Hyvää Uutta Vuotta! (Happy New Year!)

[ Sent 7 Jan, 2015]

Rakkaat ystävät,

The last week plus has been quite an adventure. I would venture to say that last week was possibly the longest week of my life. Sisar Bunting and I headed down to Helsinki on Tuesday night, and as we were passing through Lahti, lo and behold, here comes Sisar Owen and her companion onto our train car! Quite the surprise reunion. They both were going to be training as well. Once in Helsinki, we were greeted by quite the crowd of missionaries, all waiting for trains or to be taken to their place of residence for the evening. Sisar Ross was there to train as well. Then to top it all off, Sisar Bunting and I were to stay with Sisar Howell for the night in Espoo! I got a really great picture will ALL of my companions (which will be sent next week because I forgot my camera cord - whoops).

Wednesday morning I was paired with Sisar Ross as my temporary companion to get to the mission home. While there, we had a meeting as the trainers, then when the new missionaries got back from the office, We all had lunch together, another meeting, then were assigned our new companions.

My new companion in Sisar Lafferty. She is 23 years old, from Oklahoma, and studying Pre-Law at Southern Virginia University. Despite being so new in the field, she is raring to go, and possibly the most bold and sensible missionary I have met. The last week has just been a whirlwind of settling in to being senior companion and getting Sisar Lafferty settled into a new world. She's taking it like a champ and we've had a really good time together. Miracles are just around the corner! We're going to be just fine :)

As for other big news, M no longer has a baptismal date. She still wants to keep meeting and learning, but she doesn't feel yet that she is ready. She told us that she has been thinking and pondering and praying quite a lot, and she felt a confirmation that now is not quite the right time. So now she is waiting for the right moment, and now our job comes down to helping her continue to feel the Spirit so her testimony can grow and so she can recognize that "right moment." But, she is still the most golden prepared person I have met, and she will be ready all in good time.

At the beginning of the new year, take a moment to think about not only your New Year's Resolutions, but also of a gift you could give to Christ this year. Read about the Wise Men in Matthew 2:1-2 and 9-11. What is a goal of somthing you can do to give back this year?

Have a wonderful week, enjoy the snow (if you have any), and stay shiny!

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Hillebrant