Last email of this year!

So last week was pretty fabulous because:

1- I got to Skype and call home

2- Christmas presents (mostly socks and chapstick, but I ain't complaining)

3- We got to teach a lot about the Christmas story, which is always touching no matter who you are

4- WE HAD A MIRACLE BAPTISM ON SATURDAY!

YES, THAT'S RIGHT!!! A sweet little girl that we've been teaching the past 8 weeks got baptized last Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. Her mom asked us on Thursday if we could have her baptism in two days because her grandpa was in and he could do it. And we were like "Um, YES!" because we love this family SO much and this little girl has been working SO hard. We had to plan it in two days and it was crazy, but so so so worth it. Can you imagine that grandpa's surprise when they asked him? The whole family came to the confirmation, too and now the mom (who I love dearly) is thinking about coming back to church. BEST. WEEKEND. EVER.

We also have two new investigators and they are both progressing towards baptism. I am so excited for them! I love being able to help these people come closer to the Savior.

Our curfew tonight is 8 o'clock. We will be celebrating New Year's Eve by going to bed early at 9. Woo hoo!

I don't have much to say today. Oh, missionaries here get 50% discount at Chick-fil-a. That's writing-home worthy.

I want to share a scripture with you!

3 Nephi 18:19-25

This passage is when Jesus Christ comes to the Americas and is teaching the people there. I love these verses because He's teaching us what we can do to become more like Him.

"19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;

20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.

22 And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not;

23 But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them unto the Father in my name.

24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up-- that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.

25 And ye see that I have commanded that none of yo should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation."

He's telling us to pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. If our desires are good, if we are truly praying for things that are right, we can know that we will receive those things in the Lord's way and in His time. He's telling us not to leave anyone out. To invite all people to hear our happy message of redemption. He's telling us to love everybody, even those who don't want to hear our message. Pray for all people, help all people, serve all people. Always stand as a disciple of Jesus Christ for the world to see. Never be ashamed of living a life of cleanliness and never be afraid to share the gospel with others. He's asking us to do these thing. He's commanded us to come unto Him, and invite all to Him.

Sister Swain and I decided to share this with the family we're eating dinner with tonight. 3 Nephi is a really beautiful book, because it's all about the Savior appearing to the Americas.

Well, that's all I got!

Love you! Stay safe on the winter roads!

Sister Hinkle

Merry Christmas/ I chopped my hair off

Oh, and I think I spelled Emmanuel incorrectly last week. OOPS. Sorry 'bout that.

Also, don't worry. I had someone who actually went to beauty school cut my hair this time. And it's like a good haircut. So don't panic.

I'm glad that you've adopted Mariah during my absence! I hope you all had fun!

So I'm not going to be calling today, but I will call tomorrow. Who's house are you going to be at? I should be able to Skype around 2:30..which is 4:30 your time? Soooo...I'll just call Mom's phone around then and we'll work everything out. I totally forgot the Berry's Skype user name sooo.. I need to get better at planning things.

I don't have a lot to say. Things are going really well in the two wards I cover! Sister Swain and I are staying in Kearns Central Stake for this transfer. I love these hard working members who are so dedicated to helping the people around them come to the Savior. Missionaries NEED the members' help! The other night at dinner the man and his wife asked us what they could do to help US?! That never happens!! They said that they're willing to let us teach in their home and they're willing to come to lessons with us and help teach when we need someone. They give us referrals when they have them. They asked what they could do to help the ward out, asked if we knew anyone who needed friends. I couldn't believe it. Sister Swain and I left that house so proud of those people for their willingness to strengthen their ward. That family is such an example of how we can magnify our callings.

I love it here! I don't love the gross inversion that we have in the valley, but I love serving here despite the poor air quality. Haha

Merry Christmas! I love you. I hope you watch the Nightmare Before Christmas for me tonight! And eat a quiche for me tomorrow!

 Sister Hinkle

(Mariah will post photos later! Technical difficulties - Sorry!) 

Glory to God in the highest! Peace on Earth, good will to the men!

So last night was our stake Christmas choir fireside. Our stake has English and Spanish speaking wards in it, so there was all kinds of beautiful music in both languages! Our district was asked by President Sainz (him and his wife are some of my favorite people here, by the way) to sing for it. And we did! We sang Oh, Come Immanuel, or whatever the title is. We did really well! Everyone who performed did really well. It was a really great evening. At the end the congregation sang Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains. Man, I don't know why we don't sing that song all year round. It is sooo good.

Transfers happen this Wednesday. We find out tomorrow who's getting moved to where. I might stay here in Kearns or I could go to...you know..anywhere else in our mission.

