Hey!
Do you remember that one time when we were all skyping on Christmas!? I DO! That was so cool! I got to see all of your beautiful faces! And Haylie's crazy pajama dancing with her pregnant belly!! (I think that was the highlight of my Christmas.) WOW! I just love you guys!!
Christmas here was great. The festivities started on Sunday night when we had dinner with the Nieprashks. Brother Nieprashk's German family was there, and they sang German Christmas carols while he played the accordion. I got in touch with my ancestral roots, man!
On Tuesday, we had our mission-wide Christmas Conference. It was so fun to see everyone! All my MTC buddies were there, and all my old companions. Family reunion :) It was also one of the spiritual highlights of my mission, I think. President and Sister Wilson spoke, and different missionaries talked about the different Christlike attributes. In between each talk, there was at least one musical number. It was so amazing!! After the Conference, we went caroling with the cute Roland family to some less active members and potential investigators. It was really cool to see how something so simple can really touch people's hearts and bring the spirit of Christ. I want to go caroling every year!
Christmas Eve, we did service in the morning, and then we got to teach the sweet Alpy family. The mom has been less active for a very long time, and she wants to come back. We read Moroni 10:32 with them and shared a message about the Savior. Her son, Jaden, is 8 years old, and he really wants to be baptized! We told him that if he came to church and read his scriptures, he could be ready by January 17. He stood up, ran to his bedroom, grabbed a notebook, and said, "Okay! tell me what I need to do!" He then wrote down his baptism date and everything he needed to do to get there. I was pretty amazed. Some children are so full of faith. It blows me away!
After that, we went to a members house for dinner. She made cheese fondue! It was so fun! We did some Christmas caroling after dinner, which I love. The Hinchas had us over for dessert with some people who didn't have families to spend Christmas with.
On Christmas morning, we were absolutely spoiled. The Christmas tree the ward put together for us was so beautiful, and we both had packages from home to open up. Someone made us each a stocking, and a few families gave us gifts. The Blackwells had us over for breakfast, and then we got to see you humans! We visited a sweet, old lady and some other people. When we showed up at the Givens', dinner was about 2 and a half hours behind schedule, so we just spent the rest of the evening with them. We played board games with their cute grandkids, decorated Christmas cookies, and chilled. It was "brilliant!" :) I love her cute British accent. She and Brother Givens are some of the church's leading scholars, and I could just talk to them all day. We started dinner off with an English tradition of standing in a circle and cracking our crackers. (These little present things that pop open when you pull on them.) Each one had a paper crown, a joke, and a treasure inside. We all put on our crowns and went around the table reading very not-funny English jokes ;) We had a roast, which was "truly a triumph, my dear!" carrots, parsnips, and Yorkshire pudding. It was all very English. I loved every second of it :)
Even though I missed being home, this was my favorite Christmas I can remember. I realized that Christmas isn't a time without struggles and sorrow. Rather, it is a time to recognize that the Great Jehovah, the King of all Kings, submitted himself to be born in a manger. He triumphed over death and pain, but not without first descending below it. I know with all of my heart that he lives today. He is there for us, and He can lift us higher. He is the source of light. I have Him to thank for every good thing in my life.
I really love you guys. Thank you for everything. I'm so lucky to be in your family!
Love,
Sister Miller
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