A Christmas to remember



Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace

 

 

Well... I think this Christmas will just be about THE MOST AMAZING CHRISTMASES I have ever had! Let me start with Christmas Eve... I got the most amazing gift!  I got to see my family, my brother Stu, and both of my grandparents. I could not have asked for a better gift. My family is just amazing, and it is so exciting to know that in a few months I will get to see them again! After I finished talking to my family, a catholic priest came up to me and started talking to me in English. Well, he ended up giving me a whole bunch of papers, which I kindly accepted. Then in return I invited the catholic priest to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and set up an appointment to teach him. It was actually kind of funny!



We also got to eat with our Paraguayan family in the night! They are the most amazing people, and made us feel as though we were home!






 Christmas day was the most amazing day! We got up early to open all of our packages, and I wore my adorable pajamas (sorry I forgot my camera today, I will send pics next week) then hurriedly got ready to go to our zone activity.

 This Christmas actually felt like Christmas!!! We went to the stake center and we all made breakfast together. It was like a big family reunion. We were all laughing, taking pictures, listening to Christmas music, singing Christmas hymns! I even got a surprise package from my grandma and grandpa Sanders and a letter from my very best friend!!! Then we all sat around a big table and shared our favorite Christmas traditions or memories! Then we ate a TON of yummy food!!!! After we all piled in the mission vans and headed to the hospital.








This was my favorite part of the whole day! We even met a family who were members and they accompanied us. We all split up in groups and visited all the patients we could. Wow, I wish you could have seen some of the peoples faces. Some were smiling, some were crying, and some looked as if at peace. It is sad to think that many are far away from their families on Christmas day sick in bed. But we got to testify of a Loving Savior, who knows their pains and difficulties. One who will never leave their side. We testified of the Resurrection and the perfecting of our bodies and because Christ over came physical death, we may too. You could just feel the love that Heavenly Father has for His children during those moments. It was something so simple, but so beautiful. This truly will never be a Christmas I will forget. I have been so blessed in my life, and I want to thank all of you for making it that much special. Thank you for all of your testimonies and all of your love. I hope you had a very merry Christmas, and have a happy New Year. I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Sanders

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

SHARE THE GIFT!!!

So I decided that I want to find a mango branch and bring it to our apartment. Then I want to decorate it, and make it our Christmas tree. It will be AWESOME!!!


But it is really pretty to be here in the city for Christmas. Everyone puts Christmas lights up and Christmas decorations. It is super pretty and there is lots of Christmas Spirit. We are hoping that lots of people will be willing to receive us on Christmas day. Something I love here in South America is that everyone is very Christian, and everyone believes in Jesus Christ! Also Everyone has these BEAUTIFUL nativity sets placed outside their houses with coconut flowers, which smell like Christmas. Everything is really Christ centered, which is how it really should be! :)

BECAUSE HE CAME

I think my first Christmas was really hard to be away from home, but this year I have realized something that I have never noticed before. I feel the TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, and I feel as though I truly understand why we celebrate the birth of Christ. Being super far away from my family has helped me depend more on my Heavenly Father and putting all my trust in Him. He has been the only one I have been able to talk to, and my relationship has been strengthened I have felt His love so strong, and even stronger when I think of how He sent His son Jesus Christ. I love my Savior, and I am forever grateful for Him. The more and more I learn about him, the more I want to share this knowledge with others. I can't help but tear up to think about Jesus's life, His teaching, His sacrifices, and His love. He is the TRUE meaning of Christmas! I will never forget this Christmas and the testimony I have gained of Him. I am also so very blessed for the beautiful family that I have, and to be a member of the TRUE Church of Christ.

I want to send all my best wished to you all. I hope that you all spend this Christmas time with loved ones and family. I hope that you remember your Heavenly Family and how much they love you! Share the Gift with all that you know. Christ Lives!!! I love you all!

Merry CHRISTmas!

Love,

Hermana Sanders

:)

 

Well I started this week off with a wonderful zone conference with President. To my surprise a lot is going to change. The area 70 has been focusing more and more on baptisms, retention, and reactivation. They have given us a few things that will help us achieve these goals. First of all they want every recent convert to fill out their family tree booklet and take names to the temple. As many of you know we as missionaries had been asked to fill out our own family tree booklets to be able to use them as example. As I have been filling the pamphlet out, my desires have grown stronger to learn more about my ancestors. I truly feel the spirit of Elijah! It is also really interesting how lots of the recent talks we have heard in past conferences and past talks that are being printed out in the Liahona are talking about the importance of doing family history work. I know that it is going to help recent converts and less actives be able to be firm in the Church. Also President was sharing with us the importance of the Book of Mormon, and if everyone, member, investigator, less active, who ever reads the book of Mormon each and every day, they will be converted. Actually they need to study the words, and just how it says in alma 32:28, it will become Delicious unto them. Then they will be able to invite the spirit to testify of the truth and gain testimonies. Isn't that just amazing!? 

