Email 12/16/13

This week has been better!!!! We have found new investigators. So that should be good. That is one thing that I don't miss is the stupid inversion!!!!!!!

 

Oh I miss putting up the Christmas village!!!!! I look forward to doing it next year!!!!!! Those sound so cute!!!!!!! I am really cherishing the Christmas traditions we have and keeping them close to my heart. I wonder if he thinks it is like the computer because on mothers day you were trying to get him to talk to the computer screen to me. So he could think that that is what it is. I am sure that it was sad. I miss them a lot!!!! I miss you all a ton especially right now.

 

I am so excited for the Christmas party tomorrow!!!!! It is going to be so much fun. Yes you can send the package to the Mission Office that will be just fine. You are so amazing!!! You really don't have to send me anything!!!! I love you all so much. I don't think I can tell you enough!!! The past week I have just wanted to pick up the phone and talk to you and tell you all how much I love you and am so grateful for you!!!!!

 

Wow I cannot believe that He is already coming home!!!!!!!! That is amazing. He will be home for Christmas!!!!!!! What a great gift.

 

I love Christmas as a missionary. I wish that every one could experience it!!!!!!!! It is a great feeling to be able to focus your whole Christmas on the Savior and serving those around you like he would. I could not imagine it any other way. I know that we do it as a family. But there are so many families out there that focus so much on the commercial side of Christmas and forget the true meaning of it all!!!!!!! And here as a missionary I am able to bring a bit of that spirit into their Christmas. I love it so much.

 

We had a ward Christmas party on Saturday and it was so much fun!!!!!! Santa came and I think my companion was more excited then the little kids were. She was jumping up and down yelling Santa's here!!!! It was quite entertaining. While we were there the Elders had an investigator come and He had been taught before about 2 years ago. He saw my badge and asked if I knew a Ballantyne who served here before. I told him that I had a cousin serve in this mission and He said that He remembered Him. Then later that night and on Sunday I had a few other people come up to me and ask if I knew an Elder Ballantyne. On of them said that He gave him some proper American candies. Will you ask Kevin if he served in Stoke??? Please and thank you.

 

That is so great that He is enjoying what he is doing!!!! I am sure that it is hectic. I remember seeing the kids in High School and how hectic their lives got this time of year. Lexie is great!!! I would just say to keep reminding her how much you love and appreciate her. Spend some one on one time with her or even write her a note telling her how much you appreciate her. I know that a note or a letter goes a long way!!!! I remember getting those from you and dad one girls camp and on trek and they helped me to truly feel loved!!!!!! You are wonderful parents and family and I could not ask for a better one.

 

That bird sounds absolutely great!!!!!!!!! I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thank you for all that you do!!!!!!

 

I love you so much!!!!!!

 

Love

 

Sister Ballantyne

 

Give everyone my love!!!!!!

Email 12/9/13

Dear beautiful Family,

 

This week has been rough but good!!!!! I went on exchange to Congleton and that was fun but emotional. Because it was Tuesday to Thursday the day of the viewing and funeral. I was wishing the whole time that I could be there with you!!! But I knew the only thing I could do was pray for you. I think I said a prayer every minute. And on Saturday I did something you will never believe!!! I sang on a bus. But not just any bus it was a double decker bus that was full of people!!!!!!! My companion and I sang Oh Holy Night. And I had no nerves at all!!!!!!!! The spirit was so strong I don't think they would have lasted long at all if they did come. It was absolutely amazing!!!! I still could not believe that I did it. Sister Brown was saying that it was something that she wanted to do so I told her to do it. But then our bus stop came. So we got off. And started walking. I told her that if we didn't get on another bus now then it probably wouldn't happen. So we said a prayer for her to have the courage to do it. And during the prayer i was told that I had to sing with her. So we waited for the next bus and got on walked up to the top. Sister Brown said that we would like to share a song about Christ. And we started singing. It was an absolutely amazing experience. It made bearing my testimony on Sunday a piece of cake.

