Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Traverse City!

12/21

Hello everyone!!!! :) First off.. Merry Christmas!!!! yay!!! What a wonderful time of year! I love this time of year more then any other time, the spirit is stronger, people are nicer and truly it's the time of our Saviors birth!! :D I hope that you all are having a very merry Christmas week and that you are happy and with your families! :) 

Well what a week it has been out here in Traverse City!! Oh my goodness gracious, we started off with a bang.. leaving our keys in Lansing!!! What?!?! haha the assistants forget to get them to us so we wound up staying in a hotel our first night here in TC! What an adventure that was, not complaining though, we got free breakfast and super super nice beds to sleep in! :) haha We got our keys on Friday and then all was well, our apartment definitely needed some sisterly love, it's brand new! So we spent some of the morning today decorating it!! :) Sister Jackson is my new greenie! She is so sweet, from Washington state and is just as green as you could get out! She is the sweetest though and I know over time she will feel confident in her missionary name tag! :D We door knocked quite a bit over the past few days and have met some really nice people so far and walked up some huge drive ways! :D We also got a media referral our first day here!! #miraclesarereal I know that the Lord watches over us every second of the day, He has definitely been helping me a ton the past few days! The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and is available for each of us as long as we are willing to listen and follow! I am so grateful for this gospel, it truly brings me so much peace! :) 

So earlier this week I was able to stay in Lansing, one of my past areas for a few days and that was great!! It was such a great experience we were able to see some people that I have missed a lot and it was neat to see them and how much they have changed and grown over the past 8 or so months! I loved it! Sister Nelson was my companion and she is hilarious!! We laughed a bunch and saw so many miracles we picked up 2 new investigators and met so many cool people! :D

On Saturday Sister Jackson and I were out door knocking and it was like 20 degrees out, which isn't too bad but it hasn't been cold at all yet so we were pretty chilled! Anyways, we knock on this guys door and he was just not super nice.. so then we walk out to the street and Sister Jackson wasn't doing too hot, so we talked for a bit, and we were about to go home when and then Heavenly FAther told us that we needed to knock on another door, so we did. and That wonderful women let us into her house and we got to teach her a bit about the plan of salvation and we were able to invite her to church and get warm as well! That was such an answer to prayer, we are going to teach her again on Saturday and man, does she need the gospel! :) I loved that moment, I am so grateful for the spirit and the way it leads our every move! 

Church was great!! Our branch is HUGE!! it has over 500 people in it about 150 are active but still! That's a big branch!! Everyone is SO sweet, and so welcoming I am excited to get to know everyone even better! It was so wonderful to partake of the sacrament and to sing Christmas carols! The gospel is true, this is the Lords church on the earth today! I love my Father in Heaven and my Savior and I am so thankful they let me be a part of the their work!! 

Merry Christmas everyone!! Have a great week!!!!! :D 

Love Sister Chisholm! <3 

My baby Sister Jackson!! :)

 Zone mission party!

 The branch in Traverse City is so happy to have sisters after 8 years of not having any!

The hotel room they got to stay in since they left their keys in Lansing...she was SO excited about the soft beds!

 

12/28
Hello everyone!!!!! I hope you had the greatest Christmas ever, and if not then I hope at least it was filled with happiness, joy and family! :D I know mine was!! I loved being able to reflect on my Saviors birth and to recommit to myself and my Father in Heaven to always remember this season and keep the spirit of Christmas in my heart for the entire year! :) We had a great week filled with Christmas parties with missionaries, face timing home on Christmas... Best present EVER!!! :D Door knocking and lots of contacting of less actives and helping members fulfill their role as missionaries, it was great! :) And the theme that we set earlier this week worked so perfectly as well! :) 

So today I want to talk a little bit about courage, what a fitting topic because this week it turns into 2016 and we all will be setting goals for this upcoming year to become better people. I know for myself sometimes I set goals and then they don't exactly follow through... I start to do them but then something happens or someone changes my opinion or my thoughts. I want to invite all of you to not worry about what others think about your goals, set them high, and set them with your Father In Heaven I know He will help you accomplish them! :D 

