Feliz (almost) Año Nuevo

Hi Mom et al,

You're going to be mad, but I'm pretty much out of time.…Anyway, on to the important stuff.

As you know, the first week was pretty rough with Hermana Painter and we didn't really get along much at all. It felt very fake and stiff, but thankfully the Lord answers prayers (I think we were both praying for something to happen) and things are going much better. We had to go on exchanges as I went up to Vista for the MLC meeting on Thursday, and I think being with some other sisters just made her appreciate me and as soon as she saw me she said, "I missed you Hermana!" ha-ha so it's been going pretty well thus far. Plus, she got pretty sick, so that gave me the opportunity to serve her, which built trust and understanding. We are working hard together and are excited to both speak in Stake Conference in the upcoming weeks, which is another unexpected but exciting task the Lord has sent our way. 

The MLC (Mission Leadership Council) meeting was awesome. Over 4 hours of counseling, practicing, learning, studying, and all that good stuff! I really did love it! Hermana Sheffield and I were assigned to ride up together (Hermana Painter was with her companion), so that was a blast, and it was fun to be up there with Hermana Villaseñor, and of course, get some great training from my mission crush (one of the APs - of course! Ha-ha). Aside from that, we've been trying to work hard but between the holidays (everyone is gone or busy!!) and Hermana Painter being sick (we had to go in early the other night), it's been a little slower than normal, but all is well.

Aside from it being a little slow, we are working with three people towards baptism, and one of them is Alex, with whom we sent (set?) a baptismal date this week. He is only 13 and we are trying to teach the whole family, but they are busy and he is the only one stoked about it (thus far, at least). We will be meeting with him and his mom tomorrow though, so that's exciting. He asked his parents if he could be baptized and they told him that he was already baptized and he responded by telling them that this was different! He is so great and has already such a strong, developing testimony.

This week we have Zone Training Meeting, and I will be giving trainings along with the Zone Leaders, so we'll be meeting up tomorrow for an hour or so to get that all coordinated. There are usually two STLs in a zone so that they can give trainings together, but I'm the only one for this zone right now. After ZTM, we'll head down to Escondido for some exchanges, which should be fun! Hopefully it all works out well...and if not, we'll learn from it!

Thanks for all the fun pictures! I have lots I want to send you, but we may have to wait until next week. Sorry. Oh, to try to answer some of your questions, I just go on exchanges with each girl once a transfer, and I can decide when that will be, but they all have to be done before week five of the transfer. I am over five girls - my companion, Hermana Goodwin and Hermana McBride in Escondido, and Sister Major and Sister Whickam here in Winchester (Murrieta area).

There are not young sisters in our office, just Elders and Senior missionaries, but that includes the single senior sisters. We have the senior missionaries that work with our military relations (only here in Carlsbad J) and the automobile and housing coordinators and baptismal records and referral coordinators and things like that. It's fun. And of course, there are regular office Elders.

I'm out of time, so I'll have to tell you more about the pilot next week (remind me), but it's the theme (mostly, that and missionary work in general) for our upcoming Stake Conference, so that should be fun getting more members on board with that. Well, we have a district activity to get to, so I'll let you go here. Love you tons and tons mama! Oh, I really love Acts 4-6, you should read it this week J

Love you love you! And I sure do love the Lord and His work!

Con amor,

Hermana Alyssa Nicole Escalante