Merry Christmas!

Another week has come and gone and with it an abundance of new experiences. On Tuesday we went to transfers and, after eating a final meal at Panda Express, walked stoically towards our destinies. She to learn where she would go and I to know who would come.

Cello! I Love Cellos! President Reynolds is my favorite!

Transfers:

As I happened upon the church parking lot I heard an, "HERMANA VOSS!!?" I looked up (my head was hidden in a large and rather furry coat) and lo and behold saw Elder Creager! The amount of joy I felt seeing my Brooklyn trainee comrade was probably unreasonable. Needless to say, he and Elder Weisler received very strong handshakes. And then seconds laters I saw a ball of puffy hair running towards me and a muffled, "Hermana Voss!!!!" It was Hermana Gourley! I definitely winded her with the strength of my hug. It's only been six weeks, but you all really don't understand because it has been *forever*. I hardly remember my time in Brooklyn now. It all feels like a dream.

Transfers when I just found out Sister Ashford was my companion!

I entered the church and received my new companion. Well, I mostly just went up on my tipee toes and looked over my Zone Leader's shoulder to see my companion's picture on the paper and frantically ran to where I knew my new companion was. She is a sweet blonde named Kelsey Ashford from Austin, Texas. She is a good driver (which means more to me than you all could ever know. I've been in over six car accidents now and have a slight fear of cars and drivers. When I was called into Brooklyn I sighed in sweet relief. When I was called into a car area my stomach dropped). And she loves Christmas. Theoretically she celebrates Christmas on the 25th of every month. I'm not positive how that works exactly but somehow she makes it happen.

This week we made a Plan of Salvation board game, we weekly planned for investigators Sister Ashford had never met, we attempted to eat fruit cake, we made snow men, I had soaked feet in tights for a full day, I got us lost in Hempstead a few times, and I successfully guided us to Glen Cove (okay fine, our GPS TomTom helped) and we made it to Port Washington twice! We even found some less actives and taught someone we met at McDonalds two times this week.

Snow:

We awoke to an inch and a half of snow on Saturday. It was chilly, but we took a brief study break to build a miniature snow man and play in the snow. It really was a winter wonderland. There is something magical about a town like Mineola covered in snow. Hardly anyone was out and about, but those who braved it bundled up like eskimos. It reminded me of a song that used to play on Sister McDowell's thumb drive that said, "I was following the pack all swallowed in their coats with scarves of red tied round their throats." I was even wearing a scarf! It was cream, though.... The snow was light and powdery at first but turned sticky as the falling flakes transformed into less fluffy, wet and icy rain. That was the day that I stepped calf deep into a puddle with flats and tights and discovered I couldn't change and had to live with wet feet for a day. It was a bit chilly, but I didn't mind.

Snow!! 

Christmas Fiesta:

The Christmas fiesta that night was buckets of fun, though. From rather interesting santa-related decorations, to every color of the rainbow on our tables, our party was bright and most certainly Hispanic! Better yet, members came, less actives came, nonmembers came, vecinos came, they basically brought everyone but their dogs. Cecilia, the friend visiting Ana from Ecuador, even came! It was crazy and hectic, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. They read from Luke and presented a short presentation of the nativity, just like my family did back home. Then a small choir (that I was a part of) sang '¡Recocijad! Jesús nació' along with Jesús en Pesebre y una otra que me pasa por alto. It was darling, and I loved performing in the choir.

Christmas Party.

The Pleasure of Performing:

Better yet, though, was the next day. I took my cello to church, and was privileged to play Silent Night, the hymn requested by our branch presidency. Performing is really a kind of magic. I love being in front of the crowd and performing. It's stepping out of reality and into something divine. It gives me a happiness beyond that which I normally feel and such a purpose. Simply put, I was perfectly and exquisitely happy.

And a last item to mention is caroling. We spent some time with our branch president, his wife, and Juancito last night Christmas caroling. It was lovely to spread joy through song. Singing is one of my favorite pastimes, and Sister Ashford doesn't enjoy singing much, so forcing her to sing for once gave me a certain satisfaction. After all, "the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." Even more of a blessing was that every single one of the families we caroled for were at home! That never happens for us missionaries! Never. We have at least one appointment cancel every day because someone isn't home.

Christmas Spiritual thought:

Marley in A Christmas Carol: “Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me!”

I encourage each and every one of you to 'Light The World' and to conduct the eyes of all those you see to the true point of light and love. That is, to Christ.

I wish you all the most very merry Christmas. May love and peace abide in each of your homes at this beautiful time of year.

My utmost love,

Hermana Ally Voss