Hope you all had an amazing Christmas this year! It truly is such a wonderful time of the year! I feel so much closer to my Savior as I, and everyone else is celebrating his birth! Ah! It was just amazing!!

This week was one full of events!:)

Monday was P day which is always a joyous event haha. Look forward to it every week:) Tuesday was the annual mission-wide Christmas devotional! It was soooo fun! I love being able to see everyone in the mission!:) We played games and filmed a Nativity which was so funny. I was cast as Mary. Haha it was pretty ghetto. But mission life is super ghetto so it is not surprising. Later that evening we had a Christmas fireside and we sang and members and investigators and others came! It was so nice. The spirit was so strong. Came Ken! I was so happy to see him! All the missionaries were just so excited! When all the missionaries get together it's just a huge plethora of spirit and I just love it!:)

Christmas Eve was spent weekly planning for the beginning of it! We went to the Stephens for breakfast and it was delicious!!:) Then we went and tried to see potentials and realized that no one was home or answering haha so we went to Bonnie's who is an investigator and when we go over she loves when we sing! So we watched the nativity with her and sang some Christmas songs. She is a widow and is just so lonely and so sweet. That night Sister Meyers and I got some take out Chinese food, went home put on our Jammies and watched Mr. Kruegers Christmas. It was a perfect Christmas Eve! Haha the Chinese restaurant was packed. Everyone else had our idea! Gosh dang it haha.

Christmas was AMAZING!! We woke up, opened presents, made waffles, and watched Nora's Christmas haha. It was a fabulous and comfortable morning:) After we went to visit a boy named Ricki. He lives in a developmental center and his mother asked us to visit him! He has such a sweet spirit. We talked with him, and even though he couldn't respond with words I could feel his spirit. What a blessing it is to be around those celestial spirits! I GOT TO SKYPE MY FAMILY!!!! AHHH!!! It made me so happy!! I like had anxiety at first and I didn't know why haha. They are just so beautiful! I LOVE YOU FAMILY!! Thank you for being amazing and being mine:) I'm grateful!!:) Best Christmas Present Ever. It's the little things haha:) We ended our day with dinner at Sister Abstons!! She made us a feast, and spoiled us with a whole bag of gifts! Love her!:)

Overall, this has been a fabulous week! Full of excitement and tears of joy!:) I love the Christmas season! I love my Savior. I love my Father in Heaven. There would be no point to this life without them. I am grateful to be a missionary and to stand in the place of The Christ. I can't believe he trusts me enough to do so! Haha:) I am so grateful for all the gifts you all sent, and the love I feel from you!!:) Have a happy new year!!:)

Well not a ton has happened since the few days that I wrote an email.. But a hecka ton of miracles happened that's for sure!!!:) God is so good!!

First miracle: Sister Meyers and I did not get transferred!! WAHOOO! We were literally jumping for joy!!:) This is her last transfer so I will yet again kill someone off... I guess I am really good at that haha:) I am so grateful to be her companion still. I LOVE HER!!

We found many new investigators this week! People who are sincerely interested and wanting to change! There is a less active member whom we have been going to visit a while. Her grandson has never taken an interest. We asked him if he wanted to learn more and he said no, that he did not believe in God. We went over a few days ago and read out of the Book Of Mormon with this member and her grandson was listening intently. He then began to ask questions about God and about being forgiven. The words from the Book Of Mormon softened his heart and he is now taking the lessons and came to church on Sunday! Him and his Grandma! It was his first time ever at church.. And he prayed for the first time ever in our lesson. I can just picture Heavenly Fathers face just beaming above as his son spoke to him for the first time in his life. I am grateful to be apart of this experience.

I love this time of year. Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting on light. There are so many lights this time of the year! It's beautiful. And we get to celebrate when the Light of the World was born. His birth changed everything. It changed the world. Because He was born we are able to return to the Father. We are able to be healed. We are able to find joy. The significance of his birth blows my mind. I am grateful for the birth of my older Brother, Jesus the Christ.

I have come to realize why there is that Christmas spirit this time of year, and the magic of Christmas. It is because more people in the world are turning their hearts towards Christ, and remembering Him. The spirit of Christmas is Him!

I hope you all have a Merry CHRISTmas this year, and remember the true reason for the season!!:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! Love - Sister Meyers and Sister Slater 

Well this has been one heck of a week!!! Crazy things have happened!!

We are teaching this woman named Michelle. She is so sweet, and has strong desires to be baptized. For her to be baptized it will be a bit of a process but we know Heavenly Father will make it possible if her heart is in the right place! She is really excited! She lives on like 30 acres of land. Haha that is what we see all the time here out in the boonies! Everyone just has so much land it's crazy!!

