Happy New Year!!‏

I cannot believe the 2015 is right around the corner!! That is so weird to me! I remember last year thinking. "man 2015 seems so far away.. it will never come" and looky looky its here!! 

"Look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future." -Elder Holland

http://www.mormonchannel.org/mormon-channel-daily/385?v=910930409001

This past week has been really good. I mean you cant complain when you have had a Christmas something everyday in the week!! That has been a blessing. It was wonderful to see the family!! It was also weird, I always kind of think its awkward. I never know what to say. but It is worth the awkwardness to see you all!! Christmas eve this year was kind of an uneventful one. We had a dinner appointment with a couple in our ward.. ha it was a night full of talking about financial planning and I dont even know what else. ha it was awkward. The food was really good though. Sister Burningham and I kind of went into a depression after dinner because we didnt have anywhere to go, so it was depressing but it all worked out. When we got home we watch the church video "Noras gift". It made us feel better ha. 

Christmas was good. We got to skype and open presents!! Thank you so much for all of you who sent Christmas memories. They were a perfect start to my Christmas day! I really appreciate you taking the time to write them down. 

Later Christmas day we had dinner with a member and after that we had dessert with several other families(they were all at one place) That was really fun. We also stopped by to see one of our investigators. She wasnt home but her mom was. she let us right in and it was a really neat experience where we were able to talk about our Savior and how we can overcome all of our challenges through him. It was such a blessing to bring that Christmas spirit. I love when we get to have experiences like that they make everything right and happy!! 

The rest of the week was filled with Exchanges with some sisters. Those are always so fun to work with other sisters! We are working with a man named Tek, He is awesome and he is reading the Book of Mormon. He wanted to come to church but his son threw a fit and didnt want to come so he didnt get to come. next week. Also we were working with an 18 year old boy. We thought the lesson was going really well. We read Alma 17 with him when Ammon cuts off all the arms of the lamanites. We prayed and got ready to go and as we were leaving he says "you girls are really pretty.." So we ignored him and acted like we didnt hear him. So he is like " did you hear me you girls are really pretty.. Did you know that?" ha Sister Burningham says " Yes we know that, see you later" Darn we hate when that happens. Because then we dont get to teach them. but hey thats life. 

Us at church With Mariah(a member)

Well I guess that is about it this week!! Something that was said in Sacrament meeting this past Sunday was making our Resolutions the difference between want and will. I hope we all can make goals that we are going to do and not just that we want. 

Love you all!! (are you ready for the classic new years joke? I cant tell you how many times we have heard this one already..wait for it...) See you next year! ha ha (get it?? because its the new year..its supposedly the most funny joke this week)  

Sister Zwahlen

Thanksgiving

Merry Christmas!!‏

Merry Merry Christmas to you all this week!! I hope you all have a good one and that you will take the time to spend it with those you love and feel the love of our Heavenly Father. He loves us so much He sent His son. What a blessing. The greatest gift we could ever ask for!! 

"Because He came, there is meaning to our Mortal Experience." President Monson

This past week has been kind of a struggle. Sister Burningham and I have been sick all week. We have had terrible colds or something that is what we will call it. I was nervous because I was playing the flute Sunday in Sacrament and I couldnt breath let alone breath deep without coughing. So I asked for a blessing. I am so grateful for the priesthood. It truly is the power of God. I felt well enough to play and I think it went well. (I borrowed to flute from a member of the ward). We are still sniffling and blowing our noses and coughing, but we feel well enough to go out and carry on the work! but feeling so so much better than last week!! 

Last week was still really good. We had a mission tour. Where we were able to have Elder Perkins from the 70 come and speak with us and train us. It was so very good. Something I really liked that his wife spoke about and shared was D&C 64:25. "Wherefore, if ye believe me ye, will labor while it is called today." I love this, I really spoke to me and my situation. She related it to worrying only about what you need to do TODAY to serve Him. Dont worry about the future and letting yourself get overwhelmed with all you need to do. It helps us to set priorities. I really like that!!

Yesterday as I said was our Christmas Devotional. It was so much fun! We have a talent portion, and a White Elephant exchange. I ended up with an umbrella and a bag of M&M's. ha It was really fun and I am grateful I got what I did because some of the gifts were autographed, blow-up, pictures of the elders. They think they are funny. and it was pretty funny! We also got to watch a slide show that had picture from the year and baptism and that sort of thing. We played minute to win it games during our lovely Christmas meal. It is always so fun to get together with the mission to see our big family!! The last part of our Christmas Devotional was a musical fireside where members and investigators were invited to come. It was so spiritual. One of those experiences where you feel so encircled with love and gratitude for the many many things that we have been given. We are so blessed. 

This past week we also found this awesome guy named Tek. He is originally from Poland and he is so prepared. Im excited to go back to teach him and his son. We did service this week for one of our investigators. We helped her wrap her Christmas. OH MY GOODNESS. I have never seen so many things to wrap in my life. Her whole front room was full of things!! It makes you sad to see how things are so focused on the material things instead of the spiritual side of Christmas. It was still fun to help wrap. I havent wrapped a gift in sometime. 

Oh I forgot to tell you, Our ward members are the absolute best. They collected presents for us and gave them to us on Sunday. WE are spoiled!! We got so much stuff! I will send pictures!! I just feel so blessed this Christmas season. I cannot put into words how grateful I am to be on a mission, especially around Christmas time. Thank you to everyone who sent Christmas cards and gifts. I love you all!

