Busy, Busy, Busy

Hello everyone, 

This has been a really crazy, but really good, week. To give you an idea, I was on two official exchanges this week and two unofficial. I have hardly seen Sister Bliss. When we sent in our numbers last night, we had to use her planner because I haven't really been in the area! We also had that music fireside thing I mentioned in my last email and other things. Here we go!

I wrote you about P-day. We did our errands and then went to the Zone Activities where they played games at the Institute building. I sat off to the side and wrote letters. That night, however, we had dinner at home (the member feeding us had to cancel) and then went to FHE. Most of them played a game called Murder, but those of us who didn't want to play played Uno. It was intense. We then left for the exchange. I was with Sister Black. We actually stayed with her and her roommates our first night in the mission (while the elders slept at President Mella's house). It was so good for me to have an exchange with a Sister who had been in the mission for a while (Sister Black is the same "age" as Sister Bliss. They both have just a couple of months left). 

I spent most of Tuesday with Sister Black. We had our exercise and our study and then went to serve at the Almaden Community Center. They have a lunch for people and we helped serve. It was really fun. We then came back home and did training before we went and visited some people in the ward. It was fun, even though we were out in the rain. It rained a lot at the beginning of the week! We then had dinner with a new family in the ward. They were really fun. We then had another lesson with a member of the ward before exchanging back. It was a great exchange and Sister Black and I are now good friends :D

On Wednesday, we had a more relaxed day. I believe you asked me what we do for exercise. We go to the Institute Building and run around in the gym, stretch, do whatever we want. Or, if we're not feeling like going over there (ie. one of us isn't feeling well) we exercise in the livingroom. After exercise we have breakfast and then do our studies. This time, we also did training before going to District Meeting. At the end of District Meeting, we had an ugly sweater picture! I will send you some pictures. Sister Bliss and I have great ugly sweaters! :D We then did service for the Laytons by decorating the Institute Building for Christmas. It was really fun and I have some pictures of our hard work. on Sunday (yay). Institute dinner went well. The Laytons take such good care of everyone. I love them so much. After dinner, we taught Kyle about The Plan of Salvation. He seemed really interested and asked great questions.
We also helped them prepare for the big dinner that night. Before dinner, we had a lesson with a less active named Fabiola. She is struggling with some things and wanted to talk. We helped her get a priesthood blessing and encouraged her to talk to the Branch President. She texted us a few days later and said that things were going better. She also came to church 

On Thursday, we had a song practice with the Elders for the fireside before teaching Jose. We taught him about The Plan of Salvation too. We plan to continue with it the next time we see him. He seemed to understand it. We really like teaching him! We then had our exchange. I was off again with Sister Lytle in Alum Rock! We went with most of the Zone to service at Lake Cunningham. We were cleaning out all of the tree limbs that they had cut down at the entrance to the park. We have some good workers in our Zone! We were there for three hours! We then went and trained. The Elders were supposed to help with that, but they were really late, so we did most of it on our own. We then went contacting, and I had to contact in Spanish again. Later that night, I asked the Hermanas who live with Sister Lytle and her companion (Sister Hill) the best way to say things. They said that what I was saying was good, and they taught me a better (and easier) way to do it. We then went to dinner at a member's home and did service for them. We then went and taught an investigator named Kristin about the temple. After that we taught some Chinese investigators about missionary work. It was really fun. After that, we came home and planned before going to bed. 

On Friday, we did our usual morning routine (exercise, personal study, companionship study) and some training before going to Roosevelt to serve. It is like the Almaden Community Center. Bre, you would love it. They have their lunch and then move all the tables aside and dance. While we were there, Sister Bliss called and said that her leadership meeting (which she was with Sister Hill at what we were waiting for to end so we could exchange back) was going to run late. She asked us to go teach Linda, which we had planned to do together, while they were in this meeting. So, Sister Lytle and I went and taught. Thankfully, Sister Bliss and I had prepared this lesson earlier and I had decided to look over it that morning! I filled Sister Lytle in on everything we knew about Linda and we taught her. It went really well. I have felt like I was being lead by the Spirit, and teaching by the Spirit, but never like that. It was amazing. After that, we exchanged back and had to run to the fireside in Morgan Hill. It turns out that this thing is huge! They have groups from all over come and sing. We sang our numbers and Sister Bliss said that we sounded really good (she was conducting us). We are going to do it again for the Mission Christmas Party. After that, we went home and planned. It was a crazy day!

Saturday was crazy too! We weekly planned that morning, as we didn't have time to on Friday (that is the usual day that we do it). We then had lunch before leaving for Palo Alto. In Palo Alto they have a Creche exhibit. They have hundreds of nativities loaned to them by members of the Church and set them all up in the Church building for people to see. They have nativities from all over the world! It is a HUGE deal. This year was the 27th year of them doing it. Look it up! We were there as volunteers. Meaning, we were assigned to a room and wandered around. We were to make sure that no one touched the creches and that we could answer any questions that people had (a lot of people of different faiths come to this). We are going back there with the YSA for FHE and I am so excited to go there as something other than a volunteer, so I can look around at all the different ones! We then came back and had dinner before going and teaching Ceydi. I really love teaching her. We then had a mini-exchange. Sister Card wanted to go to a baptism in her old area, but her companion needed to sing in a Christmas party, so we exchanged with them. I went with Sister Card to the baptism. It was great. We then exchanged back when it was over and went home. 

Look at the new hairstyle Sister Bliss gave me

Sunday was amazing! I filled out the Progress Record for the first time to take to Branch Council, and Sister Bliss helped me. We then had Branch Council and Church. Linda came again too! After Church, Sister Bliss and Sister Hill had another meeting so Sister Lytle and I were back together. We had another lesson with Linda, just answering her questions about what had happened at Church today. She then told Sister Lytle and me that she had decided on a baptismal date!!!!!!! We decided not to tell Sister Bliss, and have Linda tell her later that night. We then had Break the Fast. Yay! Sister Lytle and I then taught Samantha, a recent convert. When Sister Bliss came back, we had a lesson with Alan, a member of the Branch. It was so hard to keep my mouth shut about Linda! We then had the Christmas Devotional. It was so good! After the Devotional, Linda told Sister Bliss. She freaked out! :D I told her that I knew and she was annoyed with me ("You knew and didn't tell me?!") but I explained that Linda had wanted to tell her and I was forgiven. :D Linda is getting baptized on January 10th! LINDA IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After that, we had dinner with the Stake President's family (his daughter is in the YSA and asked to feed us). We then went contacting with the Elders (it was dark) and then came home and did our numbers and planning before going to bed. 

Today is going to be an awesome day. I have to run though, or you won't get any pictures :)

Love you lots, 

Sara

ps) 3 Nephi 11:15