So on the way to Zone Conference Sister Meyers and I were stuck behind this truck going ten under like the whole way there. On our way we saw this car accident and the ambulance just barely getting there. This car was totally smashed against a bus! Sister Meyers and I were like who hit a bus??? At zone conference we received an announcement that it was some sisters who Sister Meyers and I are over, and that they were on their way to the hospital! We were all in shock. The accident was on the news, it totaled the bus. They were stopped by the bus because children were getting on and the car behind them must have been texting or something and slammed right into them which made there car go into the other lane and slam against the bus! What is so crazy is Sister Meyers and I were literally minutes behind them, if that truck wasn't going so slow Sister Meyers and I easily could have been apart of that. Heavenly Father is so merciful to help Sister Meyers and I but I almost wish it would've been us over sweet Sister Morgan and Sister Ali.

Zone Conference was amazing though. We talked about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy and how that is the prophetic priority right now. I never realized how important it truly is. I have promised myself to always keep the Sabbath day holy. I received a lot of revelation. I felt the love of my Father. And that He and His son just want to heal us. They want us to come unto Them and repent so they can heal us. I have been healed of so much on my mission. I am learning how to access the power of the Atonement so I can truly be cleansed, be healed, and strive to be like my Savior.

We had our ward Christmas party and guess what? I sung a solo! I know hard to believe! Haha I actually sang in public and it wasn't my YouTube hit tear drops on my guitar Jacob black version hahaha. It went well! It was fun and scary!

Because of the accident one of the sisters had to go to the hospital to get testing done on her head, so we took the other sister and we worked in her area. The poor thing has a broken sternum and internal bleeding so she did what she could. We stayed with her a few days till her companion was let out of the hospital. Needless to say it was a crazy week. Oh, and I have shin splints Holla.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! Have a great week!!:)

 Sister G and Sister Lang!! I LOVE YOU!!!:)

 Shin splints + icing + studies = a good time!

 Our fun few days with Sister Ali!  Was in a car wreck a few days before and still looks fabulous!

 Apparently ice baths help shin splints?!? We didn't have much ice...But it still was awful! Haha!

#Sleepovers

The Gracious One.

Another week, come and gone. And boy did it go fast!! We had a lot going on this week:)

We had MLC this week at the mission home. We talked a lot about goals. I'm really learning how to set goals and be accountable for them. It's amazing how things I learn on my mission will help me accomplish things in my life. And with the Lord on my side I know I can accomplish anything, if it is in harmony with the Lord. We truly can achieve anything!!:)

Went on a few exchanges this week! One with Sister Morgan and Sister Russ from the MTC!! It was so fun to reminisce on old MTC, times haha! Her and I have both grown so much! It's crazy!! We are not even close to the same missionaries we were. So crazy!

I love this time of year so much. CHRISTmas:) the devotional was just so wonderful:) the theme of it was hope. Hope is the face of faith. When we grow our faith in Jesus Christ our hope grows as well. We all need hope in Him. He's the only hope we have in this world today. The Gracious One. I love my Savior.

Ohio has been unusually warm haha. People believe that Ohio is the land bountiful in the Book of Mormon, AKA where Christ comes. holla:) Hey, wouldn't be the first time Christ visited the Ohio:) I love being a representative of Him. Even though some days feel like years, this is the only time in my life I am 100% dedicated to His service. And I am living it up!

LOVE YOU!!:)

Sister Morgan and I in front of this cool light show that had a bunch of Christs names:)

GRETCHEN!! She took us to Texas Roadhouse this week! Gretchen I love you!!:) I am so sad I can't be around her all the time anymore!!

Chocolate martini's. Virgin of course, haha:)

How Sister Meyers and I watched the Christmas devotional :)

Being thankful:)

I love holidays!! They are just so fun!!:) They spice things up to a schedule that's the same everyday haha:) It's crazy... I am just like what the heck?? I was here last Thanksgiving too!? It feels like yesterday!! Boy does time fly when you're working hard and having fun. 

Thanksgiving was a party!! We woke up and ran the Turkey Trot 5k!!:) I have never ran more than 2 miles in my life!!! We ran the whole thing and our time was 34.13! Holla! First 5k of many it was so fun!:) We were for sure hungry after that and the Vandifords in the Ward has us over for Thanksgiving. Tradition in their family is to pull out the scale before dinner and weigh then weigh in after dinner haha:) Dinner was delicious of course. So much food!!!! I gained two pounds:) not too shabby:)) We made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies later in the day and passed them out to less actives it made for a fun thankful day:) I'm so blessed to be a missionary here in the great Ohio! I wouldn't want it any other way.

On Friday there was the cutest little parade in town! I love small towns! Everyone was there! At the end Santa came to town and the kids were freaking out haha it was so cute:) I can't believe the Christmas season is here once again!!:) I can't believe it!!

