Hey y'all!!

#1 - John's baptism

#2 - I know it's a little late, but here'a a picture of our gratitude tree in November

#3 - Trio! - Sister Ostvig and me with Hermana Baxter :)

Hey y'all!

Once upon a time Sister Ostvig and I were sitting in our room doing companionship study.  Suddenly we get a call from Sister Possin who was at the Hafer road church building, where transfers were going on...

Sister Possin: Are you on your way?

Sister Ostvig: ... no, neither of us are getting transfered...

Sister Possin: Oh... you're getting a third companion!

Sister Ostvig: What?? no one told us!

... so yeah... we frantically spent time moving our stuff around in our one little bedroom to make room for her stuff, Sister Ostvig even made her bed on the couch so our new companion could have a bed, and she found a ride from someone out to our area because we don't have a car.  It was a crazy hour and a half.  But eventually she made it here - Hermana Baxter!  She's awesome, from Seattle, Washington, been on her mission for a year... she spent 9 months in the Spanish program here and then was transferred to English, but she still wears a Spanish name tag and is pretty much fluent, which is awesome because pretty much all of our investigators have some sort of Spanish connection.  Yep, she's awesome.  And the three of us go perfect together.  Pretty much a trio made in heaven. :)

Once upon another time Sister Ostvig, Sister Baxter and I were sitting in our room doing companionship study.  Suddenly we get a call from the APs who were at the TC Jester church building, where the new trainee meeting was going on...

APs: Sister Baxter, there was a mix up in the numbers, and we need you to pack up your stuff and get here as soon as you can, we're transferring you back to your last area.

... so yeah... we were stunned.  And sad, and we cried... :(  Apparently Sister Possin (her last companion) was supposed to train but somehow something happened wrong and when she showed up at the trainee meeting on Thursday morning there was no trainee for her to train... so they pulled Sister Baxter back to be her companion... we miss her. :(  

Yeah, it's a confusing story.  I'm still confused.  But I am glad that the three of us got to be companions for a short time... 48 hours... it's amazing how you don't have to be friends for long to be friends forever though.  And we all feel like she belongs here, so who knows - maybe she'll be my replacement here in the area for next transfer.  

In other news... We had a Relief Society Christmas dinner party, with tons of musical numbers, and it was so awesome.  I love Christmas. :)  Sister Ostvig played the guitar and we both sang "Far Far Away on Judea's Plains"... which apparently you already know, family, because someone sent you a video... gotta love technology. :)  Some of the men in the ward served the dinner, and John participated too - it was awesome.  He LOVES serving others, and was absolutely glowing.  :)

Speaking of John, he was confirmed a member yesterday!  It's official!  :)  AND he was given the priesthood, AND he was given a calling (he was called into young mens, and he is SO excited because he had been around missionaries for so long and now he gets to be on the other side and prepare the young men for their missions) AND he had a temple recommend interview so we'll be able to go to the temple with him to do baptisms soon. :)  I am SO glad I've been able to be a part of his conversion!  We went to their house last night and watched the Christmas Devotional with them, and John shared his testimony, and the spirit was so strong... yep, it's amazing.  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! 

I'm not sure how other missionaries cover multiple wards - having just done it for a few weeks now I think it is the hardest thing ever... We spent a solid 8 1/2 hours at the church building yesterday - between correlation meetings and ward councils and the regular church blocks, we were BUSY.  We even went on splits for a couple of hours so we could be in two places at one time - I went to Cypress Lakes' ward council while she was in Fairfield's sacrament meeting.  It was a long day.  But it was good, with John's confirmation and all. :)  And Melody and Chris came, which was awesome because we haven't been able to see them in a long time.  But we have two appointments set for this week, so it should be good.

Yep, it was a crazy week.  But I can't really expect much less from the mission... Life is great. :)  I love y'all so much!!! :)

Sister Ririe

2 Nephi 1:15

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