HE IS THE GIFT!!!

Names I now answer to:

Sister Stafford (most common)

Sister Strepford

Sister Shephard (I actually kinda like that one)

Sister Stratmore

Sister Straten

Hermana Estratford

I thought my name would be an easy one....it is very English...XD I did not expect so many variations. Haha.

 It's been a good but long week!! Thanksgiving was great, there's not a lot of work you can do on Thanksgiving, so we stayed home all day. That was a very nice break. Also kinda frustrating, except you knew you couldn't do anything anyway. We went to dinner at a member's house. In the evening, Pres Toone approved a movie....SO WE GOT TO WATCH FROZEN!!! AHHHH hahaha. It's really fun to watch a Disney movie with a bunch of people who haven't watched a movie in so long.

 Also, we painted our front window of our apartment. Sister Morris is a boss artist, so she painted a STUNNING Nativity scene. We painted "He is the Gift," "#ShareTheGift," And "Christmas.mormon.org." it was a really fun and relaxing activity. It's nice to have my hands all messy with paint again. I think this is something I will do with my windows in the future. *nods*

 Who else is looking forward to the first presidency Christmas devotional on Sunday?!? I AM!! I'm going to miss watching it in pajamas and cookies and hot chocolate with a bunch of friends from teh ward, but, it's going to be awesome <3 I'm so excited.

 Christmas time is seriously the best. Seriously. Everything is amazing. Especially as a misisonary. Everyone is a lot more open to talk about Christ and God and everyone's overall happier and nicer. Talking to strangers is a fear that never really died (yet....? *still hoping*) but it's gotten so much easier, now that I basically just talk about "CHRISTMASSSSSS!!! 8D Do you want to learn more about the first gift of Christmas?!? We'd love to help you come closer to Him!! Embrace the Gift!!!"

  it's really awesome to see the Christmas lights everywhere (Sister Morris laughed so hard when she saw a palm tree decorated with Christmas lights. :p Same as Rancho for me, haha. But it's fun experience Arizona Christmas with someone from Virginia) and all the decorations. I hope I get to see the Mesa temple Christmas lights. We've been inviting everyone to it, and for a lot of people, it's already a family tradition. usually it ends up with them telling us how great it is and how we need to go. Haha!

 Lacey has enjoyed her first week being Mormon a lot. It's so cool, she's so completely different, yet totally the same. She always had such an amazing spirit, but she just glows now. And she's so happy and excited about everything--especially sharing the Gospel. She prayed to God and came up with a goal of bringing 300 souls to Christ. She was excited about that goal for a while, but now she's started to say, "I dont' know if I can reach that number. That's a whole ward." We started talking about the Plan of Salvation again and the temple, and she's gotten SO EXCITED. In the middle of class in church, she raised her hand and asked, "How do I get a temple recommend?" haha. She's so awesome!!

 Terra was found by the Spanish sisters and invited us in right away. She's very fun to talk to...within two weeks, she went from "I would never have that devil book in my house" to "The Book of Mormon is God's word, too." :p Once we cleared up that no, Joseph Smith didn't write this book, it's a record written by ancient prophets who knew God in another part of the world, it just clicked for her. "Yeah, why wouldn't other people talk to God? Why wouldn't they write it down? They did with the Bible, sure, the Book of Mormon is totally feasible. Why's it called that?" It was neat. She says she'd never convert because she doesn't believe in eternal marriage, but everything else she absolutely loves. Even 3-hour church XD

 I think that's basically everything....I love you guys so much! Thanks for your support and your prayers!! I still love being a missionary, it's still the best thing in the world! I know that Christ lives and that He loves all of us, and watching that knowledge become such a power in people's lives has been the greatest experience of my life. <3

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! :D

 -Sister Stratford