Its almost Christmas!!

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> Hello Family!!
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> It has been the craziest and most wonderful week over here in england! Lots to update you on and can't wait to finish reading all of your emails! :)
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> This week was super busy! I feel like it just flew by because of everything going on. On tuesday we had Zone training where we focused a lot on the christmas season and using the christmas initiative! It was so great! Sister Stephenson and I really tried to apply that into the work this week. Everytime we would stop someone or knock we use the videos and it has been amazing to see how it truly has softened hearts and after they have watched it people just really open up! Its been super neat! So that was wonderful and I love getting to just focus on Christmas all the time!
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> I was able to go on exchange with Sister Aubuchon this week which was a blast! We are in the same MTC group so it was fun to get to catch up and work together! Exchanges are great! Its so fun for me to be able to go and get to know the other areas and mostly the sisters even better! But something that was really fun was we got up for exercise that morning and guess what we did!? Jillian Micheals 30 day shred! haha MOM! Remember when we would do that all the time? Oh i just loved it! We did level 2 and it wasn't even hard. ;) So that was fun! And such a good idea. Maybe one of these times when the post isn't so crazy expensive and crazy with it being chistmas i'll have you send it over if you would! :)
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> And on thursday I WENT INTO THE LONDON TEMPLE! how crazy is that!? As I was walking up I was literally freaking out to Sister Stephenson becuase I was actually going into the london temple. I never thought in my entire life that I would get to go inside becuase I never thought I would actually be in London. And now look at me! So it was so neat. The temple is BEAUTIFUL! And we took lots of fun pictures that I will send over! I forgot to send pictures last week so I'll catch up and there will be lots this week! :) But it was such a fun day. The temple is incredible. I just felt so much peace and it was a spiritual boost that I needed. After we had lunch with all the missionaries there and president and sister gubler and had a little presentation! It was so fun! And i love getting to be there with so many other missionaries - there is just a fun bond that I feel like we all have right away becuase we are all there doing the exact thing - trying our best to serve our Saviour! So that is so fun! It was a crazy day full of travel becuase in good old england we take trains! Which Initially i thought was so fun but now im to the point where they aren;t as exciting anymore! :) So it was hours of travel to get there and get back but so worth it! Yay for the temple and christmas time! :)
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> Then on Friday we had our ward christmas party which was SO FUN and on Sunday night we had the stake choral concert where all the wards got together and sang songs and had people perform! Sister Stephenson and I joined the ward choir and then we were asked to do another number with the primary kids which everyone thought was the cutest thing! So it was just such a fun week full of christmas! I can't believe it is almost the 25th! SO EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU!!
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> This week has been great though! Sister Stephenson and I are to the point now where we are still working with people - we have Rob who is still doing great and a couple others - but we are to the point now where a lot of our Investigators are now recent converts - which is a FANTASTIC problem to have but now we need to make sure to go out and find new people! :) So we went out and did a lot of finding this week which was really good! Showed a lot of people the christmas videos! I think i almost have it memorized! :) And sister Stephenson and I are doing really great! We are getting a lot better at communicating which is wonderful but we really have been getting along which is SO NICE! I am so grateful to be able to spend the christmas time with someone who I like being with! Since I wont be with all of you! Something that I laugh at a little bit is just how much a mission prepares you for being a wife and mom. I always knew it would but just seeing how you figure out how to work with a person with different opinions and how to still love them and apologize for things even when you are sure you are right - its all really great! Im learning a lot! I also have started carrying chocolate with me all the time! (we have SO MUCH CHOCOLATE! its like everyone who ever gives us christmas presents gives us HUGE amounts of chocolate! Its crazy) But so good becuase I have started carrying it with me so anytime sister stephenson is getting a little too stressed or worried I just pull out a chocolate bar out of my bag for her and she'll eat it. It works WONDERS! Haha its so great! :)
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> Something that I have really reflected on a lot lately is a scripture in 2 Nephi 33:6. As i read that verse for the first time it really stood out how personal nephi was talking about the saviour. he gloried in HIS jesus. He just talked about him as if he knew him so well and on such an individual level. As Ive thought more and more about it I have realized that it stood out to me becuase as I have been on my mission I feel like I can say that about my saviour now too. The more that I have been here and especially over the last couple of months I have felt so close to my saviour. He is SO REAL to me. I have gained such a knowledge that what he did was for me personally - it was for everyone but I feel it for me. I have felt the power of the atonement like I never have before and I am just so grateful for the experiences and hard days and hard weeks and everything else that has gotten me to the point where I truly feel like i know him. I glory in MY jesus. He is real to me and the relationship I have with him now is something that I hold so sacred. I love Him. And am so grateful to have this time to share with everyone around me about Him. Everyone needs this knoweldge. everyone needs HIM!
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> So life here in jolly old england is just lovely! :) I Love the ward, LOVE the people - it has been cool for me to see how i really just love them. I want to talk to them now becuase I want to help them - not just to get the number. It is about them and they just need this! - but with that I love being a missionary. I mostly LOVE YOU ALL!! so so much. So grateful for you love and support and just so thankful to heavenly father for you all! Its so hard being away but know that I am working hard and praying that all the blessings go your way! :) I JUST LOVE YOU! And CANT wait until Christmas!!!
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> I hope you have the GREATEST week! Thank you for loving me and being the most amazing family! I am truly just so blessed!
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> I will talk to you super soon! :)
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> Sister GWilliam
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