President has gone crazy!

(Sister Slade)

It's been a good week!

We had our zone conference/Christmas party on Thursday. The spiritual part of it was amazing! Sister Strong taught us about remembering and invited us to remember Christ. We then had a 2 hour testimony meeting on remembering Christ. It was the strongest I've felt the spirit while on my mission and I didn't want it to end.

For the party part of the day, we had a bunch of games going, one of which was a cup stacking competition. Sister Boyack took 2nd place with the fastest time in the mission of 13 seconds. I placed 4th. I bet you didn't know I was so talented at cup stacking. :) I also played Kites at the talent show that they had. The best part of the evening though was when President Strong dressed up like a fox and danced to "What does the fox say?" It was quite entertaining.

We had lessons with Jason and Nancy and both of them want us to read the Book of Mormon with them. In Nancy's lesson we also read the Christmas story. I was able to bear my testimony about what the "good news" of the Savior's birth meant to me.

I didn't have a chance to bear my testimony at zone conference, but I want to do it here. My favorite scripture on the atonement is 1 Nephi 3:7 in connection with 3 Nephi 12:48; "...the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." And  "therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." It means so much to me that the Savior has provided the way and is the way that I can accomplish the commandment he has given to be perfect. I am painfully aware of how imperfect I am. On my own I could never be more than I am. It's only through the Savior that I can become as He is. There are so many things that Jesus Christ is to me. He is my friend. He is my brother. He is my example. He is my teacher. He is my healer. He is my leader. He is my protector. He is my Savior and my Redeemer. I love him. It's a privilege for me to serve Him to try to show Him how much I love Him.

Who is the Savior to you? What does the "good news" of the gospel mean to you?

I love you all! Thank you for your support and prayers! They are much needed.

Pictures!

1. President strong with his back up dancers

2. There's a pond in our area and I took this picture
3. Sister Boyack and I took a picture with a cow

4. We taught a 7 year old girl that wants to be baptized and her mom took a picture of us

5. The cup stacking competition (I'm trying to find the video from someone,but no luck so far. Believe me it was epic).

6. Me playing piano at zone conference

7. Zone conference lunch