So talking about courage, it takes courage to stand up for what is right. Sometimes it's really hard to take a stand, and to be an example. I mean we walk up to totally random strangers every single day and talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ with them, is that scary? At times yes, but because we have a testimony and because we Love the Lord it makes it much easier. However, courage is more then just standing up for what is right. For me often times courage is not fearing what man can do, or what man says. One of my favorite quotes is... Courage is the form of every virtue at its testing point! We cannot let the world tear us down, we must instead listen to the spirit and follow it's promptings. This past week I have been reading in the Book of Mormon about Moroni.. by the way.. reading the Book of Mormon is a great goal to have for the year 2016! :) Anyways, Moroni is one of my favorite people in the Book of Mormon, I love the courage that he has and that he shows forth to his people. He never backs down, he doesn't worry bout what the world thinks but only about what God thinks. In Moroni 8:16 we learn that he fears not man but only God. Do we fear man? Or do we fear God? 

I know that for me often times having courage takes a lot of faith, but as we exercise our faith in Jesus Christ and truth our Father in Heaven we will be able to stand up for what is right, we will be able to withstand tempation and we will be able to over come sin and satan. This year stand up for what is right, have courage to forgive, have courage to smile at the stranger, have courage to say your sorry and have courage to share the gospel! :) I will be working on having courage as well and I know and can promise that when we exercise a little courage the Lord will help us through! :) 

I love you all!! I hope you have a wonderful week! <3 

Sister Chisholm! <3 

another way to show courage is sharing pictures in front of the church on facebook!!! :)

 The sisters were angels at their party! I'd agree....they ARE angels!

 Sister Chisholm and Jackson's little Christmas tree on Christmas Eve! (thanks to everyone who sent her little gifts, she loved them all!)

 Somehow this pic just will not turn around...but cute girl on Christmas morning!

The little branch building in Traverse City with some very hard working, dedicated missionaries out front!

Let us Add to the Flame...

TRANSFERS!!!

 Sister Steele has been an AWESOME companion! They will miss each other!

 A very cute district!

 Saying goodbye to some favorite families isn't easy!

 Transfer breakfast at IHOP!

 Meeting up with old companions (Sis Guest) is always fun!

 Good friends, great missionaries!

 The Transfer Van!

 Sis Pawson....like a mom to these girls there in Wyoming!

 A lady posted on FB that the sisters challenged their family to do more service, so she made this... I love that our daughter is helping others come unto Christ through service!

The Chapmans...these people have been angels to my girl while she's been in their area...we are so grateful to them! She will always hold a special place in her heart for her "family" there!

Hello everyone!! :) so my theme this week comes from the song Arise and Shine Forth from the forgotten carols if you have never heard it go look it up!! :) It's on of my very favorites, the words say.. "Arise and shine forth, let us add to the flame that burns brightly with hearts that bear His name!" I am so grateful to be a missionary at this time, especially at this wonderful Christmas time, there is no where I would rather be! :D

I had a great last week in Wyoming!!!! It was just great!! We had some awesome lessons, including the Word of Wisdom some great facebook lessons, a sweet restoration lesson with a lady going into the library, some powerful Christmas lessons and lots of facebook lessons with other sisters! We worked hard and saw so many miracles, the Lord is always providing ways for His work to move forward even when so much is going on! :D I have loved serving in Wyoming and honestly am going to miss it so much, but I am so SO excited for the new adventure that lies ahead... I know you all are dying to know!! haha

So I got my transfer call and President Jacobsen released me as an STL and at first of course I was sad because I have absolutely loved being a sister training leader, I learned so much and was so grateful for that opportunity to work with so many sisters! :D But Then he said, so we have an apartment that we have opened up in Traverse City!!! and we want you to head up there and train a new sister!!! :D Oh man I am seriously way excited!!!! I will be picking up my new greenie on Thursday and then heading on up to TC! It should be great, there haven't ever been sisters there or at least for a really long time, so it should be great to just start fresh and new! It will be such a great experience! I know the Lord knows us perfectly and He just knew that Traverse City would be perfect for me and my trainee!! That was the most exciting news this week and man the rest of the week was filled with saying goodbye to my favorite people and again seeing so many miracles! :D The Lord truly loves us so much. I just can't even explain it, if there's something I will walk away with from my mission is truly how much the Lord loves us so perfectly!! :D He loves us enough to send His son to die for us and He loves us enough to let us grow and become more like Him. The gospel is true, and what a wonderful time of year to be spreading that wonderful joy to others!!

