Week 27 I'm a Palangy!

January 13, 2020

FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, CHILDREN OF GOD!

BENICIA IS SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO BEAUTIFUL!!! IT IS LEGIT RIDICULOUS HOW PRETTY IT IS. Everywhere you go it is a hill. So we are ALWAYS driving uphill or downhill lol. Its weird, but fun weird. Some of the hills here are so big I would almost call them mountains...almost. Sister Moala says that it reminds her of Tonga. Except for the fact that here all the Palangys have giant houses. (Palangy=white people in Tongan)

We did A LOT of finding this week! Which was suprisingly really fun. Sister Moala is pretty much hilarious. We get along really well. Every finding time produces lots and lots of laughs. The people here are much nicer than in West Sac but also much less interested then in West Sac. Most of the doors we knock on either don't answer or they politely decline. But alas, we keep on knocking, keep on searching. There is someone out there ready to hear this amazing message I just know it.

Another weird thing is that here people are actually pretty sane...haha. We had a few lessons this week with people we are teaching and 2 of them read in the Book of Mormon and totally comprehended all of it. They even had some bomb questions. It was a new experience for me to say the least.

We have some really amazing people that we are teaching that have been taught for LEGIT 20 YEARS. ITS CRAZY. One of them is named Ginger, she knows the Book of Mormon is true and loves the church. However, she was also born and raised in her church and has too many ties to the people to leave. Sooooo if you have any tips on how to get people who know everything but love the church they are at to progress let me know. She is a toughie. We have 2 others that are just like her, but we typically only go and visit them.

Everyone here LOVES the Sister Missionaries. Seriously LOVES us. Like giving us Chirstmas gifts and nonmembers trying to take us out to dinner. Its kinda crazy. But good crazy? I don't really know how to feel about it honestly. I am trying to find a good balance between them loving us and them knowing that we are called of God to work, not to eat. Slowly but surely we will get there.

There is a recent convert named Fred who we got to go and read the Book of Mormon with on Tuesday and he is really cool. He was one of those that was taught by missionaries 4ever but finally decided to get baptized. So his testimony is already really strong and he just really wants to build on that foundation. It is cool, I like him.

DECEMBER 22ND!!! OUR CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SERVICE WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!! WE HAD 9 TOTAL NONMEMBERS THERE! 3 OF WHICH WE ARE TEACHING! It made me very very happy. 2 of them are Tom and Sovanni. They are a very cute couple in there 60s who have a daughter that is a member. Tom really wants to believe but doesn't know how to gain knowledge for himself yet. We were able to go over and read the Book of Mormon with him and it was REALLY REALLY good. The spirit was SO strong and I am SO excited to go back and teach them! Sovanni is also super sweet. She is from Cambodia so we are trying to figure out the language barrier, but she is legit the coolest. They are sadly going to be out of town the next few weeks for the holidays but I am stoked to catch them when they get back.

WHAT A WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR. I love Christmas SOOOO much. In the 1994 Christmas Devotional President Howard W. Hunter said:

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.

Christmas is a celebration, and there is no celebration that compares with the realization of its true meaning— with the sudden stirring of the heart that has extended itself unselfishly in the things that matter most. "

Jesus Christ gave us everything with no expectation of a return. He set the perfect example. May we each follow that example this Christmas season.

Mucho Love & MERRY CHRISTMAS,

Sister Tams

150 Rankin Way Apt 114, Benicia CA

Other/Funny Stuff:

-Fun Facts about Sister Moala:

~She wants to be fat

~She wants to be white

~She hates American food

~She loves my mom

~She loves singing but like me is not very good

~She is teaching me how to speak Tongan

~She has a newfound love for milkshakes

~She got baptized in 2012 and has a solid testimony

~She is a twin and has 9 siblings.

-I am getting REALLY strong calves due to ALL the hills.

-We get to watch the Polar Express today and IM STOKED.

-We have a lot of young families in both our wards and I die over all the cute little babies.

-We have a Senior Missionary Couple that live in our same apartment complex and they are actually from good ol Pleasant View. My cousins husband is their son. So thats cool. They come with us to some of our member dinners and they are pretty awesome. Lucky me, its like having a slice of home here.

-My mom sent Sister Moala her very first package of her mission. She was so happy she almost cried. I am excited to spend Christmas with her.

-Benicia makes me feel like I'm in a Hallmark movie. All the cute houses.