Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!!

    

SNOW AND MORE SNOW!

I tried taking a picture of a snowflake. 

     I hope you all had a wonderful week and are looking for ways that you can all serve around you. I really love the #LightTheWorld video and calendar that the church put out, and I have seen the difference that it has made in my life the past couple of weeks. I just feel so much happier!
     IT SNOWED SO MUCH AND IT IS SO COLD. To the local Minnesotan’s I am sure that it isn't that cold, but it seems really cold to me ha-ha. It basically snowed the entire weekend. We had to get a ride to church yesterday with some members, and it took us about an hour to drive to church (when it normally only takes about 25-30 minutes) because of all of the traffic and snow. I am so grateful that Hermana Chavez is driving, but I do not have any experience driving in the snow. Although it is really cold. And my face seems like it is always cold, I am so incredibly grateful that I am a missionary right now. I love Minnesota and the people here that we are teaching.

Sister Bingham and I with Marylyn. 

We met her at the gas station!!
She is seriously one of the sweetest people I have ever met.

    This week I went on exchanges with my STL, Sister Bingham, and I went down to her area in Eden Prairie. It always is a little different doing English work but I really enjoyed it. We met with a super sweet older guy in the morning and read the Book of Mormon with him. Then, we taught a family who is actually Hindu. The missionaries started teaching them about a couple of years ago, so they have come to believe in Jesus Christ. Which is so awesome! We also taught a recent convert, Leah, later that night. She was baptized back in September, and she just has been on fire ever since. She loves saying prayers and loves reading her scriptures. She was super fun to teach. As Sister Bingham and I were driving back to exchange back with our companions, we stopped at the gas station because we both had to use the bathroom. While Sister Bingham was in the bathroom this super sweet lady walked up behind me. We started talking to each other and what our favorite thing about Christmas is. Then, I was able to share the #LightTheWorld video with her. She absolutely loved it. Sister Bingham came out of the bathroom in the middle of the video, and we got her number. Marylynn is excited to have the missionaries come visit her soon!

 Exchanging back. Trying to stay warm!!
The wind makes the cold so much worse haha. 

   
We had another lesson with Jose and Ellie! They are doing really well and have been saying their family prayers more often. They told us that they really notice a difference when they say their prayers and when they don't. This week we had a quick lesson about fasting, and how it is important to fast with a purpose. They weren't able to fast on fast Sunday a couple of weeks ago, but they fasted the day after we had the lesson with them. Jose and Ellie told us that it went really well. We are going to follow up with them more later this week when we see them again.  Also, Jose wants to start paying Tithing even though he's not a member yet! I am amazed about both of their examples of diligence in keeping the commandments!
      I finally got to meet an investigator that they were teaching before I got her to Minneapolis named Yacqueline. Yacqueline is golden.  The last couple of weeks we have been sending her scriptures to read, and she has read all of them. She loves reading the scriptures, and she is always asking us what else she should read. We went over there with the intent of sharing the Christmas video, but turned out that she had already watched it! She also has been doing an act of service every day since. So we shared another Christmas message with her. During the lesson she just flat out told us that she wants to be baptized! She expressed the desire she has to follow Jesus Christ in every way possible; and, has recognized the spirit so much more in her life since she started meeting with us. We aren't sure when she is going to be baptized. She has some family coming into town and won't have time to meet with us; but, we are going to continue sending her scriptures.  Yacqueline has such a light about her, and being around just makes me want to be better. I am excited to watch her continue to progress in her testimony of the savior.
    We had another lesson with Jessica again! Jessica is such a sweet soul. We shared the Christmas Video with her, and she loved it. She is so excited to serve just as Jesus Christ served! Funny story: At one point in the lesson she was telling us a story, and she said the funniest thing to us: "At first I really liked it. It was so lit.... wait do you guys even know what lit means??" We just cracked up! Apparently I am getting to that point where I look like I shouldn't know anything about what's going on in the world.
     During my studies this week, I was reading about Jesus Christ birth. I just love how the sign of Jesus Christ's birth was three days and three nights without darkness. How special is it that when the first gift of Christmas, the Savior of the world was born, that there was no darkness? I definitely know that Heavenly Father didn't do that on accident, because Jesus Christ really is the light of the world! In John 8:12 Jesus Christ says, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." I know that this is true! As we follow Jesus Christ, we will have so much more light and joy in our lives.  In a talk (That Ye May Be Children of Light) given by Elder Robert D. Hales, it talks about this exact thing. He says:
“Have you ever stopped to think that perhaps you are the light sent by Heavenly Father to lead another safely home or to be a beacon from a distance to show the way back to the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life? Your light is a beacon and should never stop burning or mislead those who are looking for a way home. … Jesus Christ is the light that has been given to us so that we may follow and know where to go. [I pray] that each one of us may choose the right [so that we can] lift and strengthen those around us."
   I also know this to be true!! We can all follow the example of Jesus Christ and be a light in the lives of others! Heavenly Father loves all of His children so much; I know that as we turn to Him in prayer to know who we need to serve, or bring back into the light, that He will tell us! I know Heavenly Father answers our prayers as we pray to Him in Faith. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and is the Savior of the world. I am so incredibly grateful for Jesus Christ and his redeeming love. I love my Savior. He is one of my best friends. I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to help others feel of Jesus Christ's love.
   
    I love you all so much! But more importantly, Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ, love you all so much more!!

Love,
Hermana Duvall


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Minneapolis Zone! I forgot to mention in my main letter that We had our Christmas Zone Conference. It was down in the Lakeville Chapel. It find kind of weird being back in Lakeville but it was fun getting to see everyone again! Sister Cobb and I sang a musical number. I was going to record it but I forgot until I was already up on the stand. We also got to watch the movie It's a wonderful life!! 

Some of the Spanish hermanas!! 

Me, Chavez, Leavitt, Anderson, Dean, and Rowland. 

Sister Abrahamson. We visit her every week. 

Minneapolis

Hermana Carmencita!
I love visiting her. She has one of the most unique personalities ever.
We sang hymns with her this last week. 

We made pupusas again this week! I was trying to make it look like

 I was smiling with the half eaten pupusa in my face. 

 From the 12 days of Christmas package that i sent to Hermana Duvall and Hermana Chavez.  I wrapped each gift and taped a spripture on the outside. They were to read the scripture and then they were suppose to guess what was inside. 

Proverbs 13:19 -Burt's Bees Chapstick 2 Timothy 4:3 Q-tips

1 Samuel 2:9– socks

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1 Samuel 2:9– socks & Revelation 14:19- vine of the earth- red vine

Luke 2:14- ornament peace good will toward men

Proverbs 6:21  scarf