The Week Where it was Christmas‏

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-the sisters got to
go to the mission Christmas Devotional (party), the Sisters were two
of the four Wise Women for the nativity scene that their district
pulled together, the weather was unseasonably warm (like don't bother
putting on a jacket warm, you'll be hot in your sweater warm), the
Sisters tried warm egg nog for the first time (delicious), the Ward
basically adopted the Sisters and made sure that they had the ultimate
missionary Christmas, the sisters baked cookies, new investigators
were found, and there was much joy in the land.

Hello Loves,

Happy New Year! (In a few days obviously, but you've got to work with
me, because if I wait until next Monday it will be several days into
the New Year, and since I hate being late I decided it would be better
to be early). This week was easily the weirdest missionary week that I
have experienced. Between having the Mission Christmas Devotional all
day Tuesday and then trying to just do brief visits on Christmas Eve
and Christmas, I feel like we sort of had three p-days. It was super
fun, and totally weird.

One of the coolest things for me this past week happened at the
Christmas Devotional. I love the Spirit so much. We were sitting in
the portion of the meeting where there were about a million musical
numbers and we had watched the mission year slideshow. President
Daines was talking about something or other...I honestly don't
remember what...when the spirit finished piecing together an answer
that I have been looking for pretty much since deciding to go on a
mission. I had seen so many people come back from missions so
different from who they were before and I had wondered if I would like
who I was when all was said and done. Obviously I still came and I did
everything I could not to resist changing, knowing that God must have
better plans for me than what I would want for myself. While I sat
listening to President Daines the spirit very calmly taught me that
when we use the Atonement of Jesus Christ to change, we need not fear
the change because we are in fact becoming exactly who God always
intended for us to be. That peace was a pretty remarkable Christmas
present from my Father in Heaven.

Christmas Eve morning we got to bake cookies with Jill and watch the
social media Christmas videos that were associated with
#ASaviorisBorn. We made sugar cookies and miracle cookie bars. I'm
really excited. We're going to be starting a Book of Mormon and Bible
Study with Jill. It will probably include some kind of art journaling,
because she loves crafts. We delivered some cookies and then it was
time for dinner with the Browns. They spoiled us and fed us surf and
turf. It was super delicious. I had a fun time talking with Katie and
Audrey. Audrey is eleven and her siblings kept teasing her that she
wasn't going to get the gift that she had asked for. For whatever
reason that reminded me of the year that Alex had the nightmare that
she got all Sponge Bob presents for Christmas. The Brownings invited
us to end our evening with them. We read The Christmas Story from Luke
2 by Menorah light and then read other scriptures about the Savior. I
thought it was the perfect way to spend my Christmas Eve. Of course
when I got home, I then got to read the Christmas Heart Stories. I
love the Christmas Heart Stories so much. They might just be my
favorite Christmas Tradition.

Christmas morning we filled the floor with wrapping paper and giggled
over the joy of opening gifts. It was fun, but I definitely missed out
on watching the reactions of people as they opened the perfectly
planned gifts that I had chosen for them. I spent some time reading
The Living Christ and then colored because Mom and Dad sent me adult
coloring books and pencils. My parents, they really just know me. We
spent some time with the Lewis Family in the morning and then we went
to the Lynch's so we could Skype home. Talking to the family was the
best part of Christmas. It's weird to be a tri-state family and it was
incredibly odd to be away from my family on Christmas, but through the
miracle of modern technology I was able to have Ethan show me a magic
trick (I still have no idea how that worked) and was able to laugh
with them. I called Tiny after because we couldn't figure out how to
three-way Skype. After the Lynch's we went to the Coulter's for a
Christmas Lunch/Dinner and then we went and saw one of our
investigator's Sandra. After Sandra we stopped by the Kurtz's, because
we had promised Callie and DJ that we would come see them on
Christmas. Callie gave Sister Clark and I makeovers and DJ showed us
his awesome Lego police station. And then the day was over.

I am so profoundly grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for his
birth, which went by largely unnoticed. His life is what makes my life
possible. Without him I could not become who I was always meant to be
and I couldn't return to my heavenly home. This Christmas season has
been miraculous and I hope that as we continue to seek out those who
are prepared to receive the gospel that we will find ways to remind
them that Christ is the reason for every season, not just the holiday
one.

The Church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica

The Week of Holiday Goodness

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-three of Sister
Cale's previous companions were assigned to her old areas, the sisters
went from being a trio to being a normal companionship, as a
consequence Sister Cale got to sleep in a real bed again and found
herself thinking that it was kind of too big, Santa promised to open
doors for them so they could share their message, the sisters helped
with primary and taught in Young Women's, Sister Cale fulfilled one of
her mission bucket list requirements when they helped someone move on
one of the coldest days of this winter so far, and the Ward took such
great care of the sisters that they really didn't have time to think
about the fact that they weren't at home.

Hello Whos in Whoville,

Guys, Christmas is this week! I don't know if you've been counting
down as much as we have, but that means that Christmas is basically in
THREE days! Three days! Holla! I'm pretty much convinced that this
might very well be the very best week of my mission. I love this
season so much. When people are already thinking of Christ before you
arrive at their door to invite them to think more about him, miracles
happen. Sometimes those miracles are small and they're very nice,
sometimes the miracle is bigger and you happen to get five new
investigators in the course of one night (last Thursday-wonders like I
have not previously seen). In addition to all the mission miracles,
Christmas also means that I get to talk to my family which is going to
be the highlight of the life. We're really excited for this upcoming
week because we have the Mission Christmas Devotional (to be read
Party with fireside at the end of the evening) tomorrow, and then
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We're so excited to bake some goodies
and take them around to all the humans that we love here in
Pickerington. Being completely fair, we probably won't actually get to
take them to all the humans that we love, because we really love a lot
of people here.

Enough about how great this week is though. Let's talk about last week.

I finished reading the Book of Mormon for the fourth time this year.
Can I just tell you how much I love this book? It truly is some kind
of magical. I love that the spirit teaches me different things each
time that I read and how it truly does draw me closer to my Father in
Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon has helped me find
greater peace and comfort and joy during this last year than any other
thing. My mission experience would have been and would be entirely
different without it. I know that it truly is the words of God and
that just as the promise in the introduction states, that in knowing
that the Book of Mormon is true, we can also know that Joseph Smith is
a prophet of God, that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World, and
that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's kingdom
once again established on the Earth preparatory to the second coming
of the Messiah (don't get mad if the promise isn't verbatim, I was
going off of memory).

Thursday after we said goodbye to our beloved Sister Davis (who went
with Sister Gordon to Pataskala) we saw miracles happen. It was such a
good day. We were finally able to get into contact with several
potential investigators who we had been trying to get together with
all transfer. We were able to share part of the restoration with an
older woman named Barbara who is quickly becoming one of my favorite
people here in Pickerington, and then the whole first lesson with five
teenagers whose parents we were supposed to be meeting with. Miracles
happened. Our whole last weekend was good. We were able to teach and
serve and we had a blast doing it.

One of my favorite parts of this weekend was Choir practice for the
missionary fireside tomorrow night. I love singing and I love seeing
my missionary friends. All good stuff.

We got to teach the Young Women about inviting others to come unto
Christ yesterday. It was fun. We started out and told them that we
were going to share one of our most favorite holiday treats with them.
Most of them had never tried a chocolate orange. I was so confused by
that, but it made a good link to the concept that we naturally want to
share the things that we love that have improved our lives in some way
with others. When I put my papers in and was waiting for my call I was
decidedly nervous about how I was going to be able to share the gospel
with others in a way that wouldn't seem pushy or obnoxious. During
this past (almost) year I