Two Months in the Mish!

My Dearest, Darlingest Family and Friends,

I hope all of you had a lovely Thanksgiving! To celebrate I decided throughout the day to simply say prayers of thanks. I think that this was definately inspired because I was definately not feeling very thankful!  But it was Thanksgiving, and I love President Monson because he always teaches about gratitude (It is a lot easier to listen when I am feeling grateful!). So I did, and it definately helped me feel better.

On Tuesday in the middle of P Day I started feeling really sick, and I came down with a super bad fever. So we were in our apartment Tuesday night, Wednesday, and Thursday. Not only was I sick, but here in Santa Rosa it became super cold! It was 14 degrees celsius at night, and in the day it was all overcast. I know many of you who are dying of cold right now in Utah are probably thinking that I am a super whimp, but the weather that is outside is also inside! If it is cold, there is no escaping it. We also did not have the blessing of our luke warm showers, because the hot water had stopped working. The first day I did not take a shower, then after having mud all up my shins from walking in the streets I decided it was time to take the plunge. It was pretty deathly. So I started showering it up Pionner style by heating up a pan of water and showering with that.
After that, I officially decided my life here in Santa Rosa is a lot like a long camping trip. My clothes always smell like outside since we wash and dry them outside by hand, I am showering out of a bucket, brushing my teeth out of a cup of water, and I use the bathroom by hauling in buckets of water. I have decided this is the Lord´s way of teaching me to appreciate camping because I am going to have to go on a bunch of girls camp trips in my later life or something :) lol. So needless to say my day of being grateful was definately needed :) Throughout my week a scripture kept coming back into my mind from Joseph Smith in D and C 127:2, where he says, 

.... But nevertheless, deep water is what I am wont to swim in. It all has become a second nature to me; and I feel, like Paul, to glory in ^etribulation; for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it.

I definately did not feel like rejoicing but I am glad I have super awesome examples like Joseph Smith to keep things in perspective :) And besides today... the glorious sun decided to come out again, and every person in Santa Rosa rejoiced! (literally!)

So sadly this week we only had a three day week. However, we visited Nulbia, our investigator who wants to get baptized! (yay!) She has a four year old and she is pregnant right now. We just taught her about the Book of Mormon, and we are going to try to teach her how to read. We also need to teach her about the law of chastity, and hopefully she and her esposo will get married so we can get her to baptism! Our other investigator, Rosita, had a date for December 21st but she has not come to church yet... so I do not really know what is going to happen. For a lot of people going to church seems like such a huge sacrifice! I have not quite figured out why, it is only a few hours a week, and your first time we tell them they only need to come for one hour. Plus, you receive so many blessings, yet so many people do not want to come! It is interesting.
A cute little eight year old named Andrea is getting baptized in two weeks though. She is super cute, and I went and taught her one day when we had divisions with another Hermana. Everyone in our rama is excited about it. Her Dad is a member, so I am not sure why we are teaching her, but it is still good. This Wednesday we have divisions with Hermana leaders and I am super nervous because our area is pretty big and for me it is really hard to remember how to get places. So I am praying when they come we do not end up in some sketch neighborhood as I get ourselves lost :) Hopefully the Lord will bless me.

Well I love you all so much!! Go visit Temple Square for me! 

Hugs and kisses.