Last Letter as a Full-time Missionary

Dear Family and Friends:

I don't think it is possible to describe all of the things that have happened this past week, but I will do my best, just know that this is a season of miracles and that the greatest miracle of all was that over 2000 years ago our Savior, Jesus Christ, was born.  All other miracles are just an appendage to the greatest miracle of all.

Chalk Finding.  If you have not watched this short video.  Do it, it is wonderful.
You can watch it by clicking on this link:  http://www.mormon.org/christmas

At the Nauvoo Temple with the Jensen's

Tuesday was the departing temple trip and how wonderful it was to be with all of the sisters that came out with me 18 months ago.  It was fun because we met up at the stake center in Des Moines early in the morning and the sisters were all in the big 12 passenger transfer van!  We were joking about how 18 months ago we were driving that same stretch of road (at least to Iowa City) as Greenies who didn't have a clue what was going on, but here we were reunited heading to the temple at the conclusion of our missions.  There are 21 missionaries in our group going home this transfer, and so it was such a neat experience to be able to attend the Nauvoo temple with so many missionaries, and to have our wonderful mission president and his wife there with us!  The temple truly helps us to understand the Plan that our Father in Heaven has for each of us!

We didn't get back to Des Moines until after 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday night and so a set of sisters came and spent the night with us, because it was too late for them to drive home, so once again we had a short night, but it was fun to be with other missionaries!

The family that we live with was having family come to town for Thanksgiving and so we got to meet some of their family members, who are all as great as the family that we live with!  Like the oldest daughter and her husband are so kind that they are taking some of my stuff to my brother so that I can pack everything into my suitcases!  Also, they left us a super cute note on the bathroom mirror that said " Sister Missionaries (n) Mormon lingo- super heroes that wear skirts."  Anyways, I have thoroughly loved everyone that I have met in this area and the members are so good to us! Since the family that we live with had visitors this past week we were able to go and live with another family for a few nights!

The wonderful family that we live with.

"THE MIRROR NOTE"

Wednesday it snowed!  And I love the snow!  I think it is so pretty and it makes me so happy around this time of year!  So the day started off great and continued to end great as well.  For most of the day we were helping a family in the ward who was moving to Massachusetts.  It was so fun because there was so much support from the ward members which I don't know why, but I am constantly amazed at the amount of service rendered to one another!

All bundled up

Sometimes you see random things on the sides of the road and you take a picture of it :}

Wednesday we received a text from Carlie saying that her grandpa had suddenly passed away from a heart attack and that 3 hours later her grandma had a stroke.  Our hearts just went out to her and immediately we asked her if she would like to receive a Priesthood Blessing, and explained the purpose of blessings.  She gladly accepted and so we were able to call their home teachers and go over that evening!  The Power of the Priesthood is REAL!  It truly is the Power of God on the Earth today and is here for the blessing of God's children!  After the blessing we were able to talk with Tommy and Carlie and she mentioned how she has been reading the Book of Mormon during all of her breaks and how the night before she was rereading 1 Nephi 11 because she felt like it was an important chapter and she came across verse 17 which says "I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless,  I do not know the meaning of all things." She was in the middle of highlighting that verse when her phone rang and that was when she found out about her grandparents.  Our Father in Heaven is real!  He is aware of all of His children and He loves us!

Tommy & Carlie's family at church.

Thursday was Thanksgiving and how many reasons we have to be thankful!  I was especially thankful for wonderful members who made the day so special!  We were able to spend time in several different members home, eat wonderful food and meet wonderful people!

The Bishop & his sweet wife.

Friday we had texted Amy, who has been coming to church for 9 years with her husband and has callings in the church, to let her know that we can move forward with baptism and that we didn't have to go through all of the missionary lessons with her, that she could have the baptismal interview and then be baptized soon after.  Right as we were walking into our ward mission leader’s home for coordination she responded and said that that was wonderful news and that she wants to move forward.  Half jokingly we told her that she could have the interview that Sunday (November 30th) and be baptized that night.  She responded saying that she wasn't backing out but that her husband would be on a business trip and it's kind of important to have him there, but that the following week would work!!!!!!!!!!  What a huge miracle!  You should have seen the reactions of the ward members on Sunday!!!  Priceless!

Saturday we were in Grimes and decided that we would swing by Jessica's, who was the Mormon.org media referral that we received like over 2 months ago and haven't been able to make it back in to see her since.  We buzzed to her apartment and she told us to come on in!  It was so neat!  She said that she had been thinking about us earlier that morning!  She also was able to express some of her concerns because she is unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon so she was overwhelmed and didn't know really how to start or what not.  It reminded me of when I was in Des Moines and Cho Ku (who we would teach English to and she was a refugee from Burma area) anyways when she told us the story of her first experience with Pizza and she had no idea what it was our how to eat it so she tore off a little be of the crust and that was all that she ate, but now she loves Pizza.  Anyways, we were able to go over the Book of Mormon a little bit more, and then said that we would love to give her a Book of Mormon Stories which is the illustrated children's book, because that is what we first started on when we were children!  She was so excited for that!

Sister Call, Jenna, Greg, Jarrett, Jaycie, Bro. M.

Sunday, my last Sunday in the field and it was filled with mixed emotions!  But it was a wonderful day over all! It was crazy because we were coordinating with Amy, Greg, and Carlie, as well as covering a primary class for one of the medical student families that we went over to on Thanksgiving!   Because of the death in Carlie's family she was able to come to church with Tommy and their two kids and they stayed for all three hours!  Amy was there, as always, but she was super excited about her baptism and so we were coordinating it and so she will be baptized on the 6th of December.  Sunday evening we were able to have a lesson with Greg and he is all set for his baptism on the 13th of December.  And then Carlie told us that she wants to be baptized on the 20th of December!  So we called President to tell him of the miracles from the day and asked if he could extend me for a little more than 2 weeks.  He said that he could, but that he wouldn't because then he would have to deal with parents that want to see their daughter.

Anyways, This truly is a season for miracles and I am forever grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I love you all!

Love, Sister Call