Dec 23

Can you believe it is already Christmas??

So crazy!

I thought I would never get here... but I am here!!

And Christmas on missions are so wonderful.  Thank you for every single one of you who has sent me some Christmas love.  I am humbled by how spoiled I have been!

So this last week has just been insane.  We had an all mission conference- every single missionary in our mission in one building at once!  Crazy!  (Well... except one who was in the hospital getting his appendix removed... poor guy)

Anyway, it was so nice seeing everyone.  You really become family with the people you serve around.  So it was just like this big wonderful family reunion mingled with Christmas music and good food!

And the music program was just wonderful.  I was on the piano basically the entire time.  So that was fun.  But we have some AMAZINGLY talented people here.

Oh man... it is an honor to know them!

I JUST LOVE MISSIONS!

Anyway.

So this weekend we had our branch Christmas party.  And if you know Hispanics, you know it is going to end with a dance.  So there is this adorable little girl named Analy (probably the reason why she is so adorable) and she was trying to play match maker and make me dance with this one elder.

So funny.

So we were trying to explain to her that no, we couldn't do that because we have these name tags.  And when you have the name tag, you can't do certain things like dance- especially with a boy.

And she put her head down and thought for a second and then she just got this look on her face of complete revelation and said,

 "I know!  Why don't you just take the name tag off!"

We laughed for that second, but then it really hit me.

Why don't we just take off the name tag?

This week has been a week of reflecting on the amazing calling that I have to be out here representing the Lord.

I have the special and unique opportunity to be set apart to teach others how to come unto Christ.  And it would be easy just to take off the name tag.  I mean, it is just a clip, right?  But I don't.  Because that is what I am giving to Him who gave all.

I am sure that a lot of people have put the thought into your mind of what you are going to give this season.

And in case you haven't, I am here to put the thought into your head.

What will you give?

Maybe you don't have a nametag, but you have a knowledge of Christ.  And it is easy to just "check your religion at the door"

 (http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/september-2012-ces-devotional)

But that isn't why we are here.  That isn't why I am here.

the church is true.  And I am so grateful for this season that I have to think about Christ and His birth, life, and sacrifice for me and for you.  There is just something so wonderful about this season.  And sure, it is easy to lose the true meaning, but think about your "name tag"- the privilege you had to take His name upon you when you entered the waters of baptism.

Don't take your nametag off.

I love you all and Merry Christmas(:

Dec 16

Transfers!!! AH!  So I didn't realize how much I needed a transfer until... well until I was transferred.

AND I LOVE SANTA ROSA!!!

AND I LOVE MY NEW COMPANION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Andrews from Mesa, AZ

YEAH!  AN AZ GIRL!

And she has been out 16 months and she is just the world's best missionary, I am pretty sure.

And I just love her so much.  What else... we have just been loving out time together.  I don't have any particular funny stories or anything yet,  but I promise that they will definitely come!  We just have too much fun together.  This last week has been crazy trying to get settled in, getting lost A LOT, and doing a lot of planning (well trying.  I am amazed at how much of your mission is spent planning.  But it works!  When you plan, the Lord has a way of making the things work.  Or not.. but that is okay(: )

We live in this cute little granny flat that has a full kitchen! (Which was a luxury I didn't have in my last basement apt) YAY TENDER MERCIES!  So we are super excited for that. 

BTW: For those who are wanting to send some love my way, I live at:

4040 New Zealand

Santa Rosa, CA 95407

Everybody loves some love(:

Also we have all these goals that we WILL accomplish this next transfer!

One of which is to contact 625 new people.  So we are determined to do that!  Hopefully amongst that 625, there will be that one who has been wanting and waiting.  Because we have to sort through the tares to find the wheat.  But that is okay(:

It just means talking to a lot of people.

Totally possible!

We are a mission of high expectations!  And luckily I have grown up in an environment where being average is not okay.  So I am here to not be average!  But I need your prayers to be the best that is possible.

I love you all so much and I am so grateful for your support.

