Christmas in Shawano

Hey Everyone!

First off, I love Shawano! It's a complete difference than Green Bay. A lot bigger area and a lot more empty space. I tract every day for a couple hours, don't worry I stay warm. We don't have any investigators here, so we do a lot of finding. Sister E is great and thinks outside the box. The ward is small about 30 active members I think (then again it was the Sunday before Christmas). They are strong members though and adore the sister missionaries (sister missionaries were only put in Shawano 3 transfers ago)!

Friend of the week: The P family! A less active family (for heath reasons) love the missionaries and have them over for dinner every week (alternating sisters with elders - they love the sisters more). They are the family having us over for lunch and Skyping on Christmas. They have presents and stocking for us (all their kids are grown and moved out). Such a sweet, amazing couple. I love them and we call Sister P - Sister P (so we are still keeping mission rules) she really is like a mom or grandma. I just always want to give her a big hug!

Highlight of the week: We tried a new door approach and were able to hand out 6 Book of Mormons in 2 days. It was amazing! We found 2 promising potentials from it. I found that I really enjoy tracting. I guess it's just nice to be outside and doing something. Though it isn't the best way to go, but it's all we can do right now while we try to get the members more pumped up and get the work moving that way.

Other News: our mission's goal is to have 300 baptisms this year right now we have 295, with 4 more planned for next week. We just need one more, not that #'s count really, but to know that 300 people have joined the church here in Wisconsin - the lowest baptizing mission in the US - would be so incredible. Our shower hasn't really been working - a plumber is fixing it today - so we've had to have 5 minute showers the past couple days. Fun stuff. The W family is taking us to our baptism on the 28th. I'm so excited for her! Soon her honey will join her (the end of January hopefully). We volunteer weekly at Pine Manor - a nursing home that I can't say anything more about besides that we help people play Bingo. Oh and I had to bear my testimony with Elder O (the other new missionary) in Sacrament Meeting - yeah, they didn't give us any notice about it either, but it was nice. I've gotten lost of presents from the members. Hot Coco, gift cards, another present they are going to drop off and they don't even really know me yet! All my letters came at once which was cool - all 12 of them. I feel so loved, thank you! I will try to reply to all of them today.

Christmas: On the day of Christmas Eve we have a special Training Meeting with the other districts about Christ. Then we have dinner at the J's and are going caroling with them :) Christmas Day will be spent at the P's where we will Skype our families and have lunch. Then we are volunteering at a community dinner passing out food and then back to the J's for dinner again. It will be great!

With Buckets of Love,

Sister Kern