A Christmas Surprise - I'm getting Transferred!

The Mesa Temple VC Sisters

FAMILY!!!!  Hello! I love you all!!! Sooo where to start. So so so so much has happened this past week!! On Tuesday we got to go on the temple excursion with half of the mission and that was incredible!!! So many missionaries in the temple all at once. President Ellsworth, Sister Ellsworth, and the temple president all spoke to us :) That was an incredible day! I am so blessed to have a temple in my mission that I get to attend regularly. Also being on the temple grounds every day is a huge blessing that I am grateful for everyday. I feel like my batteries get recharged when I'm there. I get re-motivated and even more determined. I love the temple! And the visitors center too! One day you all can come see it and then you'll understand why I love it so much.

Papa I am soo sorry I didn't have time to write you back this last week! I have been so extremely crazy busy! More than normal! But I absolutely loved your letter. It is interesting how the things you write me always seem to go along with what I am learning that week. In our district meeting this past Wednesday we did a really cool object lesson. So we all took 5 sticky notes and on each we wrote our 5 greatest blessings in our lives. Elder Kiene (district leader) then told us to pick one blessing that we think we could live without, and then rip it up. Kind of sad, but I still had 4 other great blessings so it was all good. Then he again told us to pick another blessing, and then another until we were down to the last 2 greatest blessings. My two sticky notes left had my family written on one and the other had the gospel of Jesus Christ. I took the sticky note in my hand and I tore it up. All I had left was one sticky note and it was the gospel of Jesus Christ. The spirit was so strong when we did this lesson and we were all on the verge of tears. The gospel of Jesus Christ is what makes everything and anything in this life wether it be family, friends, whatever it may be- meaningful. Without the gospel of Jesus Christ our family would not be together forever. None of us would be forgiven of our sins or be able to overcome death. Life would have no purpose and I would be very sad! I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ! Sometimes it feels like that's all I have out here anyways, and even though thats all I've got- I have enough. I know everything will be alright. I trust in Jesus Christ and in His atonement. Everything that is unfair or just wrong that has happened or happens in this life will be made right through Him. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ- without Him I am nothing. But anyways, I will make sure I write you back this week!

So, we had a super cool experience this last Saturday. Our zone had set a goal that every companionship would find a new investigator on that day. Well... Sister Shurtz just got called as the new VC trainer and on that day she was scheduled to make what we call the beast- the huge vc schedule for this next transfer. Also Sister Lewis and I were scheduled that day from 10-2. Also we were scheduled to go back to the visitors center that night to walk around the grounds to greet people and invite them into the vc. So, we had limited time in our area- BUT, we had faith that Heavenly Father would provide a way! Oh also we had to drop off our progress records off to our 5 ward mission leaders which are spread out throughout our area. So, we prayed really hard. The beast took a little longer to finish up than we had planned so we didn't end up leaving the vc until about 3:30. We ran out to the car, quickly delivered our progress records and talked to everyone we met along the way, but still no new investigator, BUT we were not discouraged. ALSO, to add to this fun day it was also one of the coldest days we have had AND it was raining! haha! It was so much fun! we were determined to find our new investigator and darted out of the car everytime we saw somebody on the street. We contacted referrals, potentials, and former investigators, and still no new investigator. At this time our zone leaders gave us a call and said they were going to come help us in our area. Blessing! So they went over to one of the apartment complexes in our area and we continued our search. It was starting to get dark now and we were down to about 30 more minutes left in our area. Our last hope for the night was to go try to contact this part member family. We were worried because the wife- who is a member- told us her husband isn't home in the evening- but, we went anyways. We knocked on the door and used the good old excuse of can we use your bathroom to get in the door- works every time!;) I also think it helped that we were basically soaked and shivering haha. Anyways, so we go in and share a message on our Savior Jesus Christ and invited Bruce (the nonmember husband) and the 2 nonmember grandparents that also live there to meet with us again. They said yes and we set our return appt. date for the next day! We got 3 new investigators!!!! Miracles!! Also we then went back out to the car and checked our phone. We had a voicemail from the zone leaders. They found us a new investigator as well!!!!! So we got 4 new investigators!!! Sooo amazing! As a zone we got a total of 22 new investigators!! Such a cool day :)

Superstition Mountain

So... I have transfer news... transfers end on Wednesday annnndddd.... The terrific trio is being split up!! I am being transferred to the "superstition zone" (called this because it's at the base of the Superstition mountains) and I will be the designated driver, senior companion, AND my companion will be sister Marrand (Ma-hown- she's from France ) who is a temple square sister who is going back to slc on January 1st. Who will be my companion when she leaves? Good question haha Everyone is telling me I will probably get a visa waiter or another temple square sister. So I have 2 weeks to learn the area, which is huge btw- i will have less wards though. Only 4! haha But Sister Marrand has only been in the area herself for 1 transfer and then once she leaves- the day after christmas lights ends- I will be going full field! Meaning I will be a full proselyting missionary for this transfer and will not have any scheduled shifts at the vc! Oh my goodness soooo many changes! I will basically be training and kind of white washing! I am super excited, but also kind of really nervous. Please keep praying for me!! As for Christmas day I am not exactly sure on times or anything yet for skype, but I will have somebody call you guys with the details. Keep an eye out for an Arizona number! :)

MOM CONGRATS ON PASSING YOUR TEST!!!!!! I knew you could do it! The decorations look sooo pretty!! I love Christmas time! I wish you could see our cute apartment all decorated. I love it! Life is so so good :) awww sad gma lynne can't come for Christmas  That will be sweet with gma Cherie though! Man she is doing a lot of traveling these days! Eugenie always sings beautifully, so no surprise there! Yay go family! Ah! So on Saturday morning I was doing my shift at the vc and there were soooo many weddings going on and then I remembered Adrienne was getting married that day!!! So I kind of felt like I got to participate in all the wedding excitement a bit :) CONGRATS ADRIANNE!!!!!! Weird everybody is growing up! and ANDREA MURRAY I am soooo excited for you!!! Write me with your wedding/life details!! Soooo sorry to everyone for being such a slow writer lately! Once I go full field I will have more time to write everyone. I forgot my camera so I will be sending pics tonight! I love you all sooooo much!!!! Till next week!

Love,
Sister Hamstead

Merry Christmas!!!