I wouldn't trade it for anything

Hey everyone!

BOM read a thon cmas eve! 

    I can't believe that for the entire 2012 i've been a missionary. It's crazy to think! I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's absolutely flown by. I'm looking forward to 2013...until May ;) As you know, the mission read the BOM together on Christmas eve/day and on New Years Eve and New Years Day. We finished it right on schedule! It was a neat experience. Reading about people doing that in the new era and what not- i always thought they were crazy. But now i can say i've done it! haha I'm one of those crazy people! Reading it as a missionary, with a bunch of missionaries was cool because you always tell your investigators to read certain portions for assignments and the spirit was really strong in some of those particular parts, strengthening my testimony of the truth of the BOM. Like at the beginning, the intro to 1 Nephi, 3 Nephi 11 and Moroni 10. It was fun to be with the zone too. We had the Woodstock sisters over on New Years night. Sister Wester (my baby!) and I had a good talk about our new areas and our struggles which is what both of us really needed. My testimony of prayer being answered through other people has been strengthened a lot this week. I know the Lord uses all of us as instruments to help those who need it. Whether it be finding the elect or just calling someone at a time when they're feeling down. I'm definitely going to try to be more aware of those promptings now and forever.

. our zone after winning PMG jeopardy at our cmas zone conference

Some Americans gave us Life cereal.  We can't get that in Canada!

     It's been a rough week. Sister Casner got real sick Pday night last week and for the next couple of days making it hard to get out of our apartment and that was REALLY hard for me! I'd never felt like such a useless missionary. haha But that gave me the opportunity to serve and to work on my patience. After all of that, we were blessed on Sunday to get a new investigator through a less active we've been working with. Her name is Anne and she's in her 70s. She has met elders in the long-ago past but said she felt really overwhelmed (because elders would have always had to have brought another male member to make numbers right) and said that she felt a special connection with us. They had us over for their Christmas dinner Sunday and we were able to teach her about the BOM and answer some of her questions about baptisms for the dead. She's never been to church so that's our next step. She's a really sweet lady, they both are. We're excited to keep working with them.

   To add to the not-so-good week, both or investigators had some interesting things happen. Viola is sicker than a dog...we stopped by to get something from her yesterday and she was soooo sick. We found out that Amanda was in the hospital Cmas Day and haven't been able to contact her. Sooooo ya...

   It's been snowy and cold this week. But it's sunny out right now (but that means extra cold...) We have some good potential investigators to visit this week and hopefully things will pick up! It's a slow start sometimes for a whitewash but that's the story of my mission.

   I got Mady's package this week! thanks! As well as some cookies from the Carsons. Good, old Tiffany's! :) Thanks for the love during Christmas, everyone! Talk to you soon!

Love Sister Messer