So here's a funny story for you all, it may help you get excited to go and serve others! :)There was a member in our ward that was moving this past weekend so we decided to go and door bell ditch them and give them some candy canes and a note, but this family lives with some non members right now that are like body builders! So we go and take these candy canes and this note up to the door and Sister Steele and I are just freaking out, cuz well it's scary to knock and run! haha :) As we are hiding behind the car afterwards they answer the door and of course it the body builders that answer.. So they answer the door and then he sees the candy canes and note, picks it up and walks inside, so we keep waiting and then he opens the door again and starts walking out towards the car we are hiding behind! Sis Steele and I were freaking out!!! So finally he goes back inside and then HIS fiancé comes out and starts looking for us too! Man.. it was the most terrifying door bell ditch of my life!! Oh my gosh... but we didn't get caught and all worked out! It definitely  was from the prayers we were saying! haha :)

On a spiritual side of things, yesterday we had an incredible day at church! :) Sacrament meeting was extremely powerful, all the talks were on Christ and building our foundation. One of the sisters shared the story of being centered on Christ and how when we aren't centered we will falter, I believe it was from this past conference, the one about the potter and clay! :D Elder Clark also spoke and it was just great! I loved it, we had a pretty intense second hour on family history... sometimes those lessons get a little out of hand but I think it all went over our investigators head so it was okay! :) Then we got to teach the laurels this week which was great!! We taught about building the kingdom of God! I loved it! :) We shared D&C 4 and then shared a story from conference and showed the Arise and Shine Forth song to everyone, the spirit was so strong and it made me miss young womens, I learned so much from young womens! :)

Well everyone, life is good! I hope you are all getting excited for Christmas and singing lots of Christmas songs!! :D Here is my address for the next 2 transfers!! I hope you have a wonderful week and that you continue to keep Christ the center of it. I love this gospel and I know it is true with all my heart and soul!! <3

Love Sister Chisholm <3

Having an attitude of Gratitude and Forever consists of NOWS!!

 After a VERY long day of door knocking and finding, two cute sister missionaries just took a seat on the street and chilled for a bit. I think their boots are so cute and their smiles, even cuter!

 Happy companionship! It makes all the difference in the world when you get along!

Thanksgiving waffle breakfast at the Stk President's house!

 Hello all my dear friends!! :D What a wonderful week, it was such a blessing and honestly I am just so grateful that I have had 2 thanksgivings on my mission! They are always such an adventure that I just love them! We were stuffed.. after 3 meals and pies and all that jazz, but we also were able to have some great spiritual experiences that day which made for an amazing thanksgiving! I hope that t you all were able to be with the people you love most and that you were happy! :D 

Today I wanted to talk about something that I truly am so so grateful for and something that my testimony has truly deepened in while I have been here in Michigan! :) That is the Sabbath Day! So as many of you know the leaders of the church have really been emphasizing the Sabbath day and how to keep it holy and why. Well I just want to bear my testimony about the Sabbath Day, truly it's the day that we are able to be rejuvenated and strengthened from the crazy world all around us! :) Yesterday we had our 3 hour all about the Sabbath day, and they showed us these videos of some of the quorum of the 12 and then some of the other auxiliary leaders talking about the Sabbath day, I hope you all have been able to see them as well. They are so inspiration and I just loved them. A couple things really stuck out to me and I wanted to share them with you today! :) This story I think the primary general president shared, she said, A women was asked to clean the temple, and after the first time she was a bit discouraged because she felt her 2 hours of cleaning were going to waste because afterwards her rag was still completely clean, no dirt or stains or anything was wrong with the rag. When she talked to her the women over her at the temple she taught her an important lesson, when the women asked, "Whey do we clean the temple when it's already clean?" The women answered by saying, " We clean the temple to keep it clean." They then applied this to the sacrament. Not every week do we commit a very intense sin or need to repent of a serious trangression but no matter what we all need the sacrament! We need it so that we can continue to stay "unspotted from the world" We all are in need of that incredible power and refining that can and will come as we partake of the sacrament. Each Sunday we are commanded to give the day to the Lord and as we keep it holy, as we participate in good wholesome activies and as we show our sign to the Lord we will be blessed with an out pouring of His spirit. I know this is true because of the way the sabbath day has affected my life and many others lives that have been able to attend! :) 

I am so grateful for the restoration for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for the authority of God on the earth today! :) I know that the priesthood was restored to the prophet Joseph Smith, and I do know that He is a prophet of God! The world every day tells me that he wasn't, but that is more and more evidence to me that he is and that truly this is Christs church on the earth! :) My mission has tested my testimony and that has been what has helped me to find it! :D I know that gospel is true! I love being a missionary and I know that as we keep the Sabbath day holy and as we rely on the spirit to make right choices and follow the prophet we truly will receive more joy and happiness then any other way!! :D 

Have a wonderful week!! I hope that it's full of Christmas spirit and don't forget to check out A Savior is Born!!! :D #asaviorisborn 

Love you all!! 

Sister Chisholm! <3 

 Since the flood, the Sisters have been living with an incredibly sweet couple, and Sister Chizzy has grown quite fond of their puppy, Charlie! Cute!

 Getting ready for Christmas package! Advent scripture stocking garland, nativity, tree, decorations and of course...OREOS!!!

 Getting into the Christmas spirit!!!

 The Michigan Lansing Mission Leadershhip

LUNCH!

Sister Training Leaders

So, this is nice.....Jen thought she accidentally dropped her letter she was sending home into the garbage....so she, (of course) jumped in the dumpster to get it......"don't worry mom, I washed my hands...." funny girlie!!!!

 Hello to some of my favorite people!! :) First off.. Merry Christmas!!!!! Okay, yes I know it's only the 7 but this month it's all about our Saviors Birth  and truly it's the most wonderful time of the year!! I hope you all are getting in the Christmas spirit and today I want to tell you about some of the ways that we are getting in the Christmas spirit out here in Michigan!!! :D Just remember, that forever consists of nows, the most incredible things that we will remember of this Christmas time is the things we do with those we love! :) 

1. Serve someone!!!!! :D This week we will be coming up with the 12 days of Christmas so I challenge you all to give a small act of service everyday! Just tell someone you love them, share a song with someone, give someone a hug, smile at someone, yes even smiling is an act of service! Our Savior Jesus Christ served His entire life, as we serve others we are able to feel the Christmas spirit and accomplish our baptismal covenant by comforting those that stand in need of comfort and mourning with those who mourn! This past week I tried to recognize more fully when people served me and how often I also served them. It was such a great introspection! 

2. Sing Christmas Carols!!! :) On Tuesday during correlation the spirit prompted us to go caroling! So we decided that every Friday in December we are going to go caroling with members, to their friends, to less actives, to investigators, ect. and let me just tell you one of the best ways to get in the Christmas spirit to go sing to people!!! :) I had tears in my eyes as people opened their doors to us singing Joy to the World, handing them some cookies and honestly seeing the biggest smiles I have seen on a door step! :) We went with the Oliver family and their oldest daughter was probably like how I was when I was her age and probably how my brothers would be if they went caroling.. haha she was standing in the back, not singing, didn't want to hold the cookies, and honestly would have rather been anywhere but singing with her family and the missionaries. As we started to sing and hand out cookies though she started to get happier, after a couple laughs and making her smile by the end she was handing the cookies to the people on the doors and singing the loudest! :) It was so neat to watch her feel the Christmas spirit, makes me think of Scrooge, don't be a scrooge this Christmas!! Go and sing some Christmas carols, and I know you will feel the spirit! :) 

3. The last one is more on the spiritual side. Take a moment, pick up the piece in the nativity of Jesus Christ and just look at it. Look at the beautiful tender baby that came to change the world. Just think about that one moment. Think about Christ, think of how much He has done for you, and the love that He shares with you every single day. Don't worry about all the things that were to come, don't think about all the presents you have to wrap take a moment and just feel the peace of the season. Read over luke 2, or Helaman 14, and smile. Take a moment to be at peace. I know that doing this has helped me get into the Christmas spirit. Jesus Christ is the reason for this season. Let Him into you hearts and into your minds, for this time and for all the year! 

I hope these things help you guys get in the Christmas spirit! :) I love this gospel, and there is no where that I would rather be then here in Wyoming Michigan sharing this glad news that Christ was born to all the people around me! I am so grateful to bear His name and to be His representative for now and for ever!! :D 

Love Sister Chisholm! <3

Christmas caroling with the Olivers!!