Best Week So Far!

Hey everyone!
 So I have really been giving my whole self to the people of Idaho.... I give my time, my energy, my talents, my blood.. and my hair. I cut all my hair off! 11 inches. I donated it. So that was weird. I love it though. It's so much easier to take care of, and It doesn't get as stat-icky and it looks so much healthier. =) I'm just going to go through my week because there were so many amazing experiences.

 Monday.. cut my hair, had a good lesson with a less active family. The spirit was there and we are becoming their friends. So that is good!

 Tuesday..We have been going around to all the less actives and sharing a Christmas message. Because it is Christmas, a lot more people let us in! The relief society Christmas part was fun. We sang some songs with them, but then had a lesson to go to. It was a good lesson. All the kids participated really well. Hopefully we said something that helped the parents. That is the family with the huge Great Dane. We found an over aged youth that we are going to start teaching and she is going to be baptized. Her mom isn't active so hopefully during the lessons we can help her!

 Wednesday... we taught the Mortensens (I sent their picture a couple weeks ago, the older couple)

He is so smart and knows so many scriptures. At dinner he would always pretend to be an investigator. So we just offered to teach them. It was really fun. He made it hard for us and we learned a bunch. He said he wants us to be the best missionaries we can be, that's why he made it hard. Later that night we were going to Sayers to ask a question but sister Sayer wasn't home so we couldn't go in. We decided to go somewhere else while we waited for her to get home. We went through the ward directory and a name stood out to us both so we went there. She is less active, and she seemed really lonely. So we shared a Christmas message, and talked to her for a bit. Cheered her up and let Sayers know later that she needs a friend. That was awesome. Someone in the 30th ward asked me to play the piano for the ward Christmas party on Friday. So I was excited about that. Got to practice a bunch on Thursday and Friday.

 Thursday we taught a lady named Sandra. She is the one with liver failure. Her friend came over and bore her testimony before, but had to go back home because her kids were home alone. Then we taught her the restoration and I think she felt the spirit. Her dog was kinda distracting though. :P I practiced the piano at the church for a while that day. They were kinda hard songs and I needed lots of practice. 

Friday, we visited so many less actives and shared messages with them-- it was awesome! We shared at least 20 messages this week! Did some more piano practicing and helped set up for the party. Then later was the party and for the program the choir did a flash mob and started singing in the audience it was fun. And I played the piano pretty good. Not perfect, but not bad.

Caroling with the Elders on Saturday Night

Saturday was the best day ever! So was Sunday. Saturday we visited some referrals but they weren't home. On our way to the next place we planned I saw a road that one of our referrals lives on but we didn't plan to visit. The car pretty much turned itself that way and I was like "Let's go visit Wanda" So we went and visited her. She is a member, her husband is not. We went in and asked if we could share a Christmas message. She said "Of Course! Let me go get my husband.. he's not a member" She went and got him and he was a little grumpy because he had just gotten up from a nap. We shared our message then we were talking and I asked if we could practice the discussions on them since we are so new. He didn't seemed thrilled, but agreed. We asked when we could come back and he was like "oh, I thought you meant right now." So we did it right then! Taught the restoration, answered a lot of his questions and concerns and committed him to read the witnesses in the Book of Mormon. His wife told us yesterday that she had been praying for something like that and we were an answer to her prayers =) She didn't want to bring it up to him because he is not interested in religion at all. That was an awesome experience.. and we are going over there this Wed! Kinda scary, but awesome! After that we went to Kip's with Brother Stokes to teach him the Plan of Salvation. He was in a really good mood and he was talking and participating really well. I extended my first baptism invitation! And he said yes. Not until March, but he is still going to be baptized =) he came to church yesterday too. I think he liked it. Later was the normal drop off progress records to WML's. We had a really good report this week and we were so excited. it was fun. Sayers were in Utah so we didn't go to their house. 

Sister Radmall and Sister Bowler teaching the Plan of Salvation

Sunday..after the 9 hours of church we taught Sandra the plan of salvation. The most amazing lesson yet! We had one of the ward missionaries there and Sandra's friend from across the street. The spirit was so strong. She didn't have many questions and the two sisters that came with us bore their testimonies so well it was amazing. Then the idea to invite her to baptism came to my mind and I kept holding off. But then I started to get really hot and I couldn't cool down. LOL. So I finally got the courage to invite her to baptism (second invitation this week) and as soon as the words came out of my mouth I cooled off and could think straight. She didn't accept, but she said she was going to pray about it. I have a really good feeling about her. She is so sweet and so strong. I just want her to accept! Haha. Oh ya, and I gave a talk in 30th ward. It was about the gift the savior gave us, and the gifts we can give in return. I read the poem I read at my farewell and EVERYONE has asked me for a copy. So I just carry tons of copies in my bag. Haha.

That was my fantabulous week! We are hoping for a good week this week too. We are busy. Lots of less active teaching and member teaching. So it's going to be good =) I love you all! Remember to think of the Savior this Christmas season. Think about the wonderful gift of the atonement. He overcame death and sin so that we can live with our families and with Heavenly Father forever!

 Love, Sister Radmall

Merry Christmas from Sister Bowler and Me