Emails we received on Christmas Eve for us, Christmas Day for Brittany. We were surprised because we knew she would be skyping the next day so we didn't think she would be sending email. Merry Christmas!!! 

I miss you very much this Christmas day. I loved your little jibjab! That was something I needed today. Can you believe as of today I have been a missionary for 8 months. Does it feel like it has been that long? Does it feel like I am technically almost half way finished with my mission? I will be here for almost 19 months, but all is well. I just miss you because it doesn't feel like Christmas without our family here with me or without me there with you. I have been doing ok not getting sad, Heavenly Father is helping me, but now it is getting pretty difficult, but I will be ok. I will just keep working hard. I LOVE YOU!!!! Be happy and have a beautiful Christmas for me. And thanks for the money to go to the temple with our people it was very fun. Exhausting but fun.
 MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL MY BEAUTIFUL FAMILY!!! Have a great rest and enjoy your Christmas. Know that I love you so much and I understand that I am where I need to be and I really am grateful to be here.
I am so excited! This is going to make everything all better!

 

The one being baptized is Sister Janice and yes she is actually taller than I am! Crazy! But her story is the most amazing. She started listening to us because she knew that the Catholic church was wrong to have idols and the people she works with told her to listen to us and find out more. She was just being nice \, but she really did her assignments and she prayed and when we taught repentance she went home and had a good talk with her father in heaven. She hadn't done anything evl or anything but she was angry with him for talking away her parents when she was so young and she finally let go of that and let go of all she has done that wasn't good and she felt so close to heaven. Her conversion happened in 5 weeks from when we met her to when she got baptized. And as she says it is just going to keep going. We love her!
Yesterday for our district meeting I actually made blueberry cheesecake and the Elders loved it. The so miss American desserts and cheesecake is amazing and very pricy to make but it was so worth it to feel a little piece of home in my mouth for Christmas.