Sister Malena McKee : Merry Christmas!

Hey everyone!

This week was a dousy, but it was also so awesome!

First thing, I've been really homesick for Arlington. It was harder to leave Arlington than it was to leave for my mission. But, Tuesday night we were heading to dinner and I got a call! And Wilma was with the other sisters and she called me and we got to talk for a few minutes! It was so awesome, I don't know if its allowed, but it was a blessing to me.

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We had our Christmas Conference with the northern part of the mission this week and it was so fun! We had a movie, made gingerbread houses and had a gift exchange! We made our gingerbread house a temple and one sister said "I want to make a dragon, it needs a dragon" and I said "there's a dragon in Revelations, it's biblically correct". So, when we were presenting our finished houses I read in the Revelations about the dragons and I thought it was funny, but no one else laughed. #awkwardmalenamoment

That night we had exchanges and I went up to Denton with Sister Cottle! It was so fun and I finally got to go to BUCK-EES! Aka the worlds largest gas station- only in Texas. It was so cool. I was in awe. We got lunch there from their own personal bbq station and I got a tshirt. Coolest ever.

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We had a really good lesson with Joanna this week and she is so excited to learn and for us to teach her boys! As soon as we said the opening prayer she got teary and stayed teary the entire lesson. She told us she just had all these good feelings. We told her that the Holy Ghost tells us when things are true and she told us she knows that's what's happening!! She told us she will definitely read the Book of Mormon!

Also, we tripled our teaching pool this week!! It was from 2 to 7, and we are super excited!!! We found 4 new people and then referred someone to the other missionaries! It's been so awesome and Sister Mabila is so excited to work! I think I'm wearing her out though because she keeps falling asleep randomly. Haha! She's such a hard worker though!

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"Remember the reason for the season"

Oh man, If I had a penny for everytime I heard that, I'd have enough to stack them and retry the Tower of Babel. But, as I have previously mentioned, I love the condescension of God. It amazes me. And Christmas represents that pivotal moment when Jesus Christ, the only begotten, the creator of worlds handed in His world creating gloves and went from being one of the most powerful beings in the universe to being the most vulnerable, a baby. He used His agency and chose to come to earth, just like the rest of us, and live as we do so that he can save us. He condescended so that we can all become like he was before. Ahh so cool. So really, remember the reason for the season. Remember why we are really celebrating this moment and what it really means.

Thanks everyone for all the packages and emails! It was so nice of y'all and I love hearing from everyone!

Love yall! And Merry Christmas!!!

Sister McKee