Dear family,

 

Well, this week has just flown! I really can't believe how fast it all is...

 

I'm not sure what to write about seeing that I saw you only a few days ago! Hmmm. Well, one adventure I failed to mention is the stick story. We were walking back to our car after a lesson, and we see this giant stick protruding from the passenger side of the door. Someone had tried to break into our car....with a stick... They were unsuccessful but we found the attempt pretty amusing :) Wish I had thought to take a picture!

 

On a more serious note, this week has really been a humbling one. It seemed that everyone we talked was going through a really big trial. From a brain tumor to real poverty, we saw it all this week. What was so amazing to me was their attitude about all of it. They didn't bemoan their fate or see their life in any sort of negative light. It was amazing to me. I have been so blessed in my life with good health, the gospel, a strong family, stable finances, and educational opportunities. The idea that others didn't have all of that was something I never thought about before my mission. It has really opened my eyes. I just want to fix everything and take them out of their situation and put them in a better! But I can't.. And yet I have seen just a simple lesson, a scripture, a prayer bring a smile and tears and I feel like I, in some small way, am helping them. I might not be getting them out of their situation but I can help them turn to the One who can make their situation better.

 

We also went Christmas caroling, which was really fun. We went to a nursing home and sang to Sister Rankin. She was "tickled pink" (her expression not mine) and took us all around the nursing home visiting all her friends. It just made us feel really good and it was a Christmas miracle, because I was still struggling with my voice and yet I could sing the carols no problem! Blessing!

 

I love you all! It was nice to see you all again!

Love,

Sister Daniels

Morgan with her district

Going Caroling

Her new friend Mouse

Embracing her super powers batman jammies

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!

I can't believe it is time to skype with you already! I feel like Mother's day was just a couple weeks ago! I'm excited to see you again. The Lynches volunteered to have us come over and skype/facetime, but the only time they can do it is at 7 our time. Would that work for y'all? I hope so!  

So this week was a little bit crazy. I woke up on Wednesday morning with no voice. None. A hoarse whisper is all I could manage. Someone said I had a "sultry, sexy man voice." How am I even supposed to take that?!?! It is kinda hard to be a missionary when you can't talk! Oh, it was just awful. My poor companion. And it lasted until this morning!!

On the plus side: Catelyn got baptized! YIPPEE! It was the most spiritual baptism that I've been to yet! She invited five of her non-member friends and her nonmember family. Her grandma even cried during the talks and her grandpa clapped when she was baptized. It was great. Sister Law and Sophia, our fellowshipper, did a musical number and it was really good. After the baptism, the Garretts had some refreshments, which was perfect because it allowed for all the members who came to fellowship her family. There was a moment when every single family member was talking to a member of the church! I was so proud of the ward!

I love you all so much! Can't wait to see you :)

Love,

Sis D

Dearest family,

This is the first week of my last transfer. I honestly don't know how I feel right now or what I should be feeling. It all feels a bit surreal. (sp?)  My companion is going home and I will be getting a new companion tomorrow, so maybe it will all feel a little more real then.

We had such a miraculous week! Yesterday we watched the Christmas devotional at a part-member's home, the Lynches. They are awesome and invited us over for Christmas! Anyway, Brother Lynch is less-active but he came to church yesterday and brought his two daughters! They love church, especially Primary. Sister Lynch isn't a member and doesn't have much of a religious background. I think the biggest thing holding her back is fear. She is always willing to listen to us when we come over to visit and has opened up a lot more recently, so hopefully we will be seeing some progress soon! I really love this family. Brother Lynch has a bigger than life personality so the lessons are always interesting... Ha!

