HOPE

Hello!

This week was just wonderful. So many fun things! 

On Tuesday we had our mission Christmas Conference! I was going to send pictures, but I accidentally left my card reader at home today... oops! So you'll get them next week haha. 

But it was awesome because the conference is the only time our whole entire mission ever gets together, so it was fun to see old companions and catch up with people. :) I saw Sister Chipman there and she told me that Ian was getting the Priesthood that coming week, so that was yesterday. I was so excited!! I'm so glad he is still making progress. 

The meeting was so good though, it was about 6 hours of trainings on Christ-like attributes, lunch, and musical numbers by the missionaries. IT WAS SO GOOD. There's nothing better to learn about on Christmas than Christ. 

There was one training by a Sister on hope that I really loved. She talked about how a lot of times when we use the word '"hope", we use it with uncertainty. Like, "I hope the weather clears up." or "I hope that I get the job." We use it in a way that makes it seem like we are unsure or fearful. But real hope, the hope that Christ had, was certain. It was sure. Preach my Gospel defines hope as "An abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement." I had never really thought about that before. The hope that the gospel brings us isn't an uncertain kind of hope. It is a certain hope. A knowledge that God loves us and that He has a plan for us. I love that. That is why it is so important to share the gospel, because people in the world don't have that hope! 

On Christmas Eve we had dinner at the Stanford's house! Sister Stanford is like.... a really really good cook. So yum. But we watched a church movie, read Luke 2, and they gave us a gift! It was fun. Then we came home, made a ginger bread house, put our mattresses in the front room, lit up all our Christmas lights and had a little slumber party! So fun. :) 

Then on Christmas we spent the day visiting members! Everyone here is so nice and I just love them. Then I got to skype my family! That was fun. Weston and Reagan looked so big! It was good to hear your voices and talk for a little bit. :) Then that night we had a dinner at a member's house. Her name is Sudha Gupta and she is this little old lady from India. Hahaha I will tell you more about it next week when I send pictures but it was so funny. She kept piling and piling on food it was so funny. Then she gave us this dessert.... oh boy not my favorite. It was this sweet milk stuff with cheese patties floating in it. It was rough hahaha. I'll send you pictures. I'm running out of time but I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! And have a happy new year!! Lots of love!

XOXO Sister Fowers

Christmas day skyping with my Family