CHRISTMAS YAY!!!💚❤️

 MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! I literally can't believe it is already here! Time is flying! I hope everyone is having the best celebrations at home and having a lot of fun for me! 

HIGHLIGHTS:

• ZONE CONFERENCE: We had Christmas Zone Conference this week and it was so fun! I got the opportunity to conduct and I did not like that but everything else about it was a blast! President Mann gave the most amazing talk about the Savior which I will talk about more later and we watched a really great video about Christ ministering to the one and I think the whole chapel of missionaries was in tears. I don't know if I have ever felt the Spirit so strong, it was unreal. We also got to play a lot of Christmas games and we sang Christmas songs around the piano. We got big bags of candy, new socks, new notebooks that Sister Mann designed and colored, and me and my comps even won the cleanest car award. I have decided Christmas as a missionary is the best Christmas I will ever have. 
• EMLC: Extended MLC was so fun! I got to see all of my favorite people! I literally love all the sisters there and the zone leaders and so many of the elders that came out with me are district leaders so it honestly was just a blast. We learned a ton and my brain was fried by the end but it was so good! 
• EXCHANGES: We went on two exchanges this week! First I got to go up to Shelton with Sister Wood and Sister Richins came along and we saw so many miracles! We even put one of their friends on date which was amazing! We all get along so well and had a lot of fun! Later that night we exchanged again and me, Sister Richins, and Hermana Mattson came back to Elma for the next day. It was a wild day of missionary work with 2 hours of mentor sessions and 3 hours of service, but it was an absolute blast. I didn't really know Hermana Mattson before but I love her! 
• CHRISTMAS DISTRICT COUNCIL: We had district council on Christmas Eve and honestly it was the best. We did all the normal district council stuff for an hour but then we partied for the last 30 minutes. We did a fun little white elephant gift exchange, had some hot chocolate, ate treats and just hung out together. I love making missionary friends! 
• CUTIE FRIENDS: Our 2 most progressing friends right now are 2 cute young girls. One is 9 and one is 14 and they both want to get baptized so badly! Keep them in your prayers as we continue teaching them and helping them make their first covenant with God! 
• CHRISTMAS OBVIOUSLY: Christmas is the best and let me tell you, members here love the sister missionaries. Last night we were able to have dinner with the Smith family! We ate and chatted, played some games, and sang some Christmas carols and it was magical. I love that family! Today we are spending time with 3 different members and I am so stoked! It's going to be an awesome Christmas! All the members have been so kind and we have been so blessed to receive so many gifts from them! I LOVE the Elma ward! 

LOWLIGHTS:

• SCARY MOMENT: So we had a bit of a scary moment last Monday night. Don't worry, we are all good but it was a little bit nerve racking! We were just out working and started talking to this lady at the bus stop. She was honestly not super interested but as we were talking she got more interested so we'll see but that's besides the point. While we were talking to her, this really creepy guy comes up and just stares at us. We all get pretty scared but just finish the conversation with the lady. We tried to ignore him but he was just looking at us so creepily I hated it. After we finished our conversation and started walking away, this cop car pulls up. Cop gets out of the car, walks over to the guy and says "sir you just got out of jail you aren't supposed to be here". Anyways we freaked out and ended up going in a little early cuz we were so shaken up. But all is well now. Listened to A Child's Prayer on repeat to calm ourselves down. 
• NEVER BEEN SO TIRED: This week was easily the most exhausting week of my life. We were so super busy and then we didn't have a pday on Monday so I am completely drained. I am super thankful to sort of rest for today so I can hopefully gain some energy for this upcoming week! 

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

This week my spiritual thought comes from President Mann's talk at zone conference that I mentioned earlier. He talked to us about the Savior and how His love if infinite but also intimate. This was the coolest way to look at it. The Savior is infinite, we can't comprehend the kind of love He has for us all and He has so much love to be able to love everyone. But His love is also intimate. It is personal for each and everyone of us. He loves us more than we can imagine and more personally than we can imagine. Lately the simpleness of Nephi 11:17 has stuck with me. It says "And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things". We aren't supposed to know everything, and truly all we need to know is that He loves us, infinitely and intimately.

I love you all so much and am so thankful for all of the love I have felt this week! Merry Christmas!!!

-Sister Stringham