We also saw Catelyn twice this week. She is so cute. She made herself a "Mormon folder" that she decorated with quotes from the prophets and apostles that she got off of Pinterest. She is progressing really well. One of the Young Women that we have been bringing to lessons with us bore her testimony on Sunday about how much she has loved coming to these lessons and how much it has impacted her life. She wants to go on a mission now! It just feels so good to see the impact that the spirit can have and the missionary lessons are just so powerful! I can't imagine not having that on a daily basis. I take it for granted-- the Spirit that we feel in lessons. I can't explain what it feels like. I don't have the words, but I don't ever want to give that up. I know that I will be a visiting teacher after this, but I don't know if it will ever be the same again. I don't want to lose the charity I feel for people. I don't want to go back to where I judged someone based on what they looked like or what they wear. I want to keep the missionary spirit with me for always! I think if I keep up the pattern of scripture study, prayer, and going out with the missionaries that it won't go too far from me! I just love being a missionary. I really do. Easily the best decision I have ever made.

We had MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) this week. I love working so closely with President and Sister Turner. I look up to them a lot. They are revolutionizing the culture of the mission and I just love the changes they are making. I wish this had happened earlier!! It's fun yet stressful to put these changes into action. We also have to deliver the changes to our zone in a way that they understand it and get excited about it. It's a great growing opportunity. For sure!

I love you all! I got the Christmas package, but I'm waiting for Christmas to open them! That was the biggest stocking I have ever seen in my life!! I guess I've been more nice than naughty this year :)

Love

Sis D

Sister Rankin! We visit her in the nursing home. She is a gem and prides herself on being "young at heart." She had a birthday party and we were the youngest in attendance by probably 40 years

Dearest family,

Happy thanksgiving to you all!! It's a little late, I know :) Sister Robinson and I had a really nice Thanksgiving. We went over to the Maurers and to the Smiths, both of whom had homemade pumpkin pie. So I would consider it an enjoyable and successful Thanksgiving :) Something that they don't tell you at the MTC when you get your missionary tag is that along with setting you apart and making you official, it also is your ticket to be a socially acceptable moocher. (The spelling on that might be a little iffy) People feed us dinner, buy us groceries, give us rides, invite us to crash in on their holidays, etc. I really struggled with it at the beginning of my mission and just wanted to pay everyone back, and it has been a very humbling experience to learn how to accept service. I've had to learn how to take on my mission, when I thought I would be giving for 18 month! Service-both in the giving and the taking- forge deeper relationships and I think it's one of the reasons people just love the missionaries so much and why we love the ward!

Catelyn is progressing really well. We taught her the Plan of Salvation (she LOVED it) and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We came to a baptism on Saturday, and it helped her a lot knowing what her baptism would be like too. She also came to church on Sunday and really loved Young Women's. The Greenville stake is doing trek in a couple weeks and Catelyn wants to participate desperately. I just don't know what to think of this girl! She is so prepared. She has invited all her family and extended family to her baptism and all her friends at school! She is teaching them all about the Book of Mormon, too! She loves the Book of Mormon. She reads every chapter we give her and always has highlights and notes and questions to talk about when we come back. I feel like the Lord is just blessing Sister Robinson and I for all our hard work throughout our missions with Catelyn. I have never met anyone who just understands the gospel. She loves the idea that she has found the straight and narrow path and never wants to leave it. AHHH!

I gave a talk yesterday in sacrament meeting about charity. I didn't get nervous at all for it, which is really weird for me. I didn't write out the talk, but had a notecard with the barest of outlines on it. I really wanted to speak from the heart and let the Spirit guide the talk, and it worked really well! I felt the Spirit so strong the whole time and felt like it was literally telling me exactly what to say. Coolest thing! I learned so much in the preparation for the talk. I reflected on all the many companions that I've had and how some we got along so well and the love came so easy and that for others it was so much more difficult. My mission had helped me know how to love and how to accept love and how to treat the people I love. I feel shame whenever I think about that selfish girl in high school! Thank goodness we can repent and change.

Anyway, I love you all! SO SO MUCH! I am excited to be reunited soon!

Love

Sister Daniels

Side note:  Wanna know what's really cool? During the end of the talk, I looked over at Sister Smith and she gave me the cheesiest grin and two thumbs up just like you used to do! When I talked to her afterwards, she said that she normally doesn't do that but just felt like she should this time! It was such a blessing because it almost felt like you were there with me! (tender mercies)