Sister Savannah Browning

Week….8 (Christmas!)

Hey everybody! Sorry no email last week. I just didn't get around to it haha

Things have been good for the last little bit. I'm still in training and still getting used to missionary life, so it's hard, but getting better:)

Thank you so much to everyone who sent cards and gifts and messages for Christmas. It really helped me get through the days and feel loved and remembered. Sometimes it's easy to feel forgotten all the way out here in Waxahachie, so hearing from you makes a big difference.

Not too much has been happening except Donna got baptized on the 18th! It was awesome. She was so happy and full of the spirit and it was really good for me to be able to see what it's all about:) it was also fun for my trainer and I, planning our first baptism and having no idea what we were doing. (Needless to say, the font water wasn't exactly warm and the bishop had to make last minute changes to the program) but despite the odds, we had a successful baptism and confirmation and Donna now gets all the blessings that come with those sacred ordinances and covenants:)

Christmas was fun. We had meals with members of our ward and some people we do service with and it was all awesome:) I'm not sure if this is a Texas thing or just a coincidence, but all of our meals at Christmas parties and members' houses on Christmas were breakfast food...so it was kind of sugar after sugar after sugar haha

I have been so impressed ever since I've been here with the people in our ward. They do so much to love and welcome and care for us. They gave us Christmas gifts and they took us caroling and they had us over for meals with their whole families and so many other things. It's just been really nice to see how much they care about us. It reminded me of the good people I got to grow up with in Bunkerville:)

We had a multi-zone Christmas party that was super fun. We got to hear some inspiring words from President and Sister Farley and then we had treats, decorated cookies, and played some fun games. They taught us a paper plate dance that I imagine you can watch on the mission Facebook page, and we also made our own missionary version of the 12 days of Christmas song:)

Another cool thing about Christmas here is that it was 85 degrees! So I guess not actually cool...😉

Overall, I'm doing well. I'm getting used to being here and being a missionary and I'm going to be okay I think:)

I am really excited for the new year! I love this time of year because I love making goals and having a fresh start and fresh motivation:) I am also really excited that we'll start studying the Old Testament because it's been so long since I studied it in seminary and I feel like I'm at the ideal point in my life to get a lot out of studying the Old Testament. It'll also help me be more familiar with the most common Bible stories that people here know super well. I started today with Moses chapter 1 and learned a lot about how knowing we are children of God can give us great power over temptation, so that was awesome:)

Well I hope you all have a great week and involve the Lord in making your New Year's resolutions! And Merry Christmas of course:)

Love love love love love,

Sister Browning💚❤