Exclusive Weekly Sister Lovell Magazine: A Charlie Brown Christmas (With Lasers!)

Why, hello again my dear friends and family!! And Merry Christmas!

This week was quite the adventure! We started out last Monday Evening with a Bible study at another church. One of our friends invited us to it, and it was an interesting experience for sure. It was interesting in the way that we didn't know what to expect. We got there and while we kind of expected it to be like a group scripture study where you take turns reading out of the Bible and talking about it, it ended up being a full out sermon. They also use the New King James version of the Bible, which is very strange. It was rather interesting. It felt very strange, and I was more than happy to head back to our apartment.

Every Monday evening we have a mission wide zoom call called Monday Mission Miracles. As we sat there listening to some of the miracles that other missionaries shared from the past week, I just sat there, tears falling because I had missed our church and the truths we have been blessed with. So if the only thing we gained from going to the Bible study was a deeper understanding and testimony of how blessed we are to belong to the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth, it was worth it.

Tuesday was pretty fun as well! We had District council in person for the first time at the church building. We were in the high priests room (which holds some memories for me. If you know, you know XD @Emma Deveraux @Victoria Coniglio) and we got to talk about our goals, how we were doing in our areas, and our new friends and how they're progressing.

After the initial meeting part, we also got to film a musical number for an event on our Facebook page called "Christmas with Christ" which aired on Christmas Adam. This is the link if anyone wants to watch it. (Fair warning, it's partially muted because we used piano guys music as the background music behind a few things and it got copyrighted... ah well.)

https://www.facebook.com/events/196446699273975/

Wednesday we had exchanges again! It didn't affect me at all, except we got to be blessed with Hermana Egbert in our quad for the day! (Sister Hoki went with the Hermanas.) She actually goes home today. She lives in Idaho too which is epic! (@Robyn Vest I told her to look for you at BYU-I! So look for a Lindsey Egbert! XD) We had a lot of fun while she was here. :) we played Uno, and had some fun conversations! It's always fun to have a visitor XD

We had several member meals this week which was amazing!! I always come back absolutely sTUFFED XD. I swear, they're trying to make us fat XD. Also, so far I haven't had anything too strange XD. Everything is absolutely delicious, and I've even found that I few things I disliked before coming out on my mission are more tolerable, or that I even like them. Blessings come in all shapes and forms folks XD

Okay, now for the part you've all been waiting for. Christmas and Christmas Eve!!

Strange News!

Christmas eve it was 55⁰ here, and Christmas day it was 46⁰. Honest to goodness I expected a white Christmas, but I'm actually not really that upset about it XD. We're going to have a white next few months, so having a warm Christmas wasn't really all that upsetting XD.

As far as activities of the day, Christmas eve we had brunch with Sister Cook in our ward. Talk about an unforgettable event XD. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard, and I'm not sure I ever will. We had crepes which were absolutely delicious, and we had some... interesting conversations. XD She also gave us the cutest little gifts, all four of us got little spa bags all themed on our previously requested favorite colors. Absolutely darling. I adore Sister Cook.

We then headed back to the apartment and did regular missionary studies and the like for a few hours before heading out again. Sister McGary and I went to another church service with one of our friends, and the other sisters went to a dinner with the Hmong Elders.

The church service was at an episcopal church. I am not quite sure what that means, but it gave off Catholic vibes. It was very different. I had approximately zero emotions or feelings while there, and it was another testament to me that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true restored church on the earth. It meant the world to our friend Jim that we came however, and we were happy to at the very least help him to not feel so very alone this Christmas.

After that, we went directly to another member family's house for dinner. One of their traditions is to have a traditional Bethlehem meal for Christmas Eve. We had lamb, naan, olives, and fruit. It was absolutely delicious. We also watched the Christ Child with them, played an absolutely chaotic game called "We Didn't Playtest This", as well as opened the gifts they gave us. I swear, the members here are literally so sweet.

Then we went back home and called our families. We ended up staying at the Raus house (the family we had dinner with) for an extra 2 hours than we planned, so I was an hour ish late to calling my family, but it ended up working out anyways XD. The Crawfords were there and I got to say hi to them again XD. (They were also there on Thanksgiving when I called from the MTC XD)

Then I opened my (totally not pjs) Christmas eve present which :O no way was pajamas! They were actually pretty awesome tho XD. Gryffindor Pj's, my family knows me so well XD (I'm actually a hufflepuff but the whole family matches, and Hufflepuff merch is impossible to find anyways)

However awesome my pj's from my family were, I did not wear them on Christmas eve. (I did wear them the night of Christmas day tho) My quad had previously decided to buy and wear matching Green Bay pj's on Christmas eve, so that is what I wore. XD

Christmas day was awesome! It was really weird, but awesome! We got up and stayed in our pj's while we opened presents. That isn't weird regularly, but as a missionary it is XD. After that we vibed in the apartment for a while and then we had a sister study at the church.

We had to leave the Sister study early so we could book it over to the Bishop's house for brunch. The Elder's quad was there as well. (The Spanish Elders and the Hmong Elders) So the Mangums had 8 missionaries over. It was awesome XD. They had some really good breakfast casserole. After we had sufficiently stuffed our faces, we sang around the piano for a little until we had to leave. Elder Yang plays very well, so we had him play some Christmas hymns. It was awesome! I was invited to sing Alto again. ...It's definitely a sign. But I love soprano, so I'll continue to do both XD.

After brunch we had a few lessons before we left to do some cookie runs. We made cookies to drop off to people, and we made it to all of them only barely before we had to head to our dinner appointment.

For dinner we were at the Wilmotts. They had a Thanksgiving dinner on Christmas which is what my family does, so I was excited about that XD. After dinner we went upstairs and helped put some dishes away and then we played laSER TAG!! They have several gun/vest pieces, so we were all able to play. It was a lot of fun XD they have a pretty big house, so we had a ton of fun on the three floors and outside, running around and just generally being (polite) hooligans XD. It was awesome. We stayed with companions obviously, but it was super fun! Again, I'm not liable to forget this Christmas. :D

Sunday was good as well. There were 5 speakers, 2 youth, and 3 missionaries. There was also a musical number. Elder Yang was the first missionary to speak, then I spoke, and then Sister Williamson spoke. One from each companionship. (Plus one young man and one young women for the youth speakers)

I think that's about all I have to report. It was a pretty fun week! It blows my mind that this is the fourth week in Wisconsin... The transfer ends like, the Wednesday after next. Holy crap. XD But yes I'm absolutely enjoying Wisconsin. Honest to goodness I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I adore my mission.

And finally! They have been delivered, so I can tell you about my project from last week! I made 14 Christmas cards for my MTC district! I photocopied the line art, and colored them each individually. (Photocopying colors never turns out right.) I also drew a mini Charlie Brown style them on the inside! I had a crap ton of fun doing it, bit I'm very pleased to be finished with them XD.

I even have one for myself! ...The thing is, I didn't want to write a Christmas card to myself, but I also didn't want to leave it blank either. I'm now realizing I probably could have just done a large "Merry Christmas!" In large bubble font.... but where's the fun in that?? Instead I decided to forge everyone's signatures. ...It's fine... probably XD. I based them off of the back of my MTC shirt that I had everyone sign, and I'm honestly rather fond of it. My trainer may be concerned that I have a life of crime ahead of me, but uh.... don't worry about it. XD

Thanks again for reading my emails!

Merry Christmas!!

Love

Sister Lovell

Link to the photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hH8UuZNVov71FYot7

Link to the blog:
https://sisterhannahlovellwisconsin.blogspot.com/