 

I knew that that would happen. He was a very loved man!!!!! With a heart of Gold. That poem was in a weekly news letter from president the week before uncle Steve died. And i was telling president that it was one of my favorite poems. And I now remember why it was because Uncle Steve had shared it to me and I could see how much it reflected his life and all our lives. I am so glad that I have that to read now. I am sure that it was absolutely beautiful. And I do have to admit that I think I am still in a bit of shock. And I think that it is going to take some time to really sink in. But I know that I am being taken care of. That there are angels watching over all of us!!!!! And I know that the savior is always with us and helping us along the way. I am so grateful for that knowledge that I have and that even though this is a hard time I am able to serve others and help them know that they are never alone. Thank you for raising me in this gospel.

 

It sounds like it was a great Christmas party. Who was Santa??? Oh I do hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. I will most likely be skyping you at 6pm here which is 11am your time. Is that alright???? 

 

I am so excited for him to go. I miss doing that!!!!!!!!

 

Oh she will be so good at that!!!!!! It is something that she enjoys doing!!!!!! I have always loved her cakes!!!!! Wish I could have one here. Oh well probably wouldn't taste very good by the time that it got here;) That is really funny that they were already doing one of her cakes.

 

We have not had snow yet it has been sunny. My companion says that it has been chilly but I don't feel it quite yet. Pictures of the beautiful snow covered mountains please and thank you!!!!! There was a flood in Rhyl last week. I miss it a lot but I am glad that I was not there for that.

 

I should get the packages next week on Tuesday because that is the day we are going to the mission home for our Christmas party. So I will refrain from opening them until Christmas even though it is probably going to kill me to wait that long. Hehe but I will be patient.

 

I am grateful that I was not transferred as well. This is great ward and have helped me a lot.

 

I love and miss you all tons!!!!!!!

 

Love

 

Sister Ballantyne

Email 12/2/13

Dear Beautiful and Strong Family,

 

It gave me a lot of peace as well. I just had to know how you were all doing. But I had to hear it in your voices!! I am glad that you all have each other for the support!!!!! And I am so grateful that I am here in this beautiful place with these wonderful members who have been so great. I have gotten so many hugs and love from these members. I love this church so much because it is the same. You can find the same love and kindness where ever you go.

 

Please know that I am sorry that I cannot be there but you all will be in my thoughts the whole time!!!!! And I will be praying for you forever!!!! You have so many prayers being said in all of your behalves!!! I wish I could do more, but one thing I have learned is that prayers are so strong and powerful. And to have people that are here with me that are here to help people who better then to have them saying prayers for my family. At first I didn't want people to know because I just wanted to deal with it myself and to continue the work. But then I thought about My wonderful family and how it was selfish of me to not want them to have the comfort that they could receive from the prayers of the righteous follower who put their own life on hold to help those who have lost loved ones or who may be struggling or who need comfort.

 

Please watch after Katie I am afraid that she is going to be strong for her mom but not let herself feel break down when she needs to. Her and I are a lot alike because I do that myself. Please let her know that I love her and that I am always here for her!!!!!! I truly wish I could be there with you!!!!!!!!

 

Tell them all hi for me.

 

We had Stake conference this week. It was really good!!! The adult session was all about missionary work. They had us missionaries as the Choir and I sang in a quartet. It was nerve wracking but I am starting to realize that it is not that bad. My companion Sister Brown is an absolutely amazing singer and she is going to help me work on my voice and lungs and get them back to what they used to be. It should be good I hope. President said that he wants us to go caroling through Stoke. We have already done it a bit and have seen some miracles. We have some potential Investigators from it. I love how the spirit of Christmas changes people and they are a bit more open. I love Christmas time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My siblings are so amazing, and so very talented!!!!!!!! I am so grateful for them!!!!!!!

 

I would like some Christmas pictures of the family sense I never got them from last year and I mean every one in the family not just a few. Please and thank you!!!!!!!!!

 

I love and miss you all so much!!!!!

 

Love

 

Sister Ballantyne