We explained to her how simple a prayer is.

This week has been a little rough taking over the area, but Hermana Robinson and I are having a great time. This transfer will be filled with many opportunities to serve and be in the community. Taking over the area means I’m senior companion. I’m the one who knows the area and therefore, at least for a while, am just showing and introducing my companion to our people. So it can be stressful but Hermana Robinson has been very helpful.

Elder Spendlove and Hermana Christensen went home. It is kind of weird when I think back to when I got here, they had a good chunk of their missions to do. I can hardly believe I have a year left. Time flies and I think this transfer will go by quickly too. We have a lot going on. We have Sister’s conference this week with President and Sister Bunker. We are all so excited!!! It's going to be amazing! Mission conference is on the 15th, and then Christmas and New Years. Also, Vacaville has a Festival of Trees that we are a part of setting up and taking down and (new this year is) we participate in it while it's going on. It was started by a young woman 20 years ago. She gathered 5 trees and decorated them and auctioned them off. The profit went to the Opportunity House, which is for mostly young mothers that are destitute and other people that don’t have anything. Now there are 50 trees and they make over $150,000.00. It has expanded to selling baked goods and crafts. There’s also a dinner/gala thing one night. There’s also a "Merriment on Main" that kind of opens the festival of trees where people can go in and bid on trees. The church has a booth that we'll be helping out at tomorrow. It’s going to be loads of fun! Saturday we helped sign people and their trees in to set it all up. It seems weird to have Christmas without snow, but it's going to be great!

I just thought of this, Hermena Robinson’s mannerisms remind me of Mom. I love it! I can't imagine having any other companion for the holidays. Can you believe I get all the major holidays in one transfer?! How did I luck out?!

We actually live with the bishop of the fifth ward, Bishop and Sister Monson. We just have a room upstairs and then another one downstairs for our study room. The Monson’s have four sons. All but one is married. Their youngest is serving a Spanish-speaking mission in Kennewick, Washington. Same place as Adrian, but I don’t think they know each other. Elder Monson got there about this time last year. So it's very homey. Hermana Robinson and I were just talking about how it's so much nicer to live in a home for the holidays. It doesn’t seem as lonely or empty. It’s the best!

Thanksgiving at home sounded fun. I had three meals. Thankfully they weren't too huge so I wasn't too overly stuffed. :) We served for a couple hours at the Veteran’s home with Elder Brower and Elder Miller. We served meals and talked with people. The elders got put on coffee duty for a while. We had been looking for them and when we found them pouring coffee to people we just had to laugh! It was pretty comical to see our missionaries serving coffee! We laughed about it for a while. We ate there and then had another meal with the family that houses the sisters in the single’s ward. They’re also a part of Elder Brower and Elder Miller's ward so the six of us joined their family for a meal. Then from there we went off to a family in the fifth ward (that we're nested with) for another meal. Everything was delicious! And after that the whole zone went to the home of the high councilor over missionary work, for snacks and desserts. It was a great day! Just being with other missionaries and the members was great! That and being able to serve in some way helped me remember my blessings and what is really important.

I love to see the work progressing. You had another baptism?! Cool! I can’t wait to come home and meet all the people that got baptized.

Something I really enjoy is hearing the miracles of other missionaries. Every time we have a miracle we send out a message to the entire zone telling everyone about our miracle. It helps every one be motivated and excited about the work. It’s always fun to hear the excitement of the other missionaries and to know there are miracles happening and people are accepting baptismal dates.

We don’t have any baptismal dates right now, but we're hoping to extend a few invitations this week. We have so many people that are prepared to hear the gospel. One sister we have started teaching is amazing! I may have told you last week but it's still amazing to me, so I’ll tell you again. Her concern was that God wasn't answering her prayers because she wasn't praying right. We explained to her how simple a prayer is. There’s also another lady that her question was how can she have the Holy Ghost with her. There are people prepared to hear and accept the gospel. All we need to do is be ready to receive and act upon the impressions of the Holy Ghost to know where to go, what to say, and who to talk with.

Well, my time is up. I love you and have a great week! I hope you get more snow! :)
Love,
Hermana Whitney