Happy New Year!

HAPPY 2015! And also, happy 6 months in the field to me! How crazy is that? 

Okay. I am going to quickly review everything that happened in the last 2 weeks. 

I sent Hermana Brito home and I miss her terribly. She is a great friend and I love her so so much! 

I have a daughter! I am training Hermana McCally and we've been talking and we totally saw each other at BYU Idaho. She took water aerobics which always started right after my swim team practiced and she was like, "ya the swim team always took so long and then this one girl would always struggle to take the flags down and I always thought she was going to fall in". THAT GIRL WAS ME! What are the chances of that?! 

Then the 20th, Saturday, 3 zones of missionaries all went to this city square place.  We put up a projector and played mormon messages about Christmas and David Archuleta singing with piano guys (I nearly died).  We sang as well for 3 hours and President came.  It was amazing.  It really was just a cool experience to get us all in the Christmas spirit and share the gospel with all the people in that city square place. So so cool! 

Christmas day was so great. A huge shout out to the Rapp's who sent me a Christmas package full of Australian goodness! Also Grandma and Grandpa who sent me an ipad (well, not a real one) and Grams for all the little goodies.  My family and LEAH AND BRIAN as well. Just every one really . I loved talking to my family.  It was great. My favorite though was reading the little story book Leah sent me called The First Nativity. I read it while Hermana McCally talked on the phone. I cried! Go read it. But it just really made me think of Christ and His life and everything and really put me in the Christmas spirit. I am so grateful for Christ and all he did for me and I know that he lives and loves each and every one of us! 

Then my favorite investigators, Liz and Piero, well they can't get baptized now because Piero studies on Sundays and he will be for 4 years so they can't... and it's super sad.  We are working hard still with him and fasting with them to see if there is something else they can do so that they can keep the commandments and get baptized and all that jazz. 

Then we had a meeting for all the new missionaries in the field and I love president so much. He is so so great. Oh and this is what he said to my last email.  I told him when he was leading the music in El Centro that he made me think of my dad and he said, 

"You are doing a great job with your companion.. thank you.. I knew you would be a great trainer.. Bueno.. the greatest compliment.. that at times I remind you of your dad!! I am sure he is a GREAT man!!!!" :)  He's so so great and I learn so much from him every time he teaches us. 

My goals for 2015: well I want to finish my mission strong.  I have 1 year left, less than that, and I want to just keep going and keep improving and learning and growing in the gospel. I want to love each and every single one of my companions and I want to write more of my spiritual experiences to you guys. I want to read the New Testament and the Book of Mormon in English and in Spanish as well. 

So to start - this week I studied about tithing and fasting. Fasting is one thing I have learned a lot about in the field and I encourage each of you to fast lunch until lunch this month. Heavenly Father works miracles when we sacrifice.  Also, the manner in which we fast... 3 Nephi 13: 16-18. 

In our district meeting we talked about contacting and how your first impression is so important.  I thought of daddy and everything he's taught me and his genes he gave me to be a people person. I love talking with the people we pass in the streets! 

Well, happy new year to you all.  I hope you all have a great week and I pray and send my love every day!

Hermana Pilling