Christmas time is coming!! I am so excited. This past week we had our Mission Christmas Conference which got me SUPER excited for Christmas (13 Days until Christmas! I can't wait.). Christmas Conference was so wonderful. We had some instruction from the office staff and President Campbell. There was a picture slideshow, great food, and an absolutely wonderful "Talent Show" :) Plus, SANTA CAME!!!! :) We all got presents from our wards. I can't wait to open it. Sister Jones and I have set up our little christmas trees (pass along cards as ornaments), our stockings are hung by the chimney with care (we actually have a fireplace in our apartment so it looks pretty legit!) and our presents are under the tree. The only thing we are missing is the mistletoe.... but that would be against the white handbook. :) Some other Christmas activities we've enjoyed this week was Cookie making with all the Sisters in the Mission at the Mission Home, Sister Jones and I sang at the Relief Society Christmas "Meeting" and our ward had a Christmas Pyjama (spelled the canadian way) Party on Saturday. It was so fun. Santa came there too. I've been a very good Missionary so far this year. ;) The Beaumont ward is AMAZING!!!! I love these people more and more each time I see them. They are so great. Beaumont also has the biggest Primary in the Mission. 105 Active primary kids each Sunday! It's fun to be in sacrament meeting and have kids wave to you all the time as a missionary. It gives more meaning to "becoming like a little child."
During Service on Thursday at St. Joseph's Hospital, I convinced Elder Lane (in my Zone) to play and sing "Praise to the Man." He wrote an amazing rendition for Christmas Conference. After much persuasion I finally convinced him and he did it. All the people there loved it. Plus, we as missionaries loved the fact that we were at a Catholic Hospital singing about Joseph Smith. :) Pretty much Elder Lane taught 25+ people about the Restoration through song. It was perfect!!!
Speaking of the Restoration. Sister Jones and I were able to teach Leana (I mentioned her previously, she is from the Ukraine and is so great- she has the same name as me, except she spells it with one n). After we taught her the Restoration she asked how she could join the church. Can you say, best question anyone could ever ask a missionary?! :) She wants to learn more, but with her new baby, Christmas, etc. She said she couldn't get baptized until like February. I would love to still be here to teach her and see her get baptized. I'm hoping I don't get transferred. I love Beaumont! (Transfer calls are the day after Christmas).
There is a baby boy in our ward named Spencer Torrie and he is the same age as my Mission!!! Born September 14th this year. They are an awesome family. I'm pretty sure when he starts crawling I'll start training or something. :)
Geno and Tolga are getting Baptized this Saturday!!!! I am SO excited! They are progressing great. We taught them about Tithing this last week. We were a little nervous because Geno hasn't been able to find a steady job, but they accepted it. No questions asked. I made each of them 10 cookies and gave them to them at the beginning. We talked about Obedience and then I asked them, "Tolga, would you mind if I had one of those cookies I gave you?" He replied,"No, not at all. You can have more if you want." Then Sister Jones asked Geno if she could have one of his and he agreed as well. I then asked both of them, "Why were you willing to give us one of your cookies?" Geno replied, "You gave them to me, it would be selfish if I didn't share." Tolga responded,"You've always been nice to me, I wanted to be nice back." This was a perfect way to introduce Tithing. "Our Heavenly Father gives us everything we have, all he asks is for us to give 10% back...." I loved teaching them and seeing them testify to me of tithing. Next week I'll include pictures from their Baptism so you can put faces to the names. :)
So, you're all probably wondering how my eye is doing. It's doin Great!!! It's pretty much back to where it was before. By the end of the night it starts to get more tired than the other, but other than that it's wonderful. It happened on Nov. 29th so it's been about 2 weeks since. It's kind of funny, when it happened I thought of Matt and those quotes we used to say to each other all the time. Specifically, "You're not pretty unless it hurts!" Ha ha ha Good Times!!
Happy Birthday Laura on the 16th!!!! I hope you have a wonderful, fantastic day!!! And Happy Birthday to Brandon Davis on the 17th. I'm celebrating by having my investigators get baptized. :)
Well, I love you all so much! Give everyone at the Christmas party a hug and a kiss from me!!! Tell Cody I say Hi next time you see him. I love you all!!!!
Love Forever,
Sister Leanna Thompson
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