Merry Christmas almost 2012

Hello family!

Well random news. I am being transferred. But I'm being transferred to my old area- Liahona 1st. What the? I have only had 2 areas my whole mission and i'm being sent back to the first one. My companion will be Sister Holladay. This is her last transfer. I am excited to see everyone. My theory is this: When I was there I wasn't supposed to get transferred yet, sister fors was supposed to leave, but I got really sick and they transferred me out and when I got better Heavenly Father said, nope! You're not done. I think there is someone I am supposed to meet or something. I have lots of faith in the Lord, but I'm also a little afraid because of my allergies. I'm going back to the same house that started everything... and that's why they took me out of there. So hopefully with the medicine i've been taking I will be fine. I get transferred tomorrow on my birthday which is kinda sad haha but it will be good. 

This week has been good. We had a lesson with Jazmin and asked her to be baptized and she said, "does it cost?" Awesome. The only problem is that she lives with her gma and we went to go pick her up with a member for church and the gma said, "she's in her room and she doesn't know what she wants, she can't think for herself and she's not "prepared" to go to church, come back when she's older" I told her that God wants everyone to go to church, especially her because He loves her and she has her agency... and a few other things. But she wouldn't budge. It was pretty sad. Jazmin wants to learn but she doesn't have the support. 

We have been at the vc every night this week till 1030 and then getting up super early. We went to the temple and then had a fireside type thing which was really good. Something I liked that President Ellsworth said was, "Give of yourself, don't think of yourself" We even had a meeting inside the temple which was pretty special and I lead the music. Sister Fors left yesterday! Well her parents came last night actually. But she asked me to give her "memories" at our vc meeting. It went really well, she was a really good trainer :) I saw the Barretts while I was working at the vc! That was really fun. There are lots of people that come which helps this time of year :) 

I'm so grateful because of the experience Heavenly Father gave me when I was deciding to go on a mission because it has helped so many girls go out on their missions! There has been probably about 10. Heavenly Father gives answers to other peoples prayers through us. That's why when we are going through a hard time or looking for an answer to our prayers, you can always find your answer/peace as you are trying to be the peacemaker/answer to someone elses prayer. Something I liked in companionship study this morning was this "In your morning prayers each new day ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children" Will you all do that? I know when you do you will see so many miracles. 

Merry Christmas! Ya know, theres a lot of people that say "if you take off the "mas" in Christmas, you are left with "Christ"... BUT "mas" in spanish means "more"... So "more Christ" I know that Christ came to earth so He could save the world. He grew and organized His ONE church (not thousands of churches) He called His 12 Apostles. He set the perfect example for all of us to follow and was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Yet He was despised, spit on and crucified.  He suffered for our sins, pains (emotional and physical) so He could now how the rest of us feel. He smiles when we smile, he cries when we cry and He will never leave us. I love the famous picture where Christ is standing at a door knocking. Did everyone notice that there is no door handle on the door? He is always here but we have to do our part and open the door. Do your part. Do your best and He will make up for the rest. The meeting was at the temple was all about giving everything to the Lord because He gave everything and more for you. I think this will be the best Christmas ever if we can all focus on that.

Love you all

The chapter is alma 7. Look for the Christmas scripture :)

Love

Hermana Cottrell