Merry Christmas!

Sister Zwahlen

Westerville

Sister Burningham and I are sick today and not feeling like being up and about, so this email will probably be pretty short. We also have what we call "pday eve" where we do something fun after we plan for the day on Sundays. So this pday eve we made a gingerbread villiage. I am not very good at decorating, it needs a little practice.

This week we were able to go to the temple with Steven. The Vietnamese who just got baptized. So we got permission to go and see him do baptisms for the first time. It was a recent convert night so the others there were also recent converts. It was so neat to see. I was very glad that we were able to go. What a neat experience. 

We got to have dinner with our investigator Nikki last week and she had Christmas cookies, we were able to decorate with her and her 3 kids. It was a lot of fun.

Other than that it has been a Christmas filled week. We had the ward Christmas party, where we got pictures with a fairly slim santa. I hope we get the pictures soon so I can see them ha 

I am playing the flute next week in Sacrament meeting so that will be ok. and We sang in sacrament this sunday. There were 6 of us so it turned out ok. 

I am still in Westerville and i am so grateful to be able to stay through the holidays!! 

Tell Grandma and Grandpa Kimball thank you for the Christmas present. 

Well I guess that is about it! Love you! Sorry its so short. I wish I was feeling up to making it longer. 

Sister Zwahlen

#sharethegift

"Christmas is a time of reflection on what we can become because of God’s sacred gift. As we discover the gift, we learn of the immeasurable love of God and our absolute need for a Savior. As we embrace the gift, we strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and our desire to become more like Him. As we share the gift, we follow in the Master’s footsteps,who invited all to hear His message." -Elder Russell M. Nelson 

This paragraph has had such an impact on me this week. I love the idea of reaching our potential because of our Savior! I encourage you all to take the time to reflect and write down who you can become because of our savior. 

This week has been a blessing as always, but these weeks are going so fast that I hardly remember what has happened. It is transfers week so I am nervous about that. I hope that Sister Burningham and I stay together through Christmas. We know though that we most likely not stay together till we come home because it wouldn't make sense for them to double us out, after we were just doubled in. Which makes us nervous to find out about transfers this week as well. Who knows what will happen. So unpredictable!! 

This past week we had MLC (mission leadership Council) basically a big long meeting for the leadership. It is really good though, and powerful and spiritual! We talked about faith and "He is the Gift" Then they feed us really good food. They had us take pictures of how we are going to #sharethegift this year. Hopefully you get to see the pictures on the Daines Social Media. Ours says " 

We will #sharethegift, because He is the gift."

We also were able to have dinner with a part member family. We are teaching the wife. but she wanted us to help decorate her Christmas Tree. It was fun. She told us that there couldnt be a single branch without an ornament. It was quite the challenge to find room to put more things but we did.. 

 Yesterday, was such a great church meeting! The spirit was so strong throughout the day!! I love it!! We also were informed that We (sister Burningham and I) were singing o come all ye faithful. On the 21st in sacrament meeting. We looked at each other and were like "Uh we dont sing!" They told us that wasnt a good excuse and that they look forward to hearing us. So this will be interesting... 

Oh so we had a sad day this week. We had a lady, we call "The Lady" who is a born again Christian. She tried to "save" us. It was really quite the experience. She wouldnt let us talk and every time we would try she would cut us off and just go on and on telling us what we believe and how we were wrong but she was right and she even pulled the " I am doing this, because I love you and I care for you. You need to read the scriptures and pray about it so that you know the truth. i'm not being mean (she was) I just want you to know." It was quite rough. but dont worry, It was one of those experiences where you are all fired up about what you believe and it just confirmed everything we know to be true!! We also made it better by getting "Graters" Ice Cream. Which is really really good ice cream!! :) 

Well I guess that is about all for this week!! Love you all, have a great week!! I will let you know what happens with transfers next week!! Oh also, OSU is in the top 4. Its a big deal!! Go Buckeyes! 

Sister Zwahlen

Happy December!‏

Hello Family and Friends,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I also hope that you have seen "He is the Gift" if you havent you need to. Visit chirstmas.mormon.org watch the video and then SHARE it! This is huge! I dont think you understand. It is going to be a huge initiative that the church is doing to share the importance of the Christmas season! Ok im off my soap box now! but seriously do this!

Well this week, has gone by so fast. I have no idea what even happened so sorry this will be a short email. Thanksgiving was really good. We had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with the Moarefdoust Family. They are great. We were able to have dinner with them and then to play some games with them. It was really fun the dad is from Iran so he wrote our names in Arabic. that was really cool also. Over all it was nothing out of the ordinary. but overall it was a great Thanksgiving. We have so much to be grateful for. We were introduced to the "He is the Gift" video on Wednesday at a specialized training so It was a perfect transition into the holiday season. 

Oh while I am thinking about it, It is transfers next week!! Can you believe how fast that went?? Me either. and Friday I had an extremely good mail day.. Thanks to the Mcquivey and King Families for the packages. And thanks to all the letters I got. I was so surprised to get so much mail ha

Well i love you all, sorry for such a short email this week!! Have a good one.

Sister Zwahlen

Here is some pictures  Thanksgiving with the Moarefdousts, Sister Burningham and I at Thanksgiving and Zwahlen in Arabic