Happy New Year

Well...

This is New Year #2 that I'll be sleeping through. haha..  But that's
okay. Sleep is more and more important than ever. Can you believe that
I've made it a whole year without sleeping in once?! haha!!! That's
amazing!!!

So it was amazing to be able to talk to everyone on Christmas. Y'all
sound so happy, and it was a major boost to me to be able to hear
everyone again.

This week has been unique though. Christmas Eve and Christmas just broke
up the flow of missionary work, and I think that after new year's,
things will start getting back to normal with everything. People have
finally made it through Thanksgiving and Christmas, and now they can
relax and get back to their normal lives. Which makes missionary work
easier, because you can kinda judge when you can find people at home and
stuff.

This week, because of the craziness of it all, we spent a lot of time
visiting less actives, who, if it weren't for their health, would be at
Church every week. Those people are so strong despite every reason they
have not to be. So they're pretty motivational. I learn a lot from those
people.  They make me more grateful for my life, because it gets me out
of the trap of thinking that I've got it rough. I really dont.

The Arkansas weather is being typical though. One day it's below
freezing, the next it room temp outside. So weird... I've never been
around such an indecisive climate before. This is the weirded December
I've ever experienced weather wise.

So... As for new years resolutions... I've never been a fan... But if
y'all are, here's an idea... Think of something you can do every day to
show Christlike love to someone around you, whether you know them or
not. When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are truly in
the service of your God. I love the scriptures... 

Hopefully this next week will be full of interesting stories, I can tell
you... But this week, not so much. We just ate... a lot... Definitely
more meals than is good for me... haha...

So... Keep it real. Even though Christmas is over, dont forget the
Savior, and do everything you can to draw near to Him, because that's
really the only way you can be happy... Who knew... haha... I've found
the secret to happiness. 

Love you... And remember... The Church is True.

-Sister Dyer

GONG SHOW TRANSFER DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay... Let me explain myself about the lack of email yesterday...
ugh... So... 

Yesterday was transfer day. I'm still in Hot Springs, but Sis Harmon was
transferred out. So we get up at 5:00am to be able to get ready and to
drive the 50 miles to North Little Rock in rush hour traffic to get
there on time for the 8:00 transfer meeting. That went fine. We got
there and everything. Then we realize that we were the only Sisters
there... So that clearly meant that Sis Harmon was going to the other
side of the river into Tennessee or Mississippi. That meant that my
companion had to come from there too... So they announced all the
changes that were happening in the Arkansas side of the mission, and
told everyone else that if they were being transferred and weren't told
what area they were going to, that they were all to get into the
transfer bus because they were all going to the other side... The rest
of the missionaries that were waiting for companions to come from the
other side just had to chill at the mission office until 4:00 when
everyone would arrive... That meant that I would have to hang out at the
mission office with a bunch of Elders for 8 hours... No thank you!!! So
I asked President Drewes if I could come on the road trip to Memphis and
back. Sisters always get to ride with President, and skip out on the
transfer bus. The perks of being a Sister. haha... So I said
"President... Do you want me to stay here and wait with a bunch of
Elders, or do you want me to come with you for the ride?".. haha.. So I
hopped in President's car with Sis Harmon, and off we were to Memphis...
12:00, we get there, have another transfer meeting there, and I got to
see a bunch of Elders I haven't seen in a long time, so that was nice.
Then I met my new companion, Sis Kiser, from St George, UT and we were
on the road back to Little Rock by 1:00... haha... So by 4:00 we're back
in Little Rock, we have a final transfer meeting to let all the Elders
that came back from Memphis meet their new companions that were waiting
for them in Little Rock... Then by 5:30 we were back on the road to Hot
Springs... in a Malibu... with two people's worth of luggage and 4
missionaries all stuffed into it... Then the new Elder we got here in
Hot Springs wanted to stop in Little Rock to visit a family he served
around, so we actually didn't make it back to Hot Springs till 7:00....
I spent the whole day in a car... and I dont know if that was a good
thing or not. But I DO know that I got my wanting for a roadtrip out
yesterday.... haha... I sure satisfied that. 

So.. I have a new companion again.... My 7th one in a row...
hahahahaha.... My mission is such a gong show with companions..... This
is my 9th transfer and my 8th companion... I'm going for the record...
If I haven't reached it already.... 

Sooo.... Just the heads up... Since next Wednesday is Christmas eve, the
Li-berry will be closed.. So I'm gonna be emailing on Tuesday. Just
thought y'all should know. 

Also... Speaking of P-days... President said that as of January, our
P-days will be on Monday. That means that next year I'll be emailing
every monday and NOT Wednesday. Which I'm okay with.

Dad... good luck...errr... break a leg??? i dunno... Whatever you say...
I printed off your talk, and I'm excited to read it. I'm sure that it
will come across the way you wanted it to. You just gotta make sure that
you have the Spirit with you. When you've got that, you can say whatever
you want and the Spirit will clear it up for the people listening. And
thank goodness for that... I'd be completely ruining these people out
here if that weren't true!! haha...

Also... Sis Harmon and I decided to do the 12 Days of Christmas for a
recent convert family in the ward. It's pretty freaking awesome. We got
these cheap little gifts for them that we're doorbell ditching every
day. They've already interrogated the Elders about who's doing it, but
they're holding out. haha. I get this incredible sense of satisfaction
every time we ditch another present.. haha.. we made little cards for
each day and they all have scriptures on them, so its pretty much
awesome... The first day we dropped off this angel figurine that plays
Joy to the World, and when we ditched it, we made sure it was playing,
so when they came out they would hear it. So we drove a couple blocks
away but we could still see them searching for who the heck dropped this
thing off. hahaha... soooo awesome... I love being sneaky... haha...

anyways... That's about all I have time for today. All is well. We are
incredibly busy with all these random service projects, so yeah... I
dont really have time to think... But in the end... I get to go to
Little Rock again this weekend to see Larry get baptized. What more
could I ask for. 

