Sometimes we need hard things to see the good things

Date:  December 16, 2013
Area:  Gurnee
Companion:  Sister Grant

Hello Everyone!!!

It has been a crazy week!  Oh my goodness thank you everyone for the letters!!!

On Wednesday we had district meeting and I walk in and the Elders are like guess how many letters you have?  I was like huh? We had transfers and so they held the mail and they brought it to us at the meeting.  I had NINE LETTERS!!!  Oh my goodness!!  I still feel so COOL!

Thank you!!!
- Gma Braten (mission)
- Blackham's (fun to hear about the trip)
- Kenn and Amy (Loved the picture)
- Gma Mary (fun card)
- Sister Tiffany Rasmussen!!! (missionary friend in the Philippians)
- Primary! So fun!
- Rachel Fiihetau
- Aimee Smith (Loved the Pics)
- Great Grandma Nielsen - Awesome card I LOVED IT!!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE mail!

It has been hard with Sister Grant not being able to walk on her foot but things are still good, but they can be hard.

Me with Sister Grant in the background.

It has been hard with Christmas upon us too and everyone being so busy.  This week we would get a member lesson set up and either the investigator or the member cancels.  Oh my goodness it is so frustrating.  We have a few set up this week so we are praying they all go through.  We have started just stopping by people's houses because they don't want to set up specific times since they are busy.  Last night we had success that way.

Our Christmas tree

We stopped by to see M**** earlier in the week and she told us that she didn't think she could meet with us until after Christmas.  Last night we went to go do a stop by at someones home but then we didn't feel good about it and since we were right by M**** house we decided to go see her.  We had a mini lesson, we talked about what she read...kind of...it was a different chapter but it works and then shared a scripture from Alma. She said we could come help her get things ready for Christmas on Wednesday!!  We told her we'd share a Christmas message with her, it was awesome!!  Went from not going to see her at all until after Christmas to two times!!  It totally made my day.  We are going to bring a member too, at least that is the plan.  M**** is awesome, she is slowly progressing and I love seeing that.  It is cool how the Lord helps you keep going.  A while back we didn't know if we needed to drop M**** for a little bit or what we should do.  We didn't want to drop her but she wasn't reading or doing what we asked and so we decided at the next lesson if she hadn't read we were going to drop her for a little bit and then she read!  It was great!  I think sometimes we just have to make those hard choices and then the Lord blesses us!

We had an awesome lesson with this lady name S**** that he Elders gave to us because she didn't like having three males come over.  It took us awhile to meet up with her because she wasn't home when we went.  Finally met her this week and it was such an amazing lesson.  She even was reading the Book of Mormon in Nephi and Helaman.  It was so awesome she was so ready and we set up an appointment for two days later.  She even wanted to come to the ward Christmas party on Saturday.  We got her and her son a ride and everything!  It was great!  Then Friday came and we tried to meet with her and she wasn't there.  We called her and she said she'd be back in a half an hour, so we went and visited someone else.  Came back and still nothing.  Turns out we couldn't wait for her any longer because it was getting late.  When we called her again she actually wasn't on her way at all.  We were bummed but she said she could still come to the party.  Saturday came and she called us telling us that she is no longer interested and that she even wanted to give us back the Book of Mormon.  Not a phone call we wanted to get.  We went and stopped by Sunday hoping we could talk with her and clear up some concerns or at least share a Christmas message with her.  Well we did our best but nothing and she wouldn't keep the Book of Mormon.  Man that sucked!  It really made me so sad.  Pretty much it made me feel kind of hopeless because I wanted to teach her so bad and help her know the fullness of the Gospel and yet we couldn't do anything, it was a hard moment.

We had the ward Christmas Party on Saturday and it was AWESOME!!  :)  We had three investigators come!  One of which we hadn't been able to meet and he stopped by for like fifteen minutes!  It was cool. We even had a less active come too!

We had the chance to help out with Operation Christmas and that was fun and special.  It reminds me of being at home and doing stuff like that with my family.

Okay sorry I don't have that much time left, it always goes so fast it is crazy!!!

Things are good, it is crazy that Christmas is right around the corner but I love it.

Have a great day!

I love you!!!

Love,
Sister North :D