Sincerely, Sister Matheson

HEYYYYO Family! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....kind of.

It's practically paradise here in Florida. I'm not complaining.

We're doing everything we can to make it feel like the Holidays.

Oh the crazy things that happened this week...where to begin?

1. We have been going through the ward list and meeting all of the members in our ward so that we can put names to faces. Thursday night we tried stopping at someone's house who was on our list. A man opened the door and said, "um excuse me, do you know what this sign says?" (A no solicitation sign). I said yes, but that we were just there to say a prayer with his family. Things escalated and after asking us several times to read the sign we started to leave.

While we were walking away, our conversation went like this:

Me: "We're not soliciting."

Man: "Yes, you are."

Sister Anderson:"No, we're not"

Man: "Who do you report to?"

Me: "GOD"

Man: "No you don't. What's the Bishop's number?"

We of course gave him his number and then he informed us that he would be calling the police as well because we were trespassing. hahaha oh my!!!

WE JUST WANT TO SAY A PRAYER NOT MAKE YOU EAT A LIVE CHICKEN!

2. On Saturday we went on Exchanges with our STL's. We were driving home at around 8:00pm and Sister Coats stopped at a stop light. RIGHT when we came to a complete stop we looked at each other and the SMASH!!! The car behind us crunched the trunk of the car. We may have gotten minor whip lash. Good times. We got out and it was this 18 year old kid. He was so distraught and we just got out giggling and smiling. We shook his hand and introduced ourselves. While taking down his information we took the opportunity to share the gospel with him and hive him a "He is the Gift" card. Of course we had to take a selfie as well.

THE PRIESTHOOD IS REAL!!!

3. We have been meeting with one of our Member's friends. Her name is *J* and she feeds us whenever we don't have a member meal. She has a lot of health problems i.e. she gets migraines and has seizures occasionally. She always has a lot of questions about "Mormonism" and on Sunday she randomly showed up to church with her 8 year old daughter. During Relief Society she wasn't feeling well at all and I suggested that we go sit out in the hall. We walked out and I let her grab my arm for support. She started getting shaky. When we made it to the couch she put her head on my shoulder and I put my arm around her. She started having a seizure in my arms and I told Sister Anderson to grab some priesthood holders to give her a blessing. Three of them came out of their class to give her a blessing. The first part was done in Spanish, but soon after she stopped shaking. She told us afterward that she could feel the Spirit during the blessing. We went over to her house that night and Sister Anderson shared Amos 3:7 with her. She asked why she felt like sharing that scripture and it was the perfect Segway into a Restoration lesson. Who knows what will come of that?:)

We have been working with a family who's son is less active. On Sunday we fasted for him to have a softened heart and he showed up to church. We went up and introduced ourselves. We invited him to come out Harvesting with us and he agreed with excitement. His mom texted us that day, thanking us and saying that she saw a countenance change in her son.

We had our Ward and Mission Conference "Celebrations" this week. I'll attach pictures. It was fun to see all the missionaries and some of my past companions. Each zone did a skit and we had a mini white elephant exchange.

I've been reading in 1 Nephi 16 and thinking of it as an alagory for the Plan of Salvation. When Nephi went ". . . forth up into the top of the mountain . . ."(vs. 30). THEN he was able to obtain food for their families. Food for thought.

I love you all.

Thank you for all of your love, prayers, and support.

Merry Christmas!

Sincerely, Sister Matheson

Pictures:

When I got the package with the stocking.

It's the cutest thing in our apartment.