Go Big and Celebrate Christmas 🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄

Merry Christmas
      Sorry, this email is going to be short. I want to reply to everyone, and we are making cookies today to give away!!!
      This week I ran unto a rut, where I had no motivation to do much of anything and I was doing missionary work because that is what I am supposed to do, but I wasn't feeling the joy of it and I wanted to but didn't know how. I was praying all week, looking at how I can improve and how I can shake this cloud that was hanging over my head. Then as we were planning for Zone Training next week and we talked about Go Big, Do Big, I was praying to have the motivation back that I had before. I don't know how, but when I left that meeting, I wasn't where I wanted to be, but I was more motivated, more excited, and ready to get out there and find the elite!! 
      What I have learned from this is patience, faith, prayer, communication, and diligence. Trials come into our lives, in all kinds of forms and they tend to be different forms when you are on a mission, but they teach you the same lessons then if you are home. Trials bring us closer to our Savior because we need to rely on Him every step of the way. Although, this trial was not huge it was hard to keep going and as a missionary when you are feeling defeated or unmotivated, unproductive or you are not busy, it's the hardest thing in the world. No one tells you that before you go out, but it's true; when you are not busy, you lose the Spirit. In the words of Preach My Gospel "If you lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease, your desire will weaken, and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit." This is true; we need to have the desire to have the Spirit! I think this applies in some way to non-missionaries as well! 
       The perfect birthday/Christmas present for me: pick something from the Advent Calendar and do it and if you feel okay sharing it, email me with your experience. I would love to hear how you all are sharing the Light of Christ this Christmas season!!! 

Liebe Sister Anderson
Alpenländische Mission

Pictures:  

* Sister Heller decorated our room while I was asleep and then we celebrated!!!
* The lights picture is of beautiful Zürich, except this was scary because I lost Sister Heller for like 10 minutes!!! So scary, we were both so worried (there wasn't even a tree to hug), but we found each other, also Helen Keller's family comes from this area!