The Church is true eh. 

Merry Christmas.

-Sister Dyer

Happy December

Hello Everyone.

So this week has been pretty interesting. First off... I would like to
let you know that I have officially embraced the Christmas Season... A)
We have a Christmas tree set up in our apartment, and its not just a
little one. Its a full on 6 foot high one with lights and decorations.
haha. Its pretty sweet. and B) I'm listening to Christmas music and
enjoying it... Seriously... My mission has changed me... hahahaha....
The only thing that's missing is mandarin oranges... Apparently we cant
get them here.. that was devestating to find out... Oh... I guess snow
is missing too... I've been experiencing a 50 to 60 degree December...
That's pretty weird...

Also, I got a call from Louise in Maumelle yesterday, and found out that
Larry is officially getting baptized on Dec 21!!! WOOT!!!!! So... Looks
like I'll be going back to Little Rock in a couple weeks!! I"M SOOO
EXCITED!!!! Larry is sooo ready... 

Transfers are coming up next week too.. I'm not too concerned about
leaving though. I'm pretty sure I'm staying here for a bit longer. 

Also... What's happening with my Country?!?! Is Canada really being
taken over by the Bloc party!?!?!!??! Oh man... And I thought that the
States were in trouble.. Everybody and their dog here is complaining
about Obama. Not that I know too much about the him or what he's gonna
do, but it sounds like Canada's got itself in quite a pickle as well...
yeesh...

Anyways... This week we're starting up a Stop Smoking Workshop. The
Elders and us have a couple investigators that need to quit smoking, and
the mission has this program that we can teach them, so we're getting
ready for that. It's kind of exciting actually. I've never been a part
of someone quitting before.

I'm really enjoying the presents I get to open each day this month too.
Today was pretty random though... Thanks for the lightbulb.... haha...

So yeah... Nothing really new and exciting is happening. I'm just
rolling with it... We're visiting our investigators quite often, so
that's exciting. We're starting to see their understanding expand, and
once they quit smoking, I know their answers will hit them harder than
ever. WOOT!!! I love the gospel...

So that's about that... I love y'all. Remember the reason for the
season. haha... The Church is true.

-Sister Dyer 

Happy Half birthday to me!!!

Hello All,

Yes today is my half birthday... Thats crazy isn't it!!! Yeesh... Time
is so... something... I dunno if it's good or bad... haha...

Anywho... So Thanksgiving.... Not exactly what I had in mind... The
dinner was good, and I ate a lot, and definitely enjoyed it... but it
all came from a box.... Except for the turkey... It wasn't as elaborate
as everyone was telling me it was going to be... But I talked to Sis
Jensen who is still in Maumelle, and she said that the Thanksgiving
dinner there was rediculously amazing... So I missed out... But such is
the life of a missionary I suppose...

Also on Thanksgiving, we ususally do service at this adult daycare place
for people with Alzheimers, but it was closed that day. So we came up
with our own service project. We spent all day baking 3 batches of
cookies!!! We made like 8 dozen of them. haha... Oh cookies... It has
been a while since I made them, but they turned out GREAT!! So we
delivered ALL of the cookies to like 20 families in the Ward. haha...
That ended up being a really good thing, because now the Members are
actually excited to see us (the Sisters at least) because they know we
care about them. So the lesson I learned... is that if all else fails...
Bribe the members with homemade cookies!!! haha.... I'm joking... kind
of... haha....

Also, I found out that Sis Blake got married last month... So now 2 of
my companions are married... and they're the only ones that have gone
home!! The rest of my companions are still out!!! Girls work fast!!!
It's crazy!!!

Also... I got the Christmas package from Mom!!!! Its soooooo awesome!!!!
I of course opted to open one present a day, and today is the day I got
the GOOD chocolate chips so I'm gonna make cookies again today and not
give any of them away. haha. They're just for me and Sis Harmon. WOOT!!!

We had our Christmas Zone Conference yesterday too. Thank you for the
letter mom... It made me a little misty eyed... not gonna lie... but
that's alright. We had a good time, and I got to see all of my previous
companions there too, because all the missionaries in Arkansas were
there. So the only ones I didn't see were the married ones and Sis
Campbell who is in Tennessee. It was a very good time.

We're still doing a lot of member work here though. It's going really
well, and it's really wonderful to see things going the way we want it
to. It's very rewarding. However, Sis Harmon still has to remind me that
there is actually still tracting to do... haha... Tracting here is an
adventure. Everyone listens, but nobody commits... So I'm very much like
my father because when I teach these people I'm thinking about how much
contribution, or lack of contribution they'll make to the ward. But
that's my own issue and I'm trying not to be so judgmental.. It's a
process that I'm still in the process of. All people deserve to learn of
Christ. So. Sis Harmon and I are balancing out nicely. I'm helping her
build a relationship with members, and she's helping me teach more than
I ever have in my whole mission. Its incredible. This area is definitely
something else, but I think I'm learning sooo much from my experiences
here.

So that's about all the stuff I have to report. The Church is true. I
know it without a doubt. Do everything you can to stay on the path. It's
hard, but it's completely worth it.

-Sister Dyer