OMAHEART, NEBRASKA: THE BEST YEAR EVER

December 29, 2014

HOWDDY. OH MY HEART IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL. Pushing hang up is basically the most depressing thing ever. I just wanted to stay at the computer and beg for y'all to come back....desperate...it's fine.

Skyping with the Family :)

I hope y'all had just the happiest of Christmases'. Sister Powell and I were oh so loved. BBQ both Christmas eve and Christmas! yuhhh. and a Texas pie. (The Jeppesen's are from TX too so it's always a grand ol' time with them!)

YUM!

Visiting with Grandma Jeppesen.

And we had Christmas breakfast with the Trail Center sisters and then opened a few gifts together and the senior couples put on a program for us Christmas Eve.

AND MOTHER DEAREST. THEY READ CHRISTMAS ORANGES. I WAS DYING. IT FELT LIKE HOME. All in all--it was another great one! Oh and I really truly forgot all about being a cat lady until I opened some tender cat things. LOVE. Brother Jeppesen at dinner said, "You know you've left it all on the alter when you forget about your dreams of being a cat lady." too good.

I finished the Book of Mormon this past week! Boy do I love that book. And I think it's really interesting how Heavenly Father just knows where we are in it and knows exactly how to help us. Like miracle---I was super behind and so was Sister T (and we've never had a great relationship) and in my prayers the night before Heavenly Father distinctly told me to help Sister T finish in time for Zone Christmas Conference. And I was just as behind as her! And we were able to work together on it all day at the TC and we have a really special bond from it now and He knew that so we could be more unified and help the TC be more unified. It was just a neat experience and I love knowing that He is truly in control of everything and always looking for our best interest.

MEET THE MORMONS IS COMING TO A VISITOR CENTER NEAR YOU. Yep! It's coming to the Trail Center! ahhh so happy! and Salt Lake told us we have our very own HASHTAG too! hahaha I just love my life. Check it out if you want to see all the fun that's here at good ol' Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters #mormontrail

KAYLA CAME TO CHURCH FOR THE 2ND TIME IN A ROW. Love her. I'm now reading the Book of Mormon with her and we're circling every time it says faith and highlighting any time where faith is being used or acted upon. It's been really neat. We have a lesson tomorrow to talk about what we're learning so far. Please pray that her faith will be strengthened and that she will allow the atonement to work within her.

We're teaching a girl named Penelope...don't know if I told you that? but she's set for 1/10....so some prayers for her would be swell too.

Church. HAHAHAHA. There were a total of like 15ish? And no one could play the piano so the first hymn in sacrament was A cappella...and then for the sacrament hymn no one knew the first note and this girl visiting stood up and said she could at least play the right hand....too funny...and then the intermediate hymn one girl played the only song she knew so it all worked out...but it was hilarious.

I am so grateful for 2014. I mean 14 is my 2nd favorite number...But I am so happy to say that I was able to have the year 2014 dedicated to my mission. To serving others. To seeking to know my Savior. To helping others find true joy and happiness. I've had some serious ups and downs but I wouldn't change it for anything b/c this year has helped me be a better me and love people I would have never even met. Let's take a stroll down memory lane....remember when....

-I rode my first ferris wheel....and thought I was going to die and fall out..

-caught my 1st fish

-held a dead bird....and bat....

-made lasting relationships

-began this incredible journey of knowing my Savior, Jesus Christ

-washed some cats to soften hearts

-went dumpster diving a few times for old ladies

-slept through a tornado storm

-Gained a better testimony of the Lord's timing

-Served at the Trail Center and gained a strong appreciation for the pioneers

-learned to love people the way they want/need to be loved rather than how I want to love them

-found out I could do 111 push ups

-realized I have a phobia of smelling bad

-overcame my fears of talking to RMs

-learned how to say companion, vacuum, and 'what?' in mandarin

-fell in love with Nebraska and the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ

It has been an incredible year and I am so happy for all that I have learned and i'm so grateful for more time to serve. Our stake president came to our ward yesterday. He talked about how when a baby is learning how to walk, you don't yell at her and say she's silly and that she's never going to make it. No! You encourage her and help her back up and let her know that she can do it. And that's how our loving Heavenly Father is too. Every single one of us is His child. He loves each of us unconditionally and we need to remember that He is cheering us on! He encouraged us that when we make our new years resolutions, we need to to make it a goal to not focus on our falls but on the steps we're DOING RIGHT. To look for his grace EVERY DAY.

I hope we each take the time to do that and remember that we have someone who is smiling down and is so proud of the little ways that we're getting better.

I love y'all so much! Remember that He is only a prayer away!

love always,