E ta hopi nechi

Sorry, I thought that P-day would be tomorrow, but its today. (We didn't send her an email because we were planning on sending it on Tuesday.) My companion and I are going to Aruba tonight to spend the night then I'm coming back with my new companion tomorrow to start - can you believe it- my last transfer. Wow, I just can't even believe it.

It has been a crazy week just thinking about the fact that this is my last transfer. I actually got kind of emotional the last planning session as I was talking about my goals for the next week, and really, for the next transfer. My goal for this transfer is to magnify my calling as a missionary. I really want to strive to become the missionary that Heavenly Father wants me to be. My desire to do that is so strong. Also, I want to baptize two people this transfer. I know that with Heavenly Father's help I can help bring two other people into the church. I read "The testifying and challenging missionary" today and in that talk I realized how I can accomplish this goal! Wow, as I think back on what I have learned, especially as I was thinking about 2009 - the entire that I've spent in my mission - I was filled with emotion and gratitude for what Heavenly Father has given me. I want to do everything I can to live up to the expectations that Heavenly Father has for me on my mission.

Well, I hope your week was good. Kind of weird to be writing a letter without hearing from you... but its all good. Did you get President's letter? Elder Bednar is going to be coming to our mission at the end of January!!! Wow. E ta hopi nechi! (its really cool!) What a tender mercy for me to be able to see him this last transfer. Whoa.

I'm bummed again because I can't send pictures. There are a million that I want to send you! We went to this cool place last P-day called shete boca (seven mouths) its a cool park where the water breaks on the shore... anyway, I got some cool pics. Hopefully next week.

Well, as I'm sitting down to write, I can't think of anything really specific to write about this week. It was a great week but I just can't remember what happened! Oh yes - New years. Let me just tell you how many fireworks they have here. Oh. My. Gosh. But, they aren't cool kinds, they are just really dangerous, loud kinds. The entire week they were going off, more and more until New Years Eve. It was crazy. They would light them off in the middle of the day and in the street.

I think I had a heart attack every time I would hear one - it sounded like a gunshot every time. Our district was talking about New Years Eve and one of the elders said, " Last year I went to bed on time " and another one responded, "Ya, well last year you weren't living in Vietnam!" Seriously. But, thank goodness the firework madness is over. Just a little piece of Curacao that I thought I'd share with you.

Oh, another interesting piece of news... we are getting bikes. Ya. We'll still have cars but we'll have bikes too. I don't really know why but hey, at least I'll be getting in shape!

We have some really great new investigators that I am excited about. I have a lot of hopes for them. I can't tell you how much I love teaching the restoration. I feel such a sweet Spirit every time. I know that Joseph Smith saw Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

Also, what a great experience it was to finish the Book of Mormon on the 31st! (A goal for her mission.) I was finishing the last few chapters in Moroni and I had the strongest, most burning feeling in my heart telling me that what I was reading was true. Then, as I knelt down to pray and do as Moroni instructed, the feeling intensified. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. We watched the Restoration movie a couple of days later and with my renewed and stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon in mind I felt a confirmation about Joseph Smith. If the Book of Mormon is true then surely Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I knew these things before but my testimony has deepened and my desire to share this with the world has grown. The days after I had these experiences I felt incredibly happy as I went about doing missionary work and testifying to people of the Book of Mormon.

Love you,
Sister Nefi