Weekly Email December 21, 2015

monday: we went to kate andrews house and we did cross stitching and made a gingerbread house! it was super fun! we just hungout and laughed together! we went to the castillo familys home and spent time with them! jason is the best! he is such a fun kid! (: 

tuesday: i had an awesome study session. i was reading in helaman 14 when samuel the lamanite prophecies of jesus christ birth and the signs that will be given. i tried to apply that chapter to me...trying to comprehend that two days of light would happen when jesus christ would come. i realized that the signs of his coming all were light! angels, two days of light and a new star. Just like our savior, he brings light to our lives. It is incredible how much my life has changed when i came to know that jesus really is the savior of the world. we had district meeting and that was a good one! elder platt and elder gillespie are leaving. they will be missed but were excited for a new transfer! we went to lunch with sister youngblood and had pupusas! YUMMMMMMY!!!!! I had sangria ( non alcoholic of course) and man it was tasty! we went finding and met this jw guy. it was really sad to think that they only believe that a few of us will return to our father in heaven. i know he loves all his children. we stopped by sister nalders and sang her some christmas carols. then we went to the odells for dinner and she always makes the best food! 

wednesday: I got my presents! THANK YOU MOM! I love the tshirts!!! they were probably my favorite and the stamps! we went speed walking for exercise and that was super fun! we went and checked up on a few less active members and that was fun. we talked to tony who demands to know our first names...hes pretty funny. we then went to sister samuels house and we helped her put up her Christmas decorations and that was super fun! i love that family sooo much! then we went to santanas for dinner that was super yummy! we love that girl! i also got a package from the elg family!! thank you soooo much! y'all are so thoughtful! (: 

thursday: weekly planning. i don't remember what else.....

friday: I DID 20 PUSHUPS IN A ROW!!!!! #holla i was very proud of myself! we went to the cooks and shared a message with them  and then we had lunch with them. it was really good! (: then we dropped off our packages to post office. we went out with kate and saw a few members. brother richard smith is awesome! he is such a cool member he is 75 but defintley doesn't look like it at all! we went and saw sister coble and sang her some Christmas songs. she's a sweet heart!! (: We went to the keanums and we had dinner with them, i love that family!!  then we went and talked about Christmas traditions, my future spouse and other random stuff with the carters. brother carter is convinced my husband will have a hunchback because i am so sassy. i pray that isnt true. (: lol 

saturday: i decided to fast today. i need a sense of direction...and you are probably wondering what i am even talking about. i just wasn't expecting to be in the same area again and i really just want to know where the lord would have us go to find those who are prepared whether they be former people who were interested in the gospel or people we just haven't met yet. i really just want to be spiritually in tune so i can do the lords will. we went to one lady's home and she honestly just contradicts herself...its pretty sad that she is confused as to what she believes. went to a baptism for the elders and that was pretty good! we then had a member order us pizza because she forgot she was feeding us...but the pizza never came. I was so hungry. we went to kroger and i bought a bunch of fruit, ranch dip and other healthy stuff. oh i bought r2d2 cookies. those are healthy but lets just pretend. I FINALLY MET HELEN SAMUEL!!! :))) I LOVE THAT GIRL! we had a graduation for sister lawson because she is officially not a greenie anymore. 

Merry Christmas y'all. I hope you spend time with the people you love and enjoy their presence more than the presents. i am grateful for the savior and his birth. i know that his life did not start in Bethlehem and end on Calvary. i know that if we turn to him and follow his example we will find true JOY in this life, even when life is hard. i know all things are possible with him, it all starts with faith, and when we have faith it is the catalyst for our growing testimonies, as we start to align our will with Heavenly fathers! 

MOSIAH 16:9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.  

*make sure y'all love on the missionaries in your ward, they're missing their families and need some attention! *

Sister Russell 

Very short weekly email December 7, 2015

monday: went to the drs. also went to ALDIS! THE BEST GROCERY STORE EVER! also they have the best pomegranates on the planet. then we went to sister youngbloods....attempted to do a puzzle and then gave up. then we went to subway and had dinner with sister coble. i love all her stories soooo much! (: 

tuesday: dm was pretty good. elder nelson inspired as usual! i ate a pomegrante for lunch also i was all drowsy all day...not fun. we met with some former investigators which was AWESOME!!!!! we also went to a white elephant exchange for the young women...super fun! also we had zoes kitchen! :) yum! 

wednesday: had lunch at sister ladds.....

okay im so sorry yall. i just am super lazy and i dont feel like typing out what i did for the rest of the week...sorry! just look at the pictures and be creative! snellville party was good! and i love this work! 

love

sister russell

Hair is long enough for a ponytail!

