Happy New Year!

Good!-Time-a-day! It's cold out here today! It's still not snowing yet, though it was supposed to today. I had a good New Year's, even though I couldn't stay up till midnight :) But what's new? I haven't had a normal New Years in over 3 years I think. I've been out on the Trail at both Redcliff and Anasazi. We didn't have a dinner appointment on New Year's Eve, so we decided to celebrate by getting frozen pizzas and a bottle of Sparkling White Grape Juice - you know me, I can't be without it, especially not on New Year's Eve! Then the CES missionary couple (the Cottles) across from us came and knocked on our door (and scared us to death because it was late and we were in our pajamas) and invited us to come have ice cream to celebrate the new year, so we did and then went to bed at the normal time of 10:30, but I admit we didn't fall asleep right away because the Cottles had told us of their New Years Tradition of making predictions about the next year instead of resolutions, so we were laughing and making predictions for the coming year for awhile after we went to bed. I figured that as a missionary the only real goals I have are the things I need to be doing as a missionary anyway, so I always have lots of goals to be a better missionary, so I thought predictions would be a fun change. We should write them down; like the Cottles say they do, so we can review them next year and see how many came to pass (did I really just type that? Funny, how you start talking in scriptural language....) One of the things I predicted is that I'd get to serve in West Virginia at some point instead of Virginia and that I'd get Sister Taylor as a companion again :) I also predicted that I would have a new nephew instead of niece. So we'll see.

I had a lot of fun on New Year's Day as well. I got to go hiking! Well, a bit. There is a couple that are getting baptized on the 12th (Gay and Larry Ramsey) and so we see a lot of them and they wanted to take us on a jeep ride up some of the mountain roads, so we went and taught a little lesson on the way. We went down to a creek and hiked along it for a bit and it made me so happy! I felt just a little like I was back at Anasazi! There is this pretty little ground plant called Running Cedar that we made crowns out of and we wore them and frolicked in the woods and made Gay and Larry wear them too for a picture :) We also saw where the Appalachian Trail passes through this area and even hiked up to one of the little shelters along it and signed the register for fun (and of course left a pass-a-long card :) I even got to swing on a grape vine and do a Tarzan yell (I thought of Dad). It's really pretty here even though everything is dead; I can't wait to see it in Spring and Summer and Fall. But yeah, Gay and Larry are going to be a great asset to the church, especially in the missionary work in this area I think, because they are long time members of this community and are known and are loved by everybody. I don't know if the church building will be able to hold everyone that wants to come to their baptism. She's funny, she's been investigating the church for a long time, but then, one day before I got here she just suddenly told the missionaries that she wanted to be baptized. I asked her what changed her mind and she said she didn't really know, she just thought she might as well, since she already lived and believed the gospel. Larry's always been a member, but I get the impression not always very active, but they can't find any record of his baptism when he was 8, even though all the old-timers swear he was, so he's getting re-baptized. They are really excited about it.

As great as holidays are, though, it's good to have them over so we can get working harder. Missionary work is hard over the holidays - especially in this town because everyone is gone for the holidays. But tracting is still so hard for me! The Elders in my district made me practice in District Meeting the other day - I hated it. I think role-playing is even worse than the real thing. But the people around here are really friendly, I haven't had anyone yell or be mean to me so far.

Well, it sounds like everyone is having a great time all being together and I love you all! I'm so grateful to have such a loving and supportive family.