Another Kirtland Christmas

Hi Family!

 So I know we just talked the other day, but for some reason I was still expecting an e-mail :(

It was fun to see all of you! It felt like I was really there sitting and talking face to face.

Thanks again for all of the Christmas gifts!! Christmas in Kirtland is the BEST! Im so blessed

to be able to have two of them!

Christmas Eve was pretty fun. We had a dinner with all of the Sisters and senior couples at sites.

Then we went Christmas caroling. The Sisters split into 2 groups to go caroling. We had about

12 missionaries in our group.We caroled to less active members and investigators in the area.

One woman inparticular was really touched. Her husband died a year ago (christmas eve) and she's

not very old (she still has kids at home). She started to cry as we sang to her, and we all felt the Spirit

so strong! Our Zone Leaders caroled in their area with the other group of Sisters and they did something pretty cool. All the missionaries in that group split up and knocked on doors in Shaker Heights (near Cleveland). They told those who

opened the door to come out and join them. So here were all these people in the street singing Christmas

hymns together! The Elders went around and introduced themselves to the people and now they have some

potential investigators. Cool huh?! They come up with ideas like that all the time! After caroling we went back to our house and opened the presents we got from the senior couples. They put a gift bag together for us and every senior couple puts something

in the bag. We are spoiled! My favorites came from the Daltons. Sister Dalton made all of us headbands, and Elder Dalton wrote us a poem. I'll have to send it next week...it made us all cry. After we opened our gift bags, we said a prayer as a house. There were about ten of us. As head of the household (since Im the oldest haha) I asked Sister Wattles to give the prayer. She always says such heart felt prayers. As we knelt there together I couldnt help but feel of the love that our Savior has for all of us. Once again we all had tears in our eyes as we felt deep gratitude for this sacred opportunity to serve here in this place at this time. Im truly blessed!

 

Christmas morning was fun! We woke up at 6:30 am and opened all of our presents. Then we took turns calling our parents, waking them up, and everyone yelling Merry Christmas over the phone! Brunch was awesome, except that I gained five pounds in one sitting haha. The pj's were a hit Mom! After I talked to all of you we went to the church and played volley ball and some other games with

our zone. After that we went to our member dinner at the Packers, which was kind of strange because I was there last year

for Christmas dinner too! I have come full circle! We had fun at there house! There daughter Trisha got home from her

mission in the summer (Temple Square) and she's so funny! She makes us feel like normal people because she knows

what it's like to be us! After dinner Sister Stewart got to skype her family. While she was doing that James called me!

We only got to talk for a little bit though :( We got disconnected or something? I told him about us flying home together though

and he's super excited!

Well, that's about it. How was the rest of your Christmas? I hope you all had a great time! I love you all so very much!

Have a great week and HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! The gospel is true!

 

Love Sister Kingston

 

p.s. Mom, Im making "Happy Winter" cards since Im a little late to send out Christmas cards haha.

I was wondering if you could snail mail me addresses for your brothers and sisters and dad's as well? Oh

and Cosas new address too! Thanks!

 

p.p.s If you havent already, you NEED to look up that video on youtube!

Search for "the Storey of Jonah" and it should come up ;)