Monday, December 3, 2012

Happy December!


Guess what...even after the snow last week, we are back up to a high of 59 degrees today! Let me tell you, this Arizona girl is really happy. Thank you so much for the emails today- it was such a nice surprise to get an email from the Deys and Emily! I am especially excited to see Emily when she gets here!!! So crazy to think about. I will tell the sisters in the Plattsmouth ward to look out for her when she comes. I don't think I will be able to eat with them, but if they come to the TC when I am working I will definitely be able to see them. Too bad the Bowens aren't in my area!
 
This will probably end up being a much shorter letter than I planned on because we just spent about 15 minutes talking to this man about the gospel! He is so cool!! I guess while I am talking about teaching, I will just share now about our investigators. I know it probably seems like Brother Mike Hall is the only person I talk about, but that is because we love him SO MUCH. Last week we watched the Restoration with him, and he just kept telling us how much he has changed since we have started teaching him and the change that he has recognized in himself as he has prayed and read the Book of Mormon diligently. Then, last night, he went with us to the Staheli's house (members in our ward that I ADORE) and watched the Christmas Devotional! It was honestly one of the highlights of my LIFE. To watch him, watching President Monson speak, and really feel the Spirit testify that he is the prophet of God on the earth today made me happier than I can even begin to express. He told us that his goal this week is to decide on a baptismal date. We are thinking either the 22nd or the 29th of this month! I also need to tell you about Suzie- I haven't told you about her beacuse I was just waiting until it was closer to her baptism day. Her mom and sister (who is 15) were baptized in August, and she wanted to wait until her 11th birthday in December, so she will be baptized on the 22nd! It is so fun to watch her grown and learn, and to know that even kids can gain such strong testimonies of the gospel. It makes me think of all of my amazing cousins who are just older than her- I love you!!
 
I got Matilyne and Riley's wedding announcement this past week! I have the most beautiful best friend EVER and I can't wait to see pictures of her the day she becomes a Fitzgerald! There is a man in my ward who did something really hilarious yesterday, and I was thinking about it this morning, and he really reminds me of Riley. How he dresses, acts, everything. Bro Duchenne served his mission in AZ and he and his wife have lived there for ahwile, but he is in law school in Omaha now. He always talks to me about stuff from AZ, and we see him quite a bit because he is a ward missionary. So, yesterday he came up to me after Sacrament meeting and told me that he is going to do me a selfish favor. I must have looked really confused, so he explained that he really wants citrus from AZ, and he wants to order if from some place (I think he said it was on McKellips) but he said it costs 50 dollars for one kind of fruit, and he wants lemons and oranges. He said there is no way his wife would go for that, but that if he could say it is a present for the sister missionary from AZ, she would go for it. So he came to talk to me to make sure I like citrus. Little did he know that I could eat lemons plain like my wonderful great-grandmother!
 
I am really excited for a few different things this week- we have exchanges on Wednesday so Sister Bown will come over to Lakeview for the day, which I am really excited about. And then, on Saturday we have the ward Christmas party, and in the afternoon we are singing at a concert in the mall. SO fun. In Dad's email he said that he wished he could hear me sing a Christmas song, but that he hopes I'm using my talents here in Omaha. I am so grateful that I have been blessed enough to be called to a mission where we are constantly asked to sing at something.
 
I am hoping that today I will actually get to write letters to people. I am so sorry that I have not been able to write a lot of people back. I still don't know what I want for Christmas. Maybe instead of getting me something, it would be really nice to get Mike Hall something for Christmas from the family- church and Christmas related? I don't know. Sorry...I will try to think of something that I want.
 
OH. I forgot to tell you. There was a bit of excitement last week because we told the office that our housing situation would be ending at the end of the month. Then, we were at a wedding for a woman in our ward on Saturday, and Bishop Thompson came up to us and told us that he promised they would find someone's house for us to live in within the ward boundaries because he didn't want to lose us. We thought that was really nice, but in our minds we were thinking that even if we didn't live with a member, its not like we would be unable to serve the Lakeview ward. Apparently they had already assembled a list of people to call to ask to house us. Later, Bishop came up to us and told us that President Weston had told him that if they didn't find somewhere for us to live in the ward, that they wouldn't have sisters anymore, and apparently, people really want Sisters, so that is good leverage. We were so excited because we love living with members. Then, when we got home, Sister Hill told us that she and Brother Hill have decided that they want us for another 6 months, which I will hopefully be spending in Lakeview! It was great news.
 
What is Papa and Grandma's email addresses? Will you give the Deys my address? They asked for it.
 
Well, time to go grocery shopping now. I love you all so much. I know that my Heavenly Father lives and that He loves me. I know that Christ is my Savior and I am so grateful to remember Him at this time of year. I know that this is His church on the earth today, and that even though the other wonderful religions of the world will bring people closer to Him, this is the only way back to Him.
 
I love you to the moon and back!
 
Sister Farnsworth

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