Love, Love, Love And Extra Love To Donate

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I'm sending my weekly today, but tomorrow is still preparation day.

On Monday my district walked around Manitou Springs. It looks like a town straight from a hallmark movie, it's super cute. We walked around all the little gift shops and I got some new turquoise earrings #letsgo. There is also a natural Springs there and you can drink the water, it's disgusting. It is very bubbly and tastes like carbonated water haha.

Tuesday we met with this guy named Bryce. He was taught by some sisters in another area and is already on date for January 14! He seems pretty solid.

We also stopped at a recent converts home, Steven. He has the world's biggest heart and beat outlook on life. He is such a good example to me. He was a jehovahs witness vegore he was baptized so he never celebrated Christmas before this year. He's 60! So we got home a little tree and some gift. He called us later with tearfilled eyes thanking us for our love. He recently had emergency surgery for internal bleeding and is recovering, but he always says, even though life is difficult, he has the holy spirit now and that helps him be happy and get through it. He says love, love, love and extra love to donate! 

Wednesday we did service and helped a friend move a bunch of bags of trash to the dumpster and then hauled a bunch of stuff to goodwill for them. It was super low key but I was glad we could help her. She said it was super helpful.

Thursday we were parked most of the day, we couldn't leave our apartment because it was freezing! The temperature had dropped down to -10⁰ but with the windchill it felt like anywhere from -30⁰ to -50⁰. Which is insane because the day before it was 50⁰ and super nice out. Luckily later in the afternoon we were unparked and could leave.

Friday was a good day! We started the morning with district council and I shared a spiritual thought about patriarchal blessings and how they can be one of the biggest guides when we have questions, are going through a difficult trial, or we just need something uplifting. We did more service for a woman in the ward. Her home had mice so we took everything out of the kitchen cupboards, wiped them down, and then layed down this grippy paper stuff and put everything back inside. 

Merry christmas eve! Saturday was awesome! We met with most of our friends. We stopped at Steven's and I cried most of the time we were there. The spirit was so strong. He told us how he is no longer doing chemo, and continues to share his testimony about out Savior and the Holy Ghost when times are hard, and he received a healing priesthood blessing. After the blessing he told us how he can feel God's love for him and he isn't used to feeling so much love. So I was in the corner crying like a baby.

We met with Bryce again and he's still doing awesome. He is also overcoming some Word of Wisdom issues. He drank coffee and smoked. But he has chosen to give that up and he says the lord has been helping him quit and think more rational when he has bad cravings. I'm excited for his baptism. 

We also stopped at Charlotte's house and she got us blankets and some candy for Christmas, she is such a sweetheart! 

We had dinner at our bishops house and afterwords we played Farkle, its a strangely competitive game haha, but it was lots of fun!

I hope to hear about each of your Christmas' and how you celebrate Christ. When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the Spirit of Christ. Let us remember this Christmas day what the holiday is truly about. 

The Christmas season is a time to reflect and act upon the blessings and opportunities we have because of the birth, life, Atonement, and Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

1. Dinosaur in Manitou Springs

2. Christmas cookies gift

3. Chocolate mug from Jeremy and his mom

4. Coupons that expired in 1994 we found when cleaning the mice kitchen 

5. Mama's Christmas package that arrived Christmas eve!! 

6. Christmas eve selfie 

7. Baby snowman Calvin

8. Christmas eve pj's 

9. Quick stanky leg dance break lol