A SAVIOR IS BORN!! Share the news with everyone!! The new video is up on lds.org and its beautiful. Discovery why. Discover why a savior was born. I on my mission have gotten to know my Savior because he is constantly walking by me. It is only with Him and through Him I get through everyday:) share the news of a Savior:) 

 After the Turkey Trot!!!

 Look I have a number and everything, haha!!

 The Vandifords!  Love them:)

 My Utah beanie.  I just love it: photo cred: Sister Meyers

Parade!!

Spiritual Headaches

I LOVE MISSION LIFE!!! Seriously, I have so many amazing experiences here that I would never have at home!!! #blessed :) We received a training as a mission leadership from Elder Cardon of the Seventy. I swear he could see through my soul. Haha. The spirit was so strong the whole time that afterwards I had a major headache.. So we got some Cold Stone! haha:) But no worries...NO MORE TREATS STARTING A FEW DAYS AGO:) I will hold strong! Trying to master my body is a struggle haha. It's worth it!!

So we were knocking doors and this guy answered, his face was in total shock. Sister Meyers and I figured that he wasn't used to two girls knocking on his door. We got a return appointment to come back. His face was literally shocked the whole time. I was on exchanges but Sister Meyers went back to teach him and he said to her "sorry I was in such shock when I answered the door, I was literally on my knees praying that God would someone to direct his life. I told him I need them right now." And right then we knocked on the door!! Oh my goodness! He accepted baptism, and we are so excited for him:) God prepares the hearts of his children. We just need to be His hands and follow the spirit. So amazing!! I love being a missionary!!

It's getting colder here but no snow yet! Dang it I want it to come haha:) We received more training from Elder Cardon at a Zone Conference. We talked about how the Spirit truly is the role in conversion. I really enjoyed it! Also Elder Bennett from the Seventy spoke to us at stake conference! It was a spirit packed week. He kept telling us how Heavenly Father is so proud of us. He is proud of what we are doing. And to not beat ourselves up, cause that isn't of God. I loved it it was beautiful!!

Ken got baptized!! Eek!!:) a wonderful member drove us to the other side of the mission so I could witness this ordinance, it was a beautiful day:) I am so happy for him! In his testimony he spoke of how he doesn't even remember what sister Barton and I said on the doorstep all he knew is he wanted to learn more. He said that when we knocked he was secretly hoping it was the church people. He was ready to come into Christ. I'm so happy for my brother!!:)

Thanksgiving!!:) I'm so grateful for all of you and your examples to me!!:) I'm so so thankful for my amazing parents and sister!! I miss you with all my heart. Have a great week everyone!!:) remember to thank the big Man upstairs:) He has given us everything:)

 Sister Meyers!! She's beautiful :)

 Long car rides home.  Haha! #banished in Urbana

 KEN!!! yah!!!:)

 All ready for the baptism.  He's wonderful!

Sister Meyers broke the table...and my stuff went everywhere.  I was sad.  Haha! :)

Urbana.

I'm in the boonies!!! Got transferred to Urbana:) transfer morning was so sad... My heart was breaking. It was hard to leave Newark. I've put a lot of work in that area the last six months. But change is good. At transfer meeting a Sister walked in and we were totally matching!!!

Cheetah status. I was like oh my heck we will be companions for sure, considering she is an stl too. And guess what? We totally are. We stand up to hug at the meeting when we were called and everyone was dying cause we were matching perfectly haha cheetah sisters!! It was perfect. Her and I are twins. We both have a strong love of Disney, haha!

Urbana is a small town. Compare it to like Vernal in Utah. But there is so much potential!! I'm so excited to be here! I love the city.. But I'm loving the small town.:)

So yesterday a member fed us a 5 course meal... I was dying haha #missionlife it was middle eastern themed. I was pumped cause it was like I'm eating the way Jesus did!! He ate gooooood. I was a fan. :) It's amazing how much my taste buds have changed!

I can't wait to share more of my experiences here in urbana:) I loveit!!:) have a good week!

 "So the lion fell in love with the lamb..." Haha I'll miss you Sister Barton!!

 Cheetah girls cheetah sistas!!

 Middle eastern meal. This was the appetizer

Swerve.

Busy like a bee.

This has been one busy week! It always makes the week go fast when it is! We had MLC Tuesday and zone meeting Wednesday where we have to do trainings! So that is always fun:) the joys of being a sister training leader! We had back to back exchanges as well so I didn't get to see sister Barton for two days. Needless to say, it was good to have her back after two days, haha!

