Almost Christmas!

Mom notes: Brooklyn didn't write a general email this week, but her companion Sister Hicks did. I really love that girl and her letters are so fun to read. I'm hoping she won't mind me posting it on Brooklyn's blog. Only close friends and family know about the blog and she gave a lot of news about what they have been doing! The following is Sis. Hick's letter:

This week was full of lots of celebrations! One day we went to a birthday party for one of our YSA members! His name is Tae Ray Htoo and he joined the church in Utah and then moved here with his grandma, his grandma is super sweet too! And then later this week another member, her name is Thuza, had a baby shower! Baby showers for Karen people are a little different from other cultures. There aren't any games, we all just ate homemade pho and egg rolls. The night before we came over and helped her make them. They were super yummy!

We also got a new elder last week for Karen work! It's the first big change since June! Hah the picture I sent last week in front of the temple was suppose to be for our Christmas card, but then he came like 2 days later, so we decided we needed to take a new one. 

We have this super cute family we're working with and they have their own car! It's a mother and two daughters that we have taught, the father has a weird work schedule so it's a little hard to schedule when he is there. But they seem super awesome! The mother is so receptive and the daughters are super sweet and ask so many questions, which is pretty uncharacteristic of daughters. 

Also Moo Eh Wah came back in town so it was good to see her again. And some super big news, I think I have talked about it before, Kway Lay, one of our older members is going through the temple on December 30! We're all so excited for him! And with him going through, it is getting a lot of our other members interested in going as well! There is a sweet girl in our ward who has been a member for some time now, she's in her mid 20s and she has been dating this boy for a while and stopped coming to church for a while because she was embarrassed to be living with her boyfriend. Just recently her boyfriend started taking the discussions and she is on fire with church activity. And they just talked to the bishop about getting married!! One of my favorite things about a mission is seeing people change and repent and how much happier their lives become because of it! This gospel is so amazing! 

I was reading in the book of Mormon this week and this verse really stuck out to me. It was in Alma 30:40-41

So in this chapter Korihor is going around trying to diminish peoples testimonies and in this part he is brought to Alma and Alma bears him this fire testimony of his belief in Christ. And these are the verses. 

40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.

41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true;

I love that Alma asks that question, what evidence do we have that there is no God? Everything in this world testifies of God and Christ. Sometimes people get caught up in the question of where is the proof of God, where is the evidence? But if we look for God in our lives we will see just how evident it is. I have tried recently to follow the council of President Eyring, with that one talk about writing about when you see the hand of God in your life, and it has helped me really be aware of everything God does for us. He loves us so much. I know that.

Sis. Hicks ended by saying she hopes everyone has a Merry Christmas! I know Brooklyn wants everyone to have a Merry Christmas too and she expressed in her letter to me that she can't wait to talk to all of us. I will be sure to take a few pictures for the blog next week. Enjoy the pictures she sent me! 

I asked her to send me a "tag" picture! Yay!

She sent us a package with instructions to not open till Christmas! She also said she would tell us what the messages written in Karen say, when we talk to her on Christmas--It's going to be hard waiting!!!

Here is the new picture Sis. Hicks was talking about with the new missionary. I LOVE the colors with the contrast of the snow in the background!

 Even though the above picture is great, I think I like the one below more!!! I just love how everyone is getting ready and Brooklyn is just smiling away and the only one that realized a picture was being taken! hahaha

And just for fun....here are the goofy girls sporting new Christmas twinner outfits! Brooklyn assured me I could borrow hers when she comes home! hahaha They are too funny!