Happy Holidays family! How was Thanksgiving?! Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner?! It's crazy. I want to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of the birthday cards, money, chocolate, cd's, and everything that I received for my birthday. You all know me so well! I felt loved! I hope you all had a good time on Thanksgiving and remembered all of the many blessings you have in your lives. I have soo many blessings and believe me you are all at the top of my list. Thanksgiving was good, it's very different being away from home and from all of you, but it makes me realize just how crucial and vital each one of you are in my life. I look forward to all of the Thanksgivings we will be able to spend together. For Thanksgiving, we first went and served at the Veteran's house. They were feeding those people that don't have a lot to eat on Thanksgiving. We helped serve people, talk to them, and it really opened my eyes. As I served and focused outward, I felt so happy. Service is wonderful! We also hopped from member's house to member's house. I am amazed at the love and service all of the families in the ward here give us. They are all so willing to feed us, support us and make us all feel loved. I will forever invite missionaries over to my house for Thanksgiving! We got plenty, plenty of food, haha. :]
Vacaville is awesome! It's different from Novato and I knew it would be. It's amazing, though. As another sister and I were driving into Vacaville last Monday, we were both like "We love it here already!!" and we were both so serious. I could feel that this is the place I need to be right now. We live in a member's home here! I just met them yesterday, haha after being here this past week because they were on a vacation to Guatemala (where he served his mission.) It was so fun to talk to him about it, too! They had an amazing time. We live with the Monson family and it's just the couple that live in their home and they open it up to us as if we were their family. They are wonderful people. They have a son serving a mission right now too. I am thankful that I'm living in a home during the holiday season, it makes it a bit more like home. :]
Yesterday was my first Sunday and it was awesome! We go to the English ward and then we have our little spanish group sacrament meeting. It was great, all of the members here are wonderful and very welcoming. I loved the little spanish group. It may be few in number, but it's strong in spirit.
The mission is an amazing experience. Yesterday all of the missionaries in the zone (14 of us) met with the stake presidency and they taught us more in depth about the Holy Ghost (when before would I have ever been able to do that?) and I learned a lot! I just feel so blessed to be able to be a part of these amazing experiences. After learning about the Holy Ghost yesterday, I am more determined to live faithfully. To be a better person, to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ, to be a better missionary. I want to live in a way that when I receive a prompting from the Holy Ghost, I immediately follow the prompting. I want to live so that it's a part of who I am.
Hermana Stephenson, my companion, is awesome. We both still feel sooo green (missionary lingo for new). And we are, but we are working and learning together. She's an amazing example and I have a lot to learn from her. She is one of those people that just glow with the spirit! We have had some good lessons together, even though we are both learning spanish still, we are able to get by! Only with the help of the Lord, though. The work is moving forward here and I know that it can only get better. I am working hard to be my best and to give it all I've got.
There is this quote from President Hinckley that I want to share: "Many young women are serving missions. Many are preparing to serve, not because they aren’t married or have nothing else to do, but because they have a desire to serve and therefore are being called to the work. The reason so many are going is because in the next generation, Heavenly Father will be sending his Priesthood Army to the earth. And He wants to send them to mothers who have been properly trained and taught in the gospel. And what better training can a young woman have than that of serving a mission!"
I love this Gospel. I love serving, I love being a part of this amazing work. My testimony is strengthened everyday. And it's always in a different aspect of the Gospel. The more I know about the Gospel the more I love it, the more I know that this is the only way to true happiness. I am so thankful for all of you in my lives. Thank you for your love and for your support. There is a few scriptures I want to share from 3 Nephi 11 and this is when Jesus Christ came to the Americas, such a powerful chapter, in verse 10: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. verse 11 "And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning." (first line of verse 14): "Arise and come forth unto me"
Jesus Christ is our Savior, Redeemer, but He is also our very best friend. I am excited for the Christmas season and to celebrate His birth. I love Christmas time!! Thank you for everything that you do! Each of you are AMAZING!!
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Robinson
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