I Should Just Change My Name

So you would think that with my name plastered on my clothes that people would get my name right. NOPE! I am still Sister Wood(). No 's'. Maybe I should just legally change my last name so that people can get it right. But then I think about it and with my luck people would start calling me Sister Woods finally and still get it wrong. The challenges of having an easy last name....

Ok, on to the work, this is the letter I wrote to my president this week but it works for this so I am just making things easy and copying and pasting :)
President Castro,
This week I feel like I have learned a lot in my personal studies! The thing that sticks out most in my mind right now is being exactly obedient to the Lord. Not even just while I am on my mission but throughout the rest of my life. Being out here has really taught me the importance of following the commandments so I can follow the example of the Savior and ensure that I am protected from the adversary. Today I was reading in 3 Nephi 27 and in one of the verses the Savior is telling the people to follow what he has done and do what He does. A lot of people who are and are not members don't realize that that entails following Him exactly. He told those people as well as us to do as He did, not to pick and choose what parts of His life we wanted to follow.
On Tuesday last week Sister Arndt and I were studying and we opened preach my gospel to Ask Questions and we studied the personal/companion study. As we looked at it we were really confused as to what it was asking and we tried to think of questions that applied to the situation. We realized that that is something both of us struggle with. We got to talking and we had the thought that Elder Kleiman would call us and ask us to do an ed-pep on that for district meeting. We were right. I am grateful that we get to do that now because this provides an opportunity to really focus on that part of our teaching and help us learn how to ask better questions.
I have also really been noticing correlations between the Book of Mormon and the Bible this past week. We did our Christmas message on 3 Nephi 1 and Helaman 14 which talks about the signs of Christ's birth. We then related it back to the Bible and the start that appeared for the Wise Men. Since then I have really been able to see how the two books really do work together and support what the other is saying. It has been a real blessing to me because before I knew they worked together but I had no specific examples to show it. As I have been studying I have been able to see specific examples and it has really strengthened my testimony of the two.
At church on Sunday I made a realization that I am so happy about. Before I came out on my mission I kind of dreaded going to church. I liked Relief Society because I could always feel the spirit there but the rest was just boring to me. Since coming out on my mission I have been able to see the importance of church attendance and I have a real desire to go to church and pay attention to the things that are being said. I learn something knew each week and I really appreciate the Sacrament so much more now. I recognize that we decided how sacred that ordinance is and I realize now that that is a time for me to focus on the Savior and to think about how the atonement has blessed my life and how I can more fully use it. I love church and it makes it easier for me to testify of it now to investigators because I have that appreciation.
I have also come to love the scriptures so much more while I am out. I see why RM's are always talking about how they want to keep reading each day for an hour and how they want to do it early in the morning as well. I see the need to be reading the scriptures in depth each day and the blessings that it brings. I understand now that if we are not doing our scripture study we are much more prone to falling into the hands of Satan. Today while I was studying I read 3 Nephi18:25 and again it was the Savior talking to the people commanding them to pray so they don't fall into temptation. It dawned on my then how it is possible to fall away just from not doing the simple things. Prayer is one thing we do to protect ourselves from temptation. When we are not praying we are opening ourselves up to that power and we can quickly slip.
Those are my favorite things that I learned from my studies this week. I love personal study time. It is my personal time with the Savior to learn and grow.
Now, on to the work. Things in the 4th ward area are going really well. Makayla is such an incredible person. She was asked to give the young women lesson this Sunday so we helped her prepare the lesson. She showed us the topic and it was "What is Zion?" We had no idea how to turn that into a lesson. She told us that she was able to choose her topic and that she wanted that one because she knew nothing about it. She wanted to do a lesson that she could learn something from and not just take the easy way out. I don't even think a lot of members would do that these days. I am blown away by her and her willingness to come unto the Savior.
Lydia is doing well also. Her son was in town this week and she said that he doesn't support her baptism right now. She says he doesn't quite understand why she does it but she still knows that it is what is best for her and she still wants to move forward. She is very excited about her baptism and her testimony is growing each day.
President, I don't know how Sister Arndt and I were so lucky to have such great investigators but we do and we pray each day that we can take care of them how He would want us to and to our best ability. I am grateful that I am out here serving a mission for Him.
Sister Woods

I have loved being able to be out here learning all that I am. Talk about a whole world of things to discover! I don't get why that scares people so much! I look forward to learning new things and others say that they don't like that they can't know everything. That is the best part of life: learning!! Oh well, I just do what I can to teach them and if it is too much then it isn't their time I guess. Ok I need to get writing some other emails. I love you all and I hope the holidays have been great for you!

Love, Sister Skeeter.