It is hard to believe that it is already 2013! In thinking back on this past year of 2012 it is amazing to see how blessed I have been, and how blessed our family has been. With weddings, babies, and mission calls it has been a really big year for everyone. I am so grateful for the opportunity and blessing that I have to be here in the Sapporo mission sharing the beautiful message and truth of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for my family (which is ever growing :) ) and even more so for the fact that we can be together forever! I am pretty excited about that :) I have been blessed more than I can say, and way more than I could ever deserve, and I am so grateful for the wonderful chance I have this year, 2013 to dedicate the entire year to helping people have those same kind of blessings! I am realizing more and more just how incredibly fast the mission goes, and I have made a New Year's Resolution to use this year the best possible way that I can. I am super excited!
We got our transfer calls this week and I am transferring! It is my first transfer out of my bean area, and I am super sad to be leaving Obihiro and my companion Sister Seto - I love them both to death, but I am also super excited to go to my new area with my new companions! Yes, I say companions, because I am going to be in a three-some! I am going to an area called Atsubetsu (which is in Sapporo) with Sister Nanjo (who is from Tokyo) and Sister Northrop (who is from California/Washington). I have gotten to work a little bit with them before on exchanges and things, and they are both great! It will interesting to see how it works as a threesome! Hopefully we don't scare people away when we try to talk to them! Transfers are on Thursday so I am trying to get all the packing and writing of meishi's (name cards? its like a business card, but its not a business... i don:t know how to translate it), and trying to see as many people as I can before then, although everyone is busy with New Years celebrations and things so its been a little difficult to do.
The ward has been great, during this New years time we have been invited to a different members house every day for dinner - they are really such a great ward, I will miss them a lot. But we are still in the same stake, so maybe I:ll get to see them all at a Stake conference coming up in March.
Well this past week has been a blast! It was so great to talk to everyone on the phone, even though it was short - you all sound genki! And Dad, thank you so much for sending me the pictures from the onsen! It looks like it was a blast! I am very impressed that everyone decided to do it - Janna must have been very good at convincing everyone, last I heard she was the only one excited about doing that! it sounds like you all had a very Japanese Christmas break! Did you do anything special for New years?
We also had a Sister's training meeting, and the Messiah concert last week - we didn:t sing, we just got to listen - oh my goodness it was beautiful. I think they are putting it on YouTube, you should definitely try and see it! It was very professional, and the spirit was almost overwhelming! I had the chance to sit next to an investigator of some of the Sapporo sisters, and she just kept saying, I feel so happy! This is such a feeling of joy. I want to keep this feeling. I felt the same way.
Yesterday for New Years Eve we had a mission wide special Day with the Book of Mormon - we spent the entire day just reading the Book of Mormon. It was great! It really is a true book. Everyone in it, and everything in it is true - and it truly all testifies and focuses on Jesus Christ. I have been highlighting all the references to Christ in the Book of Mormon this time as I have been reading - I am almost through now, and so are my highlighters! If anyone has any doubt that the Book of Mormon focuses and testifies of Christ I challenge you to find a page or two that doesn't mention him at least once. There is so much to learn from the Book of Mormon - I know it is true, and that the principles in it come from God and are meant to bless us in this day.
I am about out of time for this week, but I love you all, and wish you all the best for this New Year!
Love,
Sister Budge
Sister Budge
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