Remember Christ this season!

Watch here!

Dec 9

THE LAST WEEK OF THE TRANSFER! I DID IT!

Oh man, missions are crazy.  And I am so happy that we have transfers- they really help break things up.

So my revelation of the week is that missions are like the Plan of Salvation all condensed into 18 months- if you don't know what the Plan of Salvation is, feel free to message me on Facebook and I will explain!

Anyway, so the MTC is like pre-earth life.  You are just SO EXCITED to get out into the field.  You just want to do it so bad, but you have to wait.

So then you get to the field and you have your trainer- who is your mom- and you feel like a little kid and you are so scared but at the same time, you feel invincible and you have SO much energy and your trainer does all the hard stuff and you just are loving life- even though you sometimes have little tantrums and it is still hard.  Because learning that much at one time and growing that much is really hard! (So those are your first 2 transfers)

Well- then you get to your 3rd and 4th.  For me, those were my teenage years.  I was like, "yeah!  I've got this missionary thing!  Cake."  and at least for me, it was like self discovery... so excited to get away from my trainer and become the missionary I want to become.  

And then by the end, the realization comes that this is still hard, that I have A TON to work on, that my trainer was amazing and I just want her to be my companion forever, and that I really need to shape up.

So here I am.  Going into my 5th transfer.  Can you believe it?? I sure can't.  

And I have been transferred to good old SANTA ROSA!  The heart of the mission(:  

So that should be super fun!

And, For all of you who are feeling all giving and holiday- spirit-y, my new address is:

4040 New Zealand, Santa Rosa, CA 95407

YAY!

By the way, this last week had so many adventures.  We went to the beach, (it was freezing), I went on exchanges with a Tongan who taught me how to dance (super funny), transfer doctrine (that is the call of death that you wait for ALLFriday and then it comes and you just listen and find out your fate), Church, trying to say goodbye to everyone, packing...

you know.

Crazy stuff like that.

But if there is anything I have learned during this crazy time out here in my mission, it is that the Lord will always take care of us. I am not going to lie.  These last two transfers have been really hard!  Mostly because I was being a rebellious teenage punk (mind you- this is all in missionary world- so I say that and I promise you I was not doing anything crazy bad haha I am definitely an obedient missionary).  But I know that I would not have gotten through without the amazing missionaries I have been serving around.  Seriously, every single missionary has gotten me through.  And I love them all so much. 

I hope the picture actually got to you... the computers here really hate me.  But this is the crazy group I got to work with.

Love the people that surround you!  They are there for a reason and you will learn something from them(:  the Lord has a funny way of doing everything with a specific purpose(:

I love you all!

Remember to stay calm and remember the Savior during this time of the year!(:

I love you all,

Sister Bryant

Dec 2

OKAY!  First thanksgiving on my mission!  Check!

Mexican thanksgivings are pretty sweet!  I don't think I will ever be able to eat American food again.  Authentic Mexican food is just... ah(:  It is just ah(:

And the morning started out with a good old american football game... which was dumb.  Because us sisters aren't allowed to touch the elders.  So we basically just stood in the field, trying to avoid them.

Then after that we watched a soccer tournament.  Which was SWEET.  Soccer has totally won my heart and I am convinced it is the sport that will be played in Heaven.

And then after that, we ate and practiced for the giant musical program we put on!

Quite the day!

So yeah... Everything is amazing.  I am grateful for this mission!  I have learned a lot.  Especially about the nature of prayer and fasting.  You WILL receive and answer.  So be careful what you pray of fast for hahaha

As the Christmas season comes up, learn to rely and trust in the Lord.  That is something I am working on daily.  It is hard... it definitely is not easy.  But it is so worth it(:

And if you find yourself wanting to send some love to Sister Bryant this Holiday Season, she would not mind that whatsoever!

The church is true!

I wish I had more time to write these emails.  Maybe by the end of my mission I will figure out a system to be able to do everything I need to on Pday haha

I LOVE YOU ALLL!