On an exchange to Cambridge we went and had dinner at this members house and he made us steak! Straight from his cow he raised. Mmmm I've never had fresh steak like that before and I am converted for life. They also decorate their little town for Christmas and it's called Dickens Village. They have like a hundred mannequins just chillin on the side of the rode dressed up in Christmas clothes, haha!  Onn their huge court house they have a light show with all these Christmas songs it's a big deal, haha! It was fun to feel the Christmas spirit.:)

This week has just been filled with tons of fun missionary work,  it really is the best! We took Ken to the temple so he could see it and a member of the temple presidency talked to him about temples, I learned a lot!! The spirit was so strong, and Ken is so eager to be baptized on November 21! Ah! He loves the gospel. He talked about how all men and woman who are sealed hold that sealing power. When a child is born under the covenant they are being sealed to the parents therefore they hold the sealing power. Wait what?!?!??! I thought that was pretty cool.:)

There was this woman we talked to this week. She was so dark... There was like no light in her. She actually is a less active member. We testified to her Gods love and it was crazy because the Spirit came and we could physically see the light of Christ in her. We saw that light. The gospel is so real... Christ lives. His light is in all of us. She closed off after a minute and the darkness came back. It's a testimony to me that when we follow Christ we are different. We are disciples of Him and need to show that to everyone!

I love being a representative of my Savior. He has molded me and changed me as I have stood in his place, and have been His hand in bringing our brothers and sisters back home.

A birthday shout out to Ky Bug!! The big 19 woooo hooo!!!:)

Hey, we hit our 14 month.  Holla!

 The zone.

 Tracting swag.

 Ken plus the temple equals amazing! :)

Hey, I just met you and this is crazy!  Here's our book, get baptized maybe?!?!

Happy Halloween!:)

The Lord is so good. That's all I have to say.:) This week was a good one. Worked hard, played hard. While being obedient of course haha!:) Sister Barton's knee is sort of healing so we were able to work a lot more this week!! We taught many lessons. Very spiritual lessons. Sometimes when I am bearing my testimony I cannot believe the power that is in the words that's I speak. It blows my mind how much the spirit has taught me and the power the Lord has given me. After all, it's the spirit that does the converting. Not me!:)

Had interviews with President and Sister Daines which is always so fun!! I love getting to talk with them one on one. They truly are chosen servants. Every time I talk with them I can feel the love they have for me. I feel so blessed! They pulled sister Barton and I in and told us an incredible story of when they were at the Kirtland temple. The spirit was so strong. Ah! I love being a missionary!!:)

So here in Ohio they have "beggars night" which is never on Halloween but it's the night the kids go trick or treating. So pretty much no one celebrated Halloween on Halloween, haha! But on beggars night I was on exchanges and we passed out candy with a member and he had a fire and we had s'mores and stuff so that was really fun!  It made the holiday different.:) But, on Halloween I dressed up as Ariel, haha! It was pretty sweet.:) This week we also had a mission movie night. A lot of our investigators came and we watched the 5000 day project! It was fabulous I loved it:) I cried a little. Everyone should watch it! Haha. Kara brought her friends and in the movie it showed BYU and now she like wants to go there. So funny, go Cougars!!:)

I'm so grateful to be here in the great Ohio. I love this place even if they do things kinda weird, haha! Just a different culture.:) My mom sent me lots of pics of my cousins in their Halloween costumes and everyone looked adorable!! I love you.

A giant leaf plus sister Barton's photography skills. haha!

"We will labor with our might, in this great Ohio land" 

 #mermaiddancing only makes sense right? Haha!

 Halloween photo booth of course!! Keep calm and scary on:)

White walls colored cream.

Haha, well this week is different than any week I have had here in Ohio!:) Sister Barton and I went to district activity on Monday. We were taking a nice walk when BAM! Sister Barton hit her knee on the corner of a bench. It was a sharp one! Ouch! That night it swelled up like a balloon and she could hardly walk. We went in for the night. The next day it was worse. We called Sister Daines and she told her to rest her knee. We were stuck inside ahhhh. She had Kimber come and bring us some crutches and with the crutches she brought a giant bag of skinny pop!! She knows it's my favorite!! Thanks Sister Daines!  It kept me sane.:)

She couldn't walk pretty much all week. We went to scheduled appointments but would come back after. SO MANY WHITE WALLS!! Haha! The doctor couldn't get her in until Thursday. It was a long few days. We went stir crazy a few times. I got up and just started dancing everywhere, haha and singing. You know me!:) It was a good time, haha! On the bright side I got a chance to read a few hundred pages of Jesus the Christ this week. That book though. It's the most amazing book, next to the Book of Mormon.:) I'm learning so much about our Lord. My mind is being blown everyday, and my testimony is growing so much.

Heavenly Father truly blesses us. Even though we didn't get out much this week, when we looked at our numbers for the week last night they were pretty good! Heavenly Father still helped us get work done. He is so merciful. Sitting inside this week helped me realize how much I love the work. How much I love what I do everyday. There is no greater joy than this work. I love you!!

 Giant skinny pop bag:)!!!! Feat. The white walls I stared at all week!!

This car was winking at me.. So I winked back:)