Weekly Email November 30, 2015

Monday: emailed. went to the samuels and hungout with a bunch of crazy teenage boys and sister samuel. they did a thanksgiving rap and it was hilarious. i wish i could send the video but i cant. lol i facetimed helen, i love that gal! (: there are 2 more weeks left of this transfer i have mixed emotions about it. 

Tuesday: District Meeting was POWERFUL. I loved it. Elder nelson posed the question " how do we as missionaries use the atonement?" We also talked about setting reasonable goals also achieving them. We painted sister matthews windows for her and talked to her. She is super fun, she makes me wanna be married and prego. but then i am quickly brought back to reality when i see crazy children. We visited one of my favorite ladies Sister Turner, that day she found out that Earl was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. It was hard to see her hurting and in so much pain. We assured her that heavenly father knows her and her situation and will comfort her. 

Wednesday: 8month! & what did i do to celebrate?!?! GOT A FLU SHOT! because my mom and sister samuel would have beat me if i didnt. We went finding and we found a sweet mary kay consultant and im pretty sure if i didnt mention mary kay i dont know how we would have gotten into the door. we went to tj maxx with sister shaffer and found the CUTEST journals/ books eva. There is this really awesome one that i am going to get and just give to my children so they can know tons of stuff about they mama. (: Encyclopedia of me from A to Z!  We ate shrimp estufee, that was yummy. 

Thursday: Thanksgiving was just another day...just add 2 more dinner appointments than usual. 

highlights: eating at the manns home. karaoke with a bunch of kids under the age of 9 singing gospel songs. eating chips n salsa and trying different kinds of honey at sister youngbloods house. 

I am thankful for....

my family

the opportunity i have to serve a mission 

the scriptures 

my friends who encouraged me to always be myself

mail service #REALMVP

living prophet 

good health

technology 

my testimony

my friends i have made here on the mission ( daffer, iverson, manzer, aiono, hunter, dimanche, nelson) 

Friday: received letters from my mama & mama nichols! (: we did a service project and raked leaves. that was a serious work out! we then were leaving the neighborhood and see this car that looks pretty bummy and beat up...then theres two kids running towards us with a gun (were in a car btw) and then we continue to drive past but we both felt impressed that we needed to turn back. so we went back and the police were there. we gave a description of what they looked like and everything. pretty cool if you ask me!  i had a melt down that night...just felt really overwhelmed with the things i needed to improve on. just felt like i had no one really to talk to and just was upset. i pleaded with my father in heaven to help me be paitent with myself and to help me have more charity. i was on my knees for a while...i closed my prayer and instantly i felt a peace wash over me. and i knew that my father in heaven had heard my prayer. 

Saturday: I was very quiet that day. I wanted to listen to the promptings of the spirit and i wanted to make sure i was doing everything i could to be worthy for the divine help i so needed. I was hopeful and had great faith that he would help me and give me opportunities to strengthen my weakness. i got a bloody nose. kate came out with us and we went to snellville christmas tree lighting and we took a picture with the mayor, tom witts. he loves mormons. 

Sunday: i found out about 5 mins before church that i was speaking..well baring my testimony to fill in the time. lol but it turned out to be a huge blessing for me. My testimony was strengthened. I got up and i bore my testimony about the atonement. before my mission i just assumed the atonement was just for sinners who committed the really serious sins. but in all actuality its for us all. It is for those who are choosing the right and want to become better. He suffered pains, temptations, weaknesses, flaws, you name it. its covered. he fills in the gap. for when i have done all that i could and have expended my efforts he helps me. i know that his grace is sufficient for all of us whether we believe it or not. the song "finish what he started" by mercyme is fabulous. i testify that if we plead with our father in heaven for help with the things we are weak in, he will help you. i love my savior jesus christ, im grateful for the sacrifice he made that i may one day be reunited with my father in heaven. 

i hope yall had a great holiday! 

xoxo

sister russell