a very good week

A few excerpts from Sadie's email today.  AND....Her first opportunity to be involved in a baptism:)

Ok I LOVE the hot chocolate bar idea! What a fun thing to do. I would definitely be jumping on that wagon. Is it weird that we're all not together? It feels kind of weird to me but I have to say that the feeling of complete homesickness is going away, not that I don't miss you because you know I do! But I'm just really starting to catch the vision of why I'm here and what we need to do. 

As you can see in the picture, VERONICA did it! She is officially a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We held her baptism last Saturday at 3, we were so nervous because people were late and the font wasn't filled all the way (Can you talk about STRESS) but we started a little late and Veronica looked so beautiful. Her sister came and Rick and Ricky (Husband and son) and the program went pretty smoothly. Sister Tau, Tofa, and I sang a mix of songs I Know My Redeemer Lives and I Feel My Savior's Love. We sang a cappella  and in three part harmony and it was only by divine assistance that we were able to do it haha. We only had one time to practice altogether but it turned out really nicely. I'll sing it for you on Christmas maybe :) Veronica was absolutely glowing.  WE are looking forward to Rick getting baptized soon (hopefully in the next two weeks?) BUT YES I AM SO EXCITED FOR HER! And let me tell ya, it is stressful to organize a baptism! But it happened, it really happened :) I think it hit me at some point when we were up singing, I looked at Veronica and her family and thought "She's one step closer to returning home."

We fasted twice this week to find new people to teach (Holy Moly I thought I was going to pass out) but when we are humble and do all we can, the Lord provides for us! At the end of the day we fasted, we went to go see a fam that had come to our Christmas party. Very cute little fam, 3 kids and a mom and dad , Alexis and Steven. They are looking for something  and after we taught them the Restoration, they said they wanted to come to church!  Yesterday we went and sang at a memory care home, with the Bishop's fam, the Elders, and a couple other families. I played the piano and so I was able to watch all of them lined up singing. I smiled and thought to myself, this is what Christmas is all about! This is the vision that I wish everyone could see! These people have truly become my second family and are really taking care of us. I'm so grateful that the Lord has placed them in my life, they make me want to become a better person every day. 

We have our Christmas Zone meeting coming up, I'm really excited because I'm accompanying Sister Pedersen, she plays the cello and guess what, she's a music major in music therapy at ASU! Who knew! She plays beautifully and we are playing "O Come O Come Emmanuel" by the Piano Guys. http://www.mormonchannel.org/christmas-videos?v=2008190983001

This the link to it. Seriously I cannot explain how much the Lord has blessed me to magnify my talent while I've been here. This song, which usually would take me a little bit longer to learn, has been learned within 3 practices. SO COOL. I might have someone record it.... But yes I'm really excited. Hermana Pedersen can also play my favorite cello suite by Bach. I might want to learn how to play it when I get home, it really is just so pretty. 

We have transfers the day after New Years.  I love this work so much and nothing brings me greater joy than helping others and not letting them give up on themselves. We are all beggars, we all need help and Christ would take the time to make sure nobody was left behind, so I will do the same. I love this place more and more everyday, I'm starting to see the beauty that I've maybe missed before. I can't wait to keep on keeping and go into the new year with better goals and a fresh view on how to work. Work work work, there's nothing else we can do :) 

 I LOVED the THE PACKAGE FROM THE WARD! OH my goodness that had 48 letters in it!! Merry Christmas to me!! Do you know who sent it so I could send a giant thank you to them? I was blown away!! I loved Sierra's letter in it the most. Tell her how much I love her and love to hear from her, it means so much to me. I love the family pic, I have to say though, our family looks very small when I'm not there haha, but I keep in my room on my picture wall and I smile and kiss it daily! 

LOVE YOU SO MUCH! Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, Prospero Ano y Feliz Navidad! 

Sister Sadie Maughan

Thanksgiving 2013

Sadie's latest letter and some pics from the past month!

Mia familia, I send my love to all of y'all! 

No I did not visit the Alamo this week, but I would have liked to :) I hope everyone had a glorious week full of stuffing and playing football and being thankful! We have so much to be thankful for! Our Thanksgiving day started at 1:00 in the afternoon, we went to a less actives house, and we thought we were just having snacks but we ate at 2! Sister Salazar served our plates too, so we had to eat everything off of it. Then we went with the Elders to the Lewis' house, we got there around 4 and the sink had just given out, it was draining so the Elders bailed water out, we all helped :) We didn't have a football, so we played catch with a tennis ball. I was having trouble running in my skirt though, the Elders made fun of me because I could only run so far without having to make an extra effort to get there. Oh well :) We are going to show them up in Basketball and Volleyball in a second though! So we ate there, and then we went to Patricia's house, and helped decorate the Christmas tree, and ate some more. I made the fatal mistake of standing on her scale, of course I gained 3 pounds that day alone haha nuts!! (It's a good thing we have a gym in our apartment complex).

So this week has been pretty rough contacting wise, we really haven't found anyone new to teach so keep praying those tens of thousands will open their doors to us! On Saturday, we decided to call it Super Saturday, because we were going to tract and contact referrals and not come back until everyone of them was done. We set out looking for all these people. We tried EVERY house we could, talked to every person we could. Some said we could come back. But no one ever let us it. By the end of the day, we contacted about 20 houses. Phew! We went hope disappointed, but our spirits were not burnt out. We thought we lost our phone when we got home, so we went to check the car for it. A nice old grandpa saw us and talked to us and invited us in to his apartment (Richard and Mary). He introduced us to his wife and we all talked for a bit. Super friendly couple, they aren't members, and they invited us over for dinner! It was such a tender mercy from the Lord.

Missions are hard but missionaries are tough! We never give up, even after a week full of hardships. I love to read in Alma when all the wars were going on, the Lamanites were constantly attacking the Nephites, but the Nephites never gave up! Especially Captain Moroni, he always rallied his troops and gave it his all, and if he came out triumphant, so can we. I know we can work miracles with the Lord and I know that this too shall pass! 

Thank you for continuted love and support, I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for y'alls example. Elder Anderson is doing swell, tearing it up in Brenham, we get to see each other this week for temple day!! Woot woot! His day is Tuesday and mine is Wednesday, but since we are one the way to the temple, he will stop by. 

Love and miss y'all with all my heart, keep up the good work and keep being amazing!

Love,

Sister Maughan 

The tallest member of Sadie's ward (by a long shot!)

One of the families Sadie is teaching.  Veronica is getting baptized this month.

Sadie's new apartment (that she was absolutely thrilled about).

 Local wildlife that got stuck in their car.

A couple of Sadie's favorite Elders. One of them was finishing his mission this month (lucky family that will have him home for Christmas!)

Helping decorate a ward member's tree.

 Another family member Sadie and her companions are teaching.

 Sadie's "Charlie Brown" christmas tree that she was SO excited about.  I love missions!

Catching Up

Hi Friends and Family....Sadie's mom here... REALLY behind on keeping up her blog. But, I promise to be better!  I just wanted to update her address on the side bar.  The Jester Blvd. will be her address at least through December.  Feel free to drop her a note.....She LOVES getting mail:) Tomorrow I will update letters and pictures!