December 16th

 

Lovely, amazing, wonderful family of mine! How is everyone doing? Super stoked for Christmas in almost a week?!?! I am!

 This week was a harder one, but it was a really enlightening week. I have never felt so close to my Savior and felt like I completely had to rely on Him before. I am so completely convinced of the amazing power of the Atonement. Everytime I think about it, I am in awe. I really have to stop and just sit in awe sometimes. There is an amazing Mormon Message about the Atonement in Missionary Work. We watched it together as a companionship last week and IT IS AMAZING! It includes a talk by Elder Holland when he explains why this work is so hard sometimes. I love what he says (you have to read this in his voice) when he says that "Salvation was NOT a cheap experience!" And then he goes on to say how because Christ suffered so much, perhaps we have to experience at least a little bit of how difficult it was for Him. I am so grateful for my Savior and what He paid for me. He knows each of us so perfectly and so personally. Its remarkable, really. I know I could not do this work by myself and I am grateful that after I have done my best that I can reach out and He´ll do the rest.

 WE ARE HAVING A BAPTISM ON SATURDAY!! Cody met the missionaries through the American branch president. He is AMAZING! The kid has already read the whole Book of Mormon and believes so firmly in what we are teaching him! He has a good heart and is putting in the right place! SO stay tuned for my first American baptism! EXCITING!

RANDOM THINGS

(Editors note: These are little bits of info gleaned from her personal notes to family members)

 

 The return of Sofie... I fell asleep while we were all talking one night and Hermana Childers goes, I think Sofie fell asleep! Hahah I may have to name one of my children Sofie one day.  

A blessing for me ....my piano playing has definitely improved. I can improv now and I can sightread almost anything (because people hear you play the piano and think you are some magic music wizard and can play/transpose anything they want on the spot.) but its been great being able to use my talents to bless people here!

 There WERE 4 sets of missionaries in our district, but the Todds go home tomorrow so now we are down to just 3. The Todds are amazing. They took such good care of us for even just the few short weeks I overlapped with them. We went over Saturday to help them clean out their piso and pack a little and it was fun, she fed us good Southern cooking.

Saturday we also went to eat at the Calzone House (its owned by the branch president´s mother in law and she´s asked that we go eat there FOR FREE whenever we are in Rota cause its good for her business) It's AMAZING italian food and they absolutely love us there, so no complaints by me! (We even share a message with the waiter:) 

 love you all and talk to you in 9 days!!

 

Hermana Folsom