Christmas? I think yes!

Hey Mom!

This week was SO COLD! It was so fun though! I got to break out ALL of my winter gear so that was fun. Literally, I wore all of the winter gear I own... it was so cold haha! I'll talk more about that in a bit. 

I got my Christmas package! And The slacks you sent me. Thank you for that! I have not opened any of the presents yet though, they are placed under the tree we have in our apartment, waiting for Christmas. (and of course, our presents form the PJ elf for Christmas Eve!) I'm so excited cause on Christmas Eve, My district is going Caroling that night and then we're going to get Slurpees! It'll be so fun. 

I bet Jordan did such a good job. I know he was just a great missionary. I hope I can be as good as him! That's also super cool that you were able to talk to a lot of Jordan's family! There's so much good that is going to happen in his family. It'll be great. 

So this week got SO COLD. Virginia weather is just the weirdest thing on the planet. I will never understand it. On Thursday and Friday, it got down into the 20's (which on  a bike is not very fun) I had on all my winter gear, including my beanie, and my scarf wrapped around my face! Man we were out in the cold most of those days too, but it was so fun. We were just trying to find people to teach, and we didn't find anyone really, but if we don't find anyone to teach it's not going to be because I didn't try as hard as a could! It was a good feeling to stay out. I love missionary work!  But the weirdest part about the weather, yesterday morning it got up to 80 degrees. I just don't understand! And then by about 6 last night it was back into the 40's and raining. Crazy haha! We stayed out in the cold last night though and coming back to some nice warm hot chocolate felt really good. 

I got to go on an exchange with our Assistants to the President earlier this past week and it was a lot of fun! They're in a trio right now, so they just dropped one of them off with us to spend the day with us! It was cool. I learned a lot from him and found some ideas to improve my missionary work and to use my time better. 

The Welkers came to church again this past Sunday! Well Jasmine didn't (that's Ashley's sister) but Brother Welker did and he's not a member! It was actually a surprise to see him there. We are really going to start trying to work with him soon. 

Tomorrow our mission is having a Christmas conference! I'm excited for it. Elder Richins, one of my zone leaders, and I are going to sing What Child is This? and a sister in my district is playing the piano. It'll be good! And then my district is going to sing Stars were Gleaming from the Children's songbook, and I'm playing the piano for that! It's going to be a lot of fun! 

I'm so excited for Christmas this next Sunday! That sounded like you had a packed house at church yesterday to have them sing Christ the Appletree! I love that song so much. Christmas is going to be awesome, and I will call y'all about 3:00 your time!!! I can't wait to see y'all. It's been a long time since I've seen ya. 

I hope y'all have a great week leading up to Christmas. I love you so much mom! Don't party too hard! My ponderizing scripture leading up to Christmas is Alma 7:7 "For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all-- for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people."  The Savior truly did come to Redeem each one of us. In verse 11 later in the same chapter it goes on to tell us what he Redeemed us of. I love my SAvior Jesus Christ and will forever be grateful for what he did for me and for all of us. 

I love you so much Mom! I can't wait to see you. 

Love you,

Elder Collier