MAAYONG PASKO!!!

Hi family.....Maayong Pasko (Merry Christmas!!)

Just so you know I will be calling Christmas Eve at 8PM Texas time. I was able to sign into my skype account...Sisternicoletrayner, so make sure you are online and let's hope there aren't any internet problems in this part of the world....

We had great success last week when 3 less active members came back to church for the first time!! So exciting. They have all been pretty hard headed and so it made us so excited and happy to finally see them come to church. The work here is so great and we have so many people to teach that the other week we asked President Schmutz if they could put in another companionship here...which looks like they will be doing in the next couple of transfers. I was talking to my companion the other day and it just seems that Heavenly Father is throwing investigators at us left and right and we are struggling to teach them all because we have so many less actives! And our area is so big so that's another obstacle. This area is on the brink of exploding and we are excited...especially if 4 missionaries will be assigned here....the work will just go "BOOM!"

We have so many things to do these next few days and I think I'll just wake up and it'll be the middle of January. On Friday we have our Branch Christmas party and so are busy inviting all of the less-actives and investigators to come. We have been putting forth an extra effort to find fellowshippers for them and so far it's been great to have members work with us...it is much more effective. On Saturday we have a missionary Christmas party/devotional and I am excited :) My companion has a great voice so we'll be singing some Christmas duets....(oh how I wish I could find a viola or violin here!!)

It has been rainy here lately which makes missionary work even more exciting!! We are sliding around in the mud and yesterday night my companion just totally biffed it. I love my mission! 

I really like this area here and I am hoping to finish my mission here (haha...the chances are not high!) and the branch is so great. There are great leaders and people are really willing to work. I am sad I never worked with the missionaries before my mission....(but in Utah you have to like hunt them down because they are assigned to so many wards!) I have really found a love for missionary work and I hope that all of you are fulfilling your duties in Home and Visiting Teaching....and your callings. It is so important that we help build up God's kingdom here on earth and that we help our brothers and sisters! 

I am so happy that it is Christmas time. This is the best time of the year :) I am so grateful to be serving a mission right now- I am learning about what really is important and I am grateful for this time to come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. I hope that you all will take the time to remember what Christmas is really about and what Christ did for all of us.

Have a great time (don't stress to much in that last moment Christmas shopping, DAD!) and enjoy yourselves this Christmas! Next year, we will all be together :)

Love you
Sister Trayner