmas gifts!

Mesa Temple Nativity

Mesa Temple Lights

Our pictures are dark, but the lights behind us are amazing!

Sister Doll and I had the opportunity to go to the Mesa Temple Lights and to talk to people from all over the world - even close to home from Rock Port, Missouri :)  We loved talking to them about the true meaning of Christmas!  Another blessing of the week is that Sasha is going to be baptized on Dec 31 as well as Josh! This is the first time on my mission that I have had more then one baptism in a day! HAPPY NEW YEAR.  Transfers are on Dec 28th too. If i get moved i hope that i can come back for them-- cross your fingers.

well i love you all and i hope that everyone has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Hint, hint,  I LOVE CHRISTMAS CARDS :)

Love,
Sister Martin