So It's December 8th and there is no snow on the ground! Its been an average of 55  degrees... And it has been wonderful! This morning we started the day by helping paint the basement of a family in our area whose husband is dying from cancer. It was just so cool to see all these moms come and paint for this family so that they could rent out the basement and get extra money. It was a good way to start my p-day.

This week was slow with appointments, but it went really fast. Tis' the season for Christmas parties. And church activities are great because it really breaks down walls that people have with church members and it shows that we are normal people. Thats something that I miss about Hawai'i, great parties. Here there good, but their down in an hour and no body just gets up and starts singing. But they are still good. 

(the last one) Core Belief #5: I will let the Sacrament change me each week as I renew my covenants with the Lord and use it to access the Atonement. 

This core belief is very important. Because the Sacrament is very important. I have the opportunity to take the Sacrament three times some Sundays. Because I take the Sacrament so often it's easy to think of it just as another thing that I have to do, but I feel like its a time for me to internalize the meaning of it. I've always known that the Sacrament is important and I've always felt the difference between the weeks that I haven't be able to renew my covenants and the weeks I have. 

It is so easy for us to forget to make the Sacrament a spiritual experience each week. Cherly Esplin said in Oct. 2014 general conference, 

"The sacrament becomes a spiritually strengthening experience when we listen to the sacrament prayers and recommit to our covenants. To do this, we must be willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. ² Speaking of this promise, President Heny B. Eyring taught: “That means we must see ourselves as His. We will put Him first in our lives. We will want what He wants rather than what we want or what the world teaches us to want.”³

I have never felt the changing effect of the Atonement so much until my mission. There are things that I need to fix and that is how I am being forgiven if I'm trying to better. And then there are things that I need help with and that is how the Atonement helps me to be better and strengthens me in my weaknesses. 

I am grateful that we have that opportunity to come closer to our Savior.

I love you all!

Sister Swain :)