Merry Christmas

Dear Family and Friends,

I am working on being more positive. This week was kind of hard but pretty awesome too! We saw a lot of miracles that aren't really showing in our numbers for the week. We had 3 less actives come to church, including a young woman who could be the key to reactivating her entire family and getting them finally to the temple. That was really exciting to have her at church! We also had two young adult women who showed up at the church during the branch time. They want to learn how to play the organ. They ended up talking to a member during the second hour about the church culture/organs/ our religion. Then they came with us to Relief Society. We gave them book of Mormons and they are going to come to the baptism on Noche Blanca, (Spanish for White Night, it is the baptism that will take place on Christmas Eve). They are also going to use our organ with Sister Bohman helping them. Who knew learning to play the organ could get someone interesting in our church. Though I guess if teaching English works for some missionaries I guess learning to teach Organ could work here in JC!

I have really come to appreciate and love CHRISTmas so much more this year. As different and sometimes hard as it has been this year being away from family for Christmas this has been one of the best Christmas seasons I have ever had. Why? Because without the world playing it X-mas tune all around me I have been able to see so clearly how Christmas is about Christ. Everything points back to Christ. I don't know if any of you have picked this out, (and if you did I am guessing you are a missionary and have been privileged to see He is the Gift a least a hundred times); in the beginning shots of the video where it is showing the craziness of the Christmas season every single shot has something that is red in it! I am not joking, go watch it again and see if you notice it! Red is the color most connected with Christ, so my interpretation is that Christ is in everything we do at Christmas. My challenge to you is to make sure in the last few days of the wonderful season remember who this season is really about! 

Merry Christmas!

Sister Blood

The Branch and Spanish Elders with Santa

Branch Christmas party -Sister Palmer, Santa, and Sister Blood

FHE last Monday, The Elders and Santa

50 Degrees and still no snow

Dear Family and Friends,

 Good Afternoon to ya'll! Its been a nice, very un-December like week here in Kansas! According to the car thermometer it was in the 70s yesterday, though with the cold north wind it felt more like 50. There is just something wrong with being in ,the middle of December and not having to wear a jacket or a coat outside. I really want snow, but most Kansans don't like the snow very much. It just goes to show that I really am a Utah born and raised kind of person. 

The cool miracle of the week was that we had 4 Sisters come to church yesterday who don't usually come! It made it completely worth the 30 miles we used driving to Wakefield to see one of them Saturday since that was the last thing she needed to get her to come to church the next day! 

The Branch has been doing a good job of trying to reach out and serve the Ortega family. The Ortega's friends have told us and other friends of their's, how impressed they have been with how the church has reached out to the family and done service for them (like the cleaning of the house, and repainting the bathroom). I am very grateful for what they did, especially with it being Christmas time and people are really busy. 

Here are some pictures of the tree as promised!

Love Sister Blood

Sister Blood & Sister Palmer, their little tree

Sister Palmer, Trimming the Tree

Gifts and Beautiful Little Tree

This was a pretty long week

Dear Family and Friends,

This was a pretty long week, and I don't remember what we did for most of it... typical.

We were able to go and see Adrian and Rachael in Manhattan. They looked pretty weighted down, which was hard to see since they are usually so happy and funny. Thank you for the prayers for their family, they help. We had some awesome members in the Branch who stepped up and volunteered to help with cleaning their house and repainting the bathroom. We, well mostly I, was really stressed about it, but they were amazing at being willing to help out this new family. 

On a positive note, after 5 weeks of coughing and mucous, three different doctors in 2 different towns... I was finally told what I have that is making me sick, and it's not Kansas Crud. I have a sinus infection! Yay! I am happy to finally be on medication that is clearing it up even though I am still not up to full strength I am happy that I am getting a little bit better every day! 

We have a new investigator that the Branch Elders handed over to us that is pretty nice. Her name is Emily/Emma. She is really nice and was really excited to come to church yesterday. There was a pretty intense moment when she decided to bare her testimony, I didn't need to worry, she did a great job. It is one of the more interesting parts of covering two different wards is seeing how different the two services can be in the same area.

Another fun part of this week was how our apartment is starting to look like Christmas! Sister Palmer's mother sent her an itty bitty 9 inch tree ( almost a foot including the base) with ornament. That plus the lights we found in the closet are helping to make our place look like Christmas! I actually forgot my camera today so I will have to send pictures next week. 

Love to all, Sister Blood

Sad news of our Resent Convert

Dear Family and Friends,

This is not the weekly letter I was expecting to write today, I feel kind of numb and am not sure what to say so it will probably be short.

Our Recent Convert Leigh committed suicide this morning. This is a really hard time for their family so please keep them in your prayers that they will find comfort in the Saviors love and that we as a Branch will be able to pull together and help them know they are loved and that there was a divine reason they were baptized as a family just weeks before this tragedy struck. 

On a positive note my new companion Sister Palmer is awesome and I am really excited for this upcoming transfer!

If you haven't yet seen the new video by the church YOU NEED TO! The website is Christmas.Mormon.org   . Watch the video, share it and then follow the council of the prophets to discover, embrace, and share the gift this Christmas season! It's going to be an amazing Christmas 2014! 

Love you all,

Sister Blood