So, Christmas is next Wednesday! Which means our P day is going to be moved to next Tuesday. AND I GET TO SKYPE YOU ON CHRISTMAS! I just don't know how that's going to work unless you can go to somebody's house who has Skype. I can just call you from a member's account. If Skype can't happen then I'll just call you on the phone. Either way I'm excited! I get a whole hour to talk!

I'm going shopping for some long skirts and sweaters today because I am DONE with wearing 2987 pairs of tights every day. I feel like a big old fatty with my 34872098 layers. Haha.

So I just want to tell you how much I love the Lord. Jesus Christ lives and He was chosen to be our Savior before the world was ever created. I know that when we start thanking Heavenly Father for the blessings we have, we can see His hands in the details of our lives. I know that Christ our brother DID come to this earth to Atone for our sins and to make it possible for EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US to live with Him and God again. All are invited to partake of salvation. All are God's children. No person was sent to this earth to fail. They want each of us to return.

Remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas! To celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ into this world. The Only One who could save us. And He willingly came to this earth and suffered so He could know what each of us have gone through. Every hurt and every struggle. He knows you, and He knows how to help you. He loves you.

"It is better to have God approve than the world applaud."

I love you! I miss you. But I know I'm here for a reason. And I know that some of these people need me right now. I'll be home before you know it.

Love you,

Sister Hinkle

Howdy Hey

So I held two snakes this week and I am now officially a snake wrangler. One is a python named Bob, who they just found out is a girl. I think they should rename it Bobitha Girly the Girly (Olivia that was for you).

There are Christmas lights EVERYWHERE and I love it!!  Some are waaaaay more crazy than others. I'll have to send a picture of the one we call "the seizure house" that's lights are so crazy that you might be able to actually see them from West Virginia.

Did you all watch the Christmas Devotional last night?!! It was sooo goooooooooood. We were all AWWWWWWWW when the primary kids were singing "I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus".

I'm done with hot chocolate for probably the rest of my life. I've drank so much of it this past week that I'm sure that if I get cut I could bleed cocoa.

I'm drowning in snow like every day of my life. Sister Swain and I have a hilarious time trudging around every day. It's awesome, though, because everybody is out scraping their windshields or shoveling snow and we can walk up and introduce ourselves and offer our shoveling/windshield scraping services and then we can be all "oh by the way have you heard of the Book of Mormon?!" or something like that.

We're going to try and go sledding today or at least build a snow man or something because Sister Swain hasn't experienced winter with snow before. Woooooo!!!

I love you!!

Me drowning in snow!

Cute little Christmas tree! 

Dumb Place To Put a Tree

So this email is going to be short this week, I'm sorry!! Last week I got letters from JP and Haley and the kids! I loved it! I did get my package in the mail, Mom. Thank you!

So I heard that you saw one of my best friends ever in Clarksburg last night?!! WHAT? NO BIG DEAL! That's so awesome!! He was excited to have met you!! I wish I could have a video recording of that moment! Hahaha.

This week makes up for the week before. It was really great and the work is moving forward!

As for how my life is hilarious, I walked into a tree branch the other night and my head was hit so hard that I actually fell backwards. I have a small cut on the top of my head, but it didn't cut the hat I was wearing. I don't even know how that happened. Sister Swain and I still laugh our butts off about it even now.

Today we're going over to the Berry's house to celebrate Hanukkah, because, you know. Why not? Thanksgiving was SO fun!!! We got to help decorate the tree! And we made and delivered cookies and notes to people in the wards we cover. Being a missionary is one of the greatest things ever.

I don't know if you all have heard of "The Power of Every Day Missionaries" by Clay Christensen, but if you haven't become aware. It's awesome (from what I hear at least, we can't read it) but the people in our wards are reading it and it teaches us how to be better member missionaries! That's something that's really getting worked on around here, and hopefully everywhere. HELP THE MISSIONARIES OUT. WE NEED THE MEMBERS' HELP. REALLY. It doesn't hurt! I promise!

The other night we were at a family's house and they have a bird that Dad made! They bought it at Tamarack a few years ago. We were all freaking out!!!

I accidentally left Jency's email at home. So can somebody send that to me? It's in the back of the journal that's on my bed. I miss that girl. Miss her bad!

Everything is going great in Kearns! Our zone is projecting 10 baptisms this month! How exciting!! I'm working with some of the funnest, sweetest people I've ever met.

I love you!

Sister Hinkle

MTC District!

Green meal from a few weeks ago! 

Putting up the tree on Thanksgiving!