Thursday, January 9, 2014

Bryndee's Christmas Letter...Finally!

Bryndee ran out of time to email us a letter so she sent one to us through "snail mail".  It got misplaced in our neighbor's mailbox and they didn't check their mail for a week...So 2 weeks after Christmas it is finally here and it is a good one!  Enjoy!

Merry Christmas Everyone!  And a Happy New Year too!  I had the great privilege of waking up to Sister Robinson every morning jumping up and down on the bed singing “it’s Christmassssss Eve’s  Eve!!! In her froggy morning voice.  It was wonderful!  J
So I started the week with an exchange with Sister Eames of Moncks Corner.  It was probably my favorite exchange ever; with maybe a tight exception for Sister Mumford J She was so fun to work with! 
Tuesday was DDM and Christmas Eve!!! We got to spend the first part of the night with the Wright Family.  My goodness, they were so fun!  They had a son who acted just like Porter, and a daughter who looks like Kymber, and acts like Torie.  Oh my gosh, I felt so at home there! J  We also got to go visit the Brimley’s for dessert.  They read us the Gullah version of The Night Before Christmas (Gullah = the language the African-American slaves spoke…Google it, its way cool!) They also gave us chocolate covered popcorn/pretzels/potato chips…surprisingly delicious. That night Sister Wallen and Dillion got to sleep over at our house so they wouldn’t be alone on Christmas…fun!
Then……Christmas!!! Sister Robinson.  She is so funny!  She stayed up all night because she was so excited.  So at about 4:00 in the morning she got up and watercolored us all pictures of the Temple for ChristmasJ Anyway, we woke up at 6:30 opened presents.  A big shout out to my family, Grandma Rosie, Grandma Sharon, The Julian family, and Momma Belyea J Thanks so much!  We then ate crepes…yum!!!! 
After breakfast I got to enjoy my favorite part of Christmas:  We got to spend 2 ½ hours in persona study time.  My goodness, that may have been the best 2 ½ hours of my mission.  I read Jesus the Christ.  In my studies I read the account of the Last Supper and the Atonement.  Aside from a few cool cool insights into the Temple a few things hit me really powerfully.  One thing I loved happens right before Christ makes it to Gethsemane…he says one last prayer with his 11 remaining Apostles.  The prayer (in Sister Derrick’s words and terms…) goes something like this…”heavenly Father, these are the 11 I have chosen to carry on with what I have started here.  They are not perfect, but they’ve got good hearts, and I have faith that they can do amazing things.  Heavenly Father, please bless them with the spirit, and the ability to do what they need to.”  This prayer reminds me quite a bit of the one offered by the Brother of Jared in Ether 2&3…”Lord, here are these 16 stones.  I got them as smooth and white as I could on my own.  I’ve done all I can…Could you make them do what you need done?”  And then…there’s us.  Sometimes I feel like Christ says “Heavenly Father, here are these missionaries.  They aren’t much to look at, and sometimes they’re immature or headstrong…but they’ve got willing hearts and ready hands.  Please help them do what you need them to.”  The cool thing about this parallel is what God made of those 11 Apostles, and those 16 stones.  He made them amazing.  So, look what he can make of little weak, imperfect me?  How cool, right?!?
After study, we took a nap (our Christmas present from President HolmJ) We hung out with Elena, our recent convert, Skyped with my family J, and ate honey baked ham (oh my Heavens…where has that stuff been all my life!  YUM!!!  We also went to see a revolution-era fort made out of oyster shells…kinda cool!!!
All in all it was a really good Christmas!!! J
On Saturday, we had our exchange with the coordinating sisters, and Holy Hanna…there were so many miracles!  Even with Christmas Eve/ Christmas, and the horrible numbers that came with that.  We still hit 21 lessons and a new investigator (that’s quite a few…J)  We ran out of miles so we walked all day but we worked really, really hard and were blessed for it! J
Welp, that’s my week!  It was completely wonderful, and full of the Savior.  I hope y’all really felt His love this Christmas season. 
Y’all have a blessed week!
Love ,
Sister Derrick


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