So my companion and I put it in practice and took a less active member and a recent convert to the stake center to learn more about family history. They LOVED it!!!! The less active member told us how she was going to quit her job and was going to call her aunt that night to get more information about her ancestors. She can't wait to go into the temple!! 

 

We also had an amazing lesson with my favorite Brazilian Laura! We taught her about the Restoration and she understood everything!!!! She promised us that she would pray about Joseph Smith and read the book of Mormon! The only sad thing is that she is leaving for about a month to visit her family in Brazil, but she promised to find the church there and attend! She also as 8 hours to travel so she is going to bring her Book of Mormon and read all that she can. Then when she comes back she is going to go to church with us! She is so amazing!!!!
 

Well I am excited that it is getting closer to Christmas so that I can see all of you! I am so happy to hear of all the wonderful things you are doing for Christmas, keep sending pictures! You all will be in my hearts this Christmas, and Thank you for all of your love and kind words! I hope you all enjoy this time and find ways to share this joy with others! Have a great week! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Love,

Hermana Sanders

 

Transfers!

 

So yes... this week I had transfers. It has been a crazy week! We moved into our new house Tuesday night after we found out about transfers. We had to try and say goodbye to two areas because both Hermana Minks and Hermana Argyle left.  We moved into the new house, but we slept in the old house. But half of everything we had in the house was taken away so we all had to sleep on the ground with 2 mattresses...it was super fun. I was super sad to be separated from my companions. I love them with all my heart, and we had such a good time!!! But I am now companions with Hermana Hernadez from Peru. We actually lived in Ysapy together, so it is fun. Our house that we have now is super tiny and only has 1 room. But it is in our area which is the good part.

This week we found lots of new investigators, mostly because I have gotten us lost. But that is part of the adventure, right?

We are also having a great time giving out Christmas cards for He is the Gift! It has been a great experience, and I just love this spirit of Christmas! I hope you are all finding the true meaning of Christmas and can find ways to give gifts to Christ! I love my Savior, and I am forever grateful for Him. He gave us the most precious gift of all, His life. I hope all my life I can show my gratitude and share His message with everyone.

I love you all so very much! I can wait to see your beautiful faces either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day! Take care, and spread the Christmas Joy to everyone that you know! LOVE AND MISS YOU!!!!

Love,

Hermana Sanders

 

Happy Late Thanksgiving!

MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!!

 

So this week we got to celebrate Thanksgiving kind of by surprise. We left to go to our lunch appointment, which ended up being canceled. So, we went to the grocery store and bought a cooked chicken and some potatoes. I also made an apple pie really quick which turned out delicious. Other than that we did not really do anything more festive. But I want to thank you all for your pictures... I was drooling! Just joking! 

 

We also got to do lots of apartment shopping which is a little stressful. I guess I know what it is like being a grown up. 

I must say though, this week ended spectacular!!! We had most of our investigators in church and it was so exciting! We also had President come to our sacrament and he gave such a spiritual talk. He spoke to all of the members about THE TRUE MEANING OFCHRISTMAS, and how we can help others know the significance as well as invite people to be taught by the missionaries. He also talked about a video called, "HE IS THE GIFT" and you can find it on lds.org or Christmas.mormon.org . You should all go and look it and maybe post something on Facebook or share it by email with someone that you think it could help.Spread the True message of Christmas!

One last cool story...Last night we were right under a HUGE THUNDER STORM. There was almost no pause between the lightning and thunder. I thought I had heard loud thunder, but last night beat it all!  It EVEN shook the house, and all of you that know me know that I LOVE thunderstorms... but last night THE THUNDER SCARED ME! But we lived, so everything turned out okay! :)

Anyways I hope you enjoy the pictures! I love you all, and have a great week! 

Love, Hermana Sanders

 

 

Caramel Apple Pie {Lion House Recipe}   

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus additional for dusting top crust
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus additional for dusting top crust
• 1 large pinch nutmeg, plus additional for dusting top crust
• 8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons cream
• Pie crust (enough for double-crust pie)
• 1 recipe Caramel Sauce (see below)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss in apples, and stir in vanilla. Set aside. Stir the apple mixture every 15 to 20 minutes while making the crust. Once pastry dough is prepared, roll out pastry for bottom crust 3 inches larger than the pie tin. Ease pastry into pan and cut away so only half an inch is overlapping the edge of the pie tin.
Pour apple filling into the pie pan. Dot the butter over the apples. Brush cream around edges of pie crust.
Roll out pastry for top crust, fold in half, and cut three 1/2-inch slits through both layers of crust. Unfold crust and place over the apples. Trim away extra crust, leaving 1 inch overlapping. Crimp edges. Brush cream over top and sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg.
Cover the edges of the pie with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove the tin foil from edges after 30 minutes. Cover the whole pie with tin foil for the last 20 minutes. Cool on a rack for 1 hour. While pie is cooking make the caramel sauce. Drizzle warm sauce over pie before serving.
Caramel Sauce

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt butter on high heat. Add brown sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Drizzle over the warm pie.