Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree. . . . Dec. 11, 2017

Hello!


Merry Christmas! I can't believe that the holidays are here. To be honest it's been kinda hard being here on a mission during the holidays. But luckily the Lord looks out for us during these hard times.

This week we had our first baptism. Jesse was baptized! We were able to give the talks and to be there to help guide him through the process. It was truly incredible.

The highlight of our week this week happened last night. We spent all Sunday visiting families, talking about Christ, visiting new investigators and running around like crazy. We were driving home and we felt absolutely drained. Our hearts were hurting. We felt really homesick, we were just ready to be done. We came home to see a 6 foot Christmas tree filled with Christmas lights and a present. We pulled in with tears in our eyes and felt completely loved. We put our tree up in our room and opened the present. It was filled with different ornaments including basketball ornaments for Sister Gorley and tootsies rolls for me (at stake conference they announced that we love tootsie rolls). It totally lifted our spirits and we felt complete love. I am so grateful to be serving in a church where the people love you and will help you when you are in need.

I'm sorry my letters have been so short lately but there just isn't enough time on Mondays. I will start a big email today and hopefully by next Monday it will be good and long. Have a great week everyone!:)

Love,

Sister Gray


PICTURES:
Our Christmas tree

Jesse
When you hit the point on your mission where you stop doing your hair and makeup.
2 minutes in a rain storm

Oh Christmas Tree

Sister Gorley, Jesse, Sister Gray 

Sister Gorley and Sister Gray
Cuties with or without make-up ! 

Rain Rain go away! ! 

Breath, Eat and Sleep Missionary Work - Dec. 4, 2017

Hello cute friends and family! This week has been such a good week! I dont have much time today to write (We are being kicked out of our apartment again so we are on the run). So I will share a quick story that is super embarrassing but totally reflects what I do every single day.

SO when I first put in my mission papers, literally everyone told me "wow you are going to be so tired! All you do is work, work, work!" I know that I was going to work while being on a mission and I knew I was going to be tired. I did not know just how tired I would be. This week was absolutely exhausting. We didn't get back to the apartment every night until 9:30 and barely made it to bed by 10:30. Due to the lack of sleep we were receiving (both of us) we were literally walking zombies.
One night we were laying in bed talking about a lesson we would be giving the following day about faith. It was 10:50 and we were still planning (we were in bed, no rules broken) we finally finished and drifted off to sleep. 

I woke up the next morning feeling like I was still completely exhausted, almost as if I hadn't gone to bed. Sister gorley woke up with a huge smile on her face and asked "do you remember getting up last night?" Slightly confused, I responded with a firm head shake no. She burst out laughing. This is what she told me "you woke up around 3:45, sat up on the side of the bed and began teaching a full-blown lesson on faith. Including extending commitments. After you finished your full 20 minute lesson, you climbed into bed and fell asleep." She then told me the complete lesson that I had taught, and with a few modifications.... It was a good lesson plan! We used it to teach Amber and she loved it! Sometimes sleep walking is good! 

So yeah! That was my funny missionary story for the week. Everyone here is putting up Christmas decorations and they go all out. Almost every house has something Texan, it's hilarious.
I hope all of you are taking the invitation to light the world. It's such an amazing opportunity and it brings such an amazing spirit into your life. Please do it. Have a great week everyone, I love you all. 

Love,
Sister Gray


PICTURES:
Stake conference with the wall family:`)
Texas Christmas decorations
My cute comp and I off to the ward Christmas party
Christmas party

Sister Gray's second Family the Wall's.
They were our backyard neighbors and now live in the Stake
Sister Gray is serving in.  AWESOME ! ! 

Christmas Texas Style

2 Cute Sister Missionaries Sister Gorley and Sister Gray 

Photo Op of Sister Gray