December 31st email

Heyyyyyy... Yeah, they celebrate it fairly much the same but they also celebrate the 26th for Santo Stefano so i got a third Christmas and i ate raw meat at the family Giusto's house. I tell you dad, you would die to eat this meat. It is the best thing i have ever eaten. I probably ate like a pound of it. I am glad you guys had fun!!. We will have a party when i get home. CHRISTMAS ALL OVER AGAIN! Something that i have learned is that i never have to stop being a desciple of Christ. When i come home i will do the same things i do here. I will never stop my study of the scriptures. I wont miss church, and i cant stop serving others. It is what drives me. It is what pushes me every day. What can i do more for someone else? My goal, as crazy as it may be from a world point of view is to live how i live here after the mission. Keep only the things in my life as to where i can have the Spirit with me always. This crap that the world offers isnt worth it. None of it. whether it is movies, tv, books... anything that offends the Spirit is not worth it because it offends God. BUT i cant do it alone so we will do it together. Living this way is what will get Clay and Carson on missions. Living this way means happiness all the time even though we still have to do work, school, and life. We can literally be happy alllll the time. It is just our attitude and  how we decide to look at the situation. I think about Connor and how he has to be living right now.. it is the gospel. As he accepts his covenants he is living the gospel. We have to do the same. We have to live in this way here on the earth because it is how we will live after.. We will feel so uncomfortable in our Father's presence if we have not given this life all that we have.

So we make goals as a family.. and not the stupid i want to loose 20 pounds to look like that idiot in the magazines. Instead we say i am going to use the atonement to live the Word of Wisdom completely. 

Quindi, le mete di Sorella Woods (goals of mine)

1. We study the scriptures on the daily as a family and me personally for at least an hour.. We have soo many hours in the day and if we cant give ourselves to God for one hour, we dont understand or appreciate the importance of the gospel.

2. I want to swim laps every morning. non lo so perche ma voglio farlo (prefereably with mom and dad.)

3. Temple at LEAST once a week. Our brothers and sisters are waiting... let's not keep them there too long. 

4. I dont want to waste hours with movies, tv, facebook, aka GARBAGE. Yes, enjoy them, but when it comes to just wasting hours.. Non vale la pena.

5. Try to really do what is pleasing to my Heavenly Father. Thoughts, actions, deeds.. whatever it may be. AKA, keep being a desciple.

I feel like as missionaries we are changed without question. All of us to some extent or another. But if we go home and return to how we were, it was for nothing. I feel like the purpose of a mission is yes, to help and change others, but honestly i feel it is more of Heavenly Father's plan to change us. To change our character and to change us into the person who will continue to do good and progress in the gospel throughout life and not just for this year and a half to two years. He changes us so we can continue to live in a way where we can continually effect the lives of others whether it is family, neighbors, friends, whoever He puts in our path. I love this gospel and i am grateful to have been given this experience of this past year. I have seen so much joy, probably cried more then i ever have in my life, and have gained a real faith in my Savior, His work, and His gospel. 

Love you my stange family more then anything else. Can't wait to see you people and start changing together.

Love Sorella Woods