Chapter 60: I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

 Merry Christmas y'all! 

The week was full of Christmas festivities! Christmas is literally the best season, and I love love being a missionary for it! 

Wednesday was the half mission Christmas conference. It was so good!! We had some good spiritual trainings. President Hamblin talked about the difference of seeing the light and comprehending the light. When we comprehend the light we see more clearly the truths and joy of the Gospel. And become changed as we invite the Light into our lives. 

We also had a big talent show. The first half of it was fun stuffs. Things like epic yo-yo skills, lip sync, funky dances and such. Elder Vaivaka recruited me to play cello while him and a bunch of Elders sang. Their piece of choice was "rewrite the stars" from the greatest showman. Let me tell y'all. It was so funny!! Big trash fire, so so so much fun! I loved just being completely ridiculous! The second half was like the more spiritual and calm music stuffs. I played Silent Night. 

Being able to play a cello has been so healing these past few weeks. 

Friday and Saturday evening we went caroling! First with our district in our area. Then with the zl's district in Graniteville. That. Was an adventure hahahaha. The first house the Graniteville Sisters had us pull up to was literally in the middle of nowhere. We drove through a field in the dark. Got lost. Turned around. Found more missionaries also lost. All went down the wrong road together and got lost. Had to call the zl's because they somehow made it and get directions. We did eventually make it after a little bit of off roading and lots of turning around in the woods.  

Sunday! Christmas Eve! Church was shorter and combined with the Elder's wards. So we were only at the church for a total of like 3 hours instead of 5/6 hours. Then we went on a few visits with the Elders visiting some elderly people in the wards before dinner. After dinner we all pulled up to the Smiths apartment to do some Christmas Eve things together. 

We opened some gifts from the Smiths, made gingerbread houses, coloured ornaments and read the Christmas story in Luke. It was so good! Best way I could have spent my Christmas eve. 

In all our member meals we've shared the Light the World video "He is the Gift" and it's become one of my favourite videos. Jesus Christ is the gift. I've come to know just how special and significant that is. He is the greatest gift I have and ever will received. And I am so grateful that I get to share this gift with everyone I meet here in South Carolina. 

Have a safe week y'all! 

God loves you, Jesus loves you, I love you.

-Sister Ray

The Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders

(Elder Twiss, Sis Ray, Sis Jolly, Elder x)