Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!! I hope that you all have a real good Christmas :)
Our pday was switched from Wednesday, so Monday will be pday from now on!

This week was full of a LOT of learning experiences!
We are teaching a woman named Brandy. She was a member referral and is the sweetest. We finally had a full lesson with her and taught the Restoration. It's amazing how powerful Joseph Smith's vision is. And was cool to hear how she felt the spirit as we recited the first vision. She liked it a lot and wants to keep learning. It makes me so so so happy thinking about the ways the gospel will bless her life!

On Friday we went upstate and had a Christmas Devotional with all of the missionaries in the whole mission. That was so cool to all meet together and get to know other missionaries who are serving here as well! The devotional was exactly what I've been needing. I always know that anything that includes President and Sister Smith talking to us is going to be AMAZING. It was the perfect reminder and helped me to just focus on the Savior. To remember and have it retestified to me that Jesus Christ knows ME and each of you individually. He understands and know how everything that I go through feels. And to remember that through the Atonement, we don't have to carry things all by ourselves. Because honestly, a mission is not the easiest thing I have ever done. But I realize the ways that I am growing and learning and changing! None of us are perfect and we all have things that we can work on and improve. And I'm grateful of the knowledge that I have and knowing that I don't have to handle everything alone.

This week I had a pretty humbling experience, I'll share a little bit of it (hopefully it makes sense?) We had a potential investigator, her name is Karen. I met her for the first time one night as she was heading out. Then we stopped by a lot, left notes, texted, called. No answer for a few weeks. I figured she didn't want to learn and was ignoring us. But we went by again on Friday night and I really didn't care too much about going because we have gone by over and over again and I thought it was just a waste of time at this point. But this time when we knocked, SHE ANSWERED. Hearing about all of her struggles, everything she is going through and realizing that she wasn't just ignoring us, she hadn't been home and was just having the hardest time with life. I can't imagine what she is going through. But I'm so grateful we didn't drop her and give up on her but we continued trying and hopefully something great will come of it.

We shared Alma 1:25 with a lot of people this week because it seemed like everyone was just going through really hard things. I love that scripture because we all have to go through really hard things in life. But I love that they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments. And they bore with patience the persecutions which were put on them. And I think that is so amazing, the Lord knows what we can handle and if we have faith and know that we have these experiences for a reason. They help us grow, change, and become more like our Savior if we let them and don't give up.

Merry Christmas I love you!!

xoxo
Sister Walecki

The George Washington bridge over the Hudson River we passed on the drive back

down into the city.

In the projects, a lot of people decorate their doors with wrapping paper and Christmas

decorations. I think it's real cute & brightens up the buildings so they're not so scary:)

It snowed Saturday morning, so here are a few pictures just outside our apartment

building in Harlem.

Sister Muhlestein & I at the Christmas Devotional!