It's a new world, it's a new start!

1. just some of the awesome people who have gotten baptized here recently.

2. we found Dr. Pepper!

3. we went to an aquarium a few p days ago...super fun!

สวัสดีปีใหม่! Hello, 2015 world!

So, a lot has happened since I last sent a weekly email...most significantly being eight baptisms, including a family that is so insanely prepared that they have even been gathering their family's names for years...when they found out that they can take their family names to the temple, they flipped. They're not actually our investigators, but the 11-year-old girl has adopted me as her older sister and we teach them too sometimes. They are sooo wonderful. This is why I'm here, to help teach and baptize families!

And of course, on Christmas I got to Skype my family! So good to see them all, and my kitty! I love my family and I'm so grateful for them and the sacrifices they have made and continue to make to enable me to be here serving a mission.

I also got an endoscopy two weeks ago, which was a scary but good experience which revealed that the stress I've been dealing with has caused some inflammation in my stomach and intestines which is what's been causing me all this pain. There isn't much that can be done while I'm living this lifestyle because it seems that the stress isn't going to go away, but if I regulate my diet I can decrease and even eliminate the pain.

President Senior gave me the choice, whether to stay or go home to recover. And after a ton of studying and praying and feeling unsure I finally just decided to stay. Because, really, I only have about 10 months left. That's not a lot of time! I can sleep when I get home. And since I've made that decision, my life has gotten easier. Not a lot easier, but I can feel divine help and prayers and love so much easier now. Which means, of course, that I've once again made the right decision.

I wish I had more time to tell some of the funnier stories that have happened this week. Maybe next week. We're off to go shopping and then we're having a snowball/nerf-gun fight at the church, and Sister Yanisa and I have no plans to lose. :)

Don't forget, you have a Heavenly Father who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine. He loves you just like you're His favorite kid in a billion. Don't give up. Don't stop moving forward. and don't forget that life is short...make it sweet.

Love,

Sister Z.