Ready to hit the pavement again

It was such happiness talking to you all on the phone this week. What a blessing. We had more than one member come up to us on Sunday and say that they could tell we had just talked to our families because we were still just all smiles. It was so good to hear your voices and talk with you all. I love you all so much.

I am very ready to get back to work as normal. The days during Christmas, we had a limited schedule as far as we couldn´t work after 7:30, unless it was a set appointment, and we couldn´t knock doors, or do contacts. If we didn´t have set appointments or they fell through we just had to go home. Yesterday was the only day that we had to go home early, but it was too much for me. I am going to be the most antsy returned missionary ever...just so you know. I get so stressed just sitting around. Que vergüenza...the mission has given me ADD. The one bit of news that is still kind of lame is that at the end of this week we will have New Years, so once again it might be a messed up schedule...I think maybe even more so because everyone will be drinking...so we´ll see what the plans are.

Well not much new to report since I talked to you all last. After I talked to you, we went and taught an investigator of ours. His name is Angel. He is the husband of a member in our ward. They are such a sweet family. They are quiet, but so kind. I just love them. He told us that he couldn´t come to Church the next day because his family was coming into town, but we prayed for him to come anyway, and all of a sudden, Sunday morning came and there he was with his family!!! It was such a blessing for us. We are trying to work on having more faith, and that was definitely a faith building experience. He is struggling accepting the idea of baptism...please pray for him so that he can be at ease and understand why it´s so important.

What else is new.....a ver....Oh I loved the Christmas pictures that you all sent. One thing that called my attention was Scott´s beard...? A donde!? (Dad, translate for him please.) When did he start growing a beard? Girls don´t like facial hair. He he he he .... just playing big bro :) I love you, you know that. The babies look so grown up and cute. I love that they still make the same faces in pictures though. Yay!

Oh, I got a phone call this morning from the Zone Leaders and they said that I am going to have an intercambio with the Hermanas in Magallanes, so that means that I get to go back and work in my old sector for one more day!!!!! Yay! They told me to make some miracles happen....( I know I´m not the one in charge of that, though....) I am excited to go back and check it out for the day, and work with Hermana Neubert there. She´s just great. I ´ll let you know how it goes. I know it´s going to be the best day ever!

Well, like I said, this week I am trying to work on having more faith. I know that if I had more faith I would have the eyes to see more miracles. I know that that promise works for everyone. I feel that in the mission sometimes rejections happen so often, or so many people don´t progress, or people fall through so often, that it becomes so easy to just have a fault of faith. I don´t want that to happen to me. I just need to not stress about it all so much, and just trust that the Lord has a plan and that He is leading us to those that need it most. Those who are prepared. I was talking to my compi about it the other day and she said that her worst nightmare is becoming an old grumpy missionary. It´s so true!!! I have seen it many times, where by the end of the mission, some missionaries are comfortable with themselves, and impatient with others, and so pessimistic that it can kill the ever so fragile element of faith that is left in them. I realized that during these crucial months of my mission I am deciding whether I become a missionary like that or not. Every day is important, and every decision will show if I am choosing to have faith or if I am choosing not to. Faith is a choice. We chose to have it and be happy and be like Christ, or we chose not to have it, and be sad. Faith is everything on the mission, and I want more of it. In myself and in others.

Me and my comp had a great Christmas... we pulled the mattresses off the beds and we put them around our humble little Christmas tree and we slept on the floor for the night. It was cute and fun. I love my little Canadian. And don't worry, she did get to talk to her family just fine...it all worked out great. Thanks so much for your help!

Thank you for everything you do for me. Thank you for making the sacrifices that you make for me and my mission. To give me the opportunities that I have been given. I can´t tell you how happy I am...it´s pure happiness. Not the kind of happiness that comes from good grades, or a cute boyfriend, or fancy clothes and nice hair....it´s so very much more than that. This happiness is just peace. It´s so full. I love what I am doing and I feel so very blessed and special to be doing it. Thank you for making it possible for me.

I love you all tons and tons. (It was hard to hang up the phone...ps. :) LOVE YOU.

-Hermana Bertagnole