Home for the Holidays

Dearest darlingest family on Naniloa,

WHAT UP IN THE 801??? SO MUCH SNOW!!! I haven't seen anything white in months. I did make some instant mash potaters and wondered to myself if I could make enough just to simply lay a thin layer of them all along the grass in front of my house. BUT NO GET THIS! We run on the bayou every morning and there's this creepy fog stuff that floats above it because it's really cold. (kinda looks like a fog machine in a haunted house) but since my companion is such a fast runner I usually have to sprint to make sure I don't lose her in the fog and when my little eyes get all squinty, IT LOOKS LIKE SNOW!!! It's crazy how it doesn't feel like Christmas one bit! It's like 60 degrees out there, not many people have lights out, haven't received my 8x1000 christmas card and I haven't even heard christmas music. (But don't worry I bought a David Arch cd at the temple today. HEART. IT MELTED! HE'S SO GOOD!) But I really do feel like I'm now at home for the holidays and here are a few reasons why....

Norma.... OH Norma. She's a mix of Blaine Young, Julie O'leary, and mainly THE GRINCH. Blaine young, because she can decorate a yard like ain't nobody seen before. It looks like Christmas every inch of her house. (I'm too scared to tell her about the kicking legs because I'm scared she might chop off mine and use them) Julie O'leary because she makes me feel like I'm her best friend. She calls me Hija. And the grinch because she has a pot belly, she hates life, she is hilarious, and SHE STEALS FROM EVERYTHING! The other day we are just walking down the street and I see two shopping carts flying down the middle of the street with metal, bed springs, knickknacks, you name it EVERYWHERE ON THE STREET. And of course it has to be NORMA running after them like she just won the Price is Right. Cars are stopping, honking, yelling and I just start running towards her, "ohhhhh nooo dear Norma everythings going to be ok. Everyone just keep going so so sorry. We are her missionaries. Nothing to see here. Keep driving. Yeppp nothing to see here!" I'm like, "Norma, what in the world are you doing with all this stuff?" Norma- "Pagando mi renta Hija." She spends all day going to dumpsters and grabbing anything she can find to pawn it. (I'm pretty sure she pawned my birthday cake. It's bad. She pawns everything) I bring no valuables with me because she will pawn it! She's hilarious and just a little vacuum for houston! cleaning everything up!

Next we got to do service in this HUGE WAREHOUSE! looooveee it already! love factories. still no idea why! but they tell us we get to make bikes for all the children in third grade who have good grades! I was like a little elf . but I guess I put on the handle bars backwards for like 10 of the bikes. whoooopps. My bad! 

 I MADE THESE BIKES AND COUNTED EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM

WE FOUND A FAMILY!!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS! They are cuter than a button! The familia Burgos. They accepted baptism dates and we are seeing them tonight at 7. so please keep praying!!!

And last but not least the experience I had today. The temple. I walked into the temple with nothing but my recommend and it brought the christmas spirit stronger than I've ever felt in my life. It's like life. We will walk away from here with nothing. I really haven't felt like it's Christmas time here but today I felt like I came home for the holidays. I felt like I walked into my home. It felt so familiar. I felt as if I could have seen Dad sitting in the kitchen squeezing oranges for orange juice, mom and I dancing to Michael Bubles christmas Cd, everyone sitting on our red coach laughing. I felt the exact same way and I loved it! We were 2 of the 4 woman in the session today so we got to have the Celestial Room to ourselves and I couldn't help just bawl my eyes out for how wonderful the gift of life is. And it's all possible through our Savior Jesus Christ. THAT IS WHY WE CELEBRATE, why we sing, why we rejoice, why we do all things,. Because Christ was born! And I can't wait to meet him again someday. If it feels half as good as I did today in the temple, it's going to be the most beautiful day! It was amazing though because as I looked around the room, there were so many empty chairs. Every single one was empty. So I walked over to my companion and said, "We are going to fill these chairs Hermana!" And we are! I want everyone to be able to make it and live with God! I have so much work to do!!!!

But mom and dad i just wanted to thank you for letting me grow up in a temple. The next closest thing we have to temples is our homes. and I truly had the privilege of growing up in one! It felt so familiar today. I GOT TO COME HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!  I felt like i had you all around me today! I LOVE YOU ALL MORE THAN ANYTHING! 

love you more than all the nutcrackers the Fluits have in their home! wooooo woooo hooo merry christmas!!

love you, natsy catsy!

 SHOUT OUT TO AUNT ANGIE FOR THIS UNREAL TREE! MAGIC WATER!

                                                                                 it makes this