Dec. 12, 2011

Hiya! I hope you all had a fantastic week! Because I sure did. We did a
lot of work this week, although not much to show for it. We spent most of the
week trying to get to know more of the ward. We did a lot of service, which,
around here, means that the elders split a lot of wood. Everyone has
woodburning stoves and that's how they heat their houses. Most people won't let
Sister Tubbs and I near an axe... So we rake the leaves instead. Which there a
A LOT of them. With oak and cherry and pine trees EVERYWHERE, there's a lot of
raking to do. So we spent many hours this week doing that. It was a good
thing, though, because almost everyone we raked leaves for came to church. So
it was a succesful way to spend our time. We'll probably be doing much of the
same for the next several weeks... until it snows, that is. :)

We had a great success story with our youngest investigator, Stormy. I
don't remember how much I told you about her. Her entire family was baptized a
few months ago, except her, because she wasn't living with them at the time.
She's fifteen. We met with the family to get to know them, and the mom asked us
to spend some time with Stormy now that she's moved back home. She thought that
Stormy might bond better with us than with the Elders. So we did two weeks ago,
and picked her up as an investigator. We've met with her several times this
last week and on Tuesday, when we taught her the Plan of Salvation, we also
committed her to be baptized on December 31st, and she said yes! So one more
time, I get to participate in a baptism! Yay!

One other really interesting thing happened this week. I got a call from
President Weston on Friday night, informing me that one of my first converts,
Hieu Ngyn (pronounced Hew Winn), is going through the temple to recieve her
endowments. And she wants me to come. President asked me a few questions about
what we have planned that day, and then gave me permission to go. So this
saturday, I get to go to the temple to be there when one of my converts goes
through the temple. YAY!!! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! It'll be a
super special occasion that I'll never forget, and I'm looking forward to being
able to tell you all about it next week.

That's pretty much it for this week. Just gearing up for christmas. We
have one week left of real work, and then it's the week of christmas, which is
pretty hard to work in, if I remember right from last year. Plus, next week, we
have Santa Run, and then Christmas Eve, and then the week after that is New
Year's Eve and then New Year's and then I'm coming home. We're super close!!!
So crazy!

Anyways, I've got to go! I love you all. I can't wait to talk to you next
week! YIKES!!!

Love, Sister Reid