Happy New Year!!

Hello!! Happy New Year!! 

Our mission got together and had Martinelli's Sparkling Cider and had a countdown of our own! It was great, but because of that we were up until 10:45pm and didn't get home until a bit after that.  So I was laying in bed right before midnight, but then I heard of all these fireworks go off and I hopped out of bed and went to our balcony!  It wasn't a great view, but then our roommates told us to go into their room because they could see part of the fireworks that were going off at the Salt Palace!  So, there we were, five sisters crouching on one bed and looking out the window.  It was so great!  We even saw Tangled Lanterns going up into the sky and I think that's what really made my night!  Our celebration was great, but all of us having the same awe and child-like enrapture with the fireworks and lights was so cool to experience!

Happy New Year!! Martinelli's Sparkling Cider and noise makers!! :)

This week has been a good one! We found a new investigator named Lisa* (name changed) on chat and we have started teaching her the lessons over the phone!  She is golden and is so open to everything!  One of her best friends growing up was LDS and she has always been intrigued by the way she lived her life and how happy she was.  Lisa goes to school here in SLC so when she comes back from break we are going to start teaching her in person on the Square!!  She is so sweet and I just have so much love for her!

There was a duck as my screensaver!!! I forgot how much l loved ducks! Haha

A few nights ago it was pretty much "Troll night on Mormon.org"....so annoying.  Just a bunch of people getting together and asking rude and dumb questions.  I probably took like 26 chats that night and disconnected with them after only a few minutes.  But there was, however, a chat miracle!! We were talking to this guy named John* (name changed) and he seemed pretty interested.  He asked a lot of questions and then we offered the local missionaries to bring him a Book of Mormon, he said, "Sure!" But then said a trolling comment..... my companion (who was Sister Klemm that night- we were on exchanges :) and I were like "Oh great".  But after he sent the trolling comment, he paused for a long time, and then typed out that he was initially going to troll, but then actually really wants to learn more about the Mormon doctrine and what we believe.  So, we continued to answer his questions and turns out he lives in SLC so he gave us his phone number and real name so we could set up a tour on T-Square!  However, the chat disconnected right after that so I was skeptical that he was still a troller.  BUT Sister Klemm started talking to another sister and saw her chat and it was John* again!  He said that he was talking with some nice ladies and how his chat said "loading" and was then disconnected.  He wasn't sure what to do but that the previous missionaries said they would call him.  The new sisters who got the chat said for him to just wait and they would call the next day!  He was appreciative and left the chat.  I was so excited that he actually really did seem sincere!  The next day we called him, set up the appointment, and we are giving him a tour tonight!!  Woo! So we will see how it goes!

I got to meet Santa on Christmas! (It was Elder Creer, haha- he and his wife served here and just went home a few months ago)

Last week at the Christmas party we watched "A Christmas Dollar" and then "Happy Feet".

The past few days I have personally been so exhausted because of all of the extra crowds for Christmas lights and late assignments.  I literally fall asleep at night and I feel like the alarm goes off just 30 minutes later.  These past three mornings I have been praying to Heavenly Father to give me strength and energy during the afternoons (when I'm usually the most tired) to talk to people and to be alert and share the Gospel.  And do you know what?  I have had so much energy and stamina the past three days!  I have turned to the Lord and I definitely have been able to "walk and not be weary".   It's been really cool to see that if I do my very best and give what I can, that He makes up for the rest!!  That's also something I have learned about the Book of Mormon. People read part of it and pray expecting an answer and confirmation that it's true.  We have to do ALL we can and then He will manifest to us the truthfulness of it!  I always urge investigators who seem doubtful since they are in 2 Nephi and not receiving an answer, to ask God for guidance and focus as they read, but to read the ENTIRE Book of Mormon before they ask in prayer if it's true.  How can someone receive an answer that the whole book is true if they haven't read all of it?  Missionaries are encouraged to read and gain knowledge of the scriptures on their missions so that the Holy Ghost can help us testify of what we know and have read.  It's a two way thing.....we have to do our part and then God will do His :)

I invite you all this New Year to have a New Year's Resolution that will help you improve your spiritual side! Whether it's praying more fervently, reading the scriptures, serving others, or sharing your testimony with others....whatever it may be! But make that a resolution for this year :)

I love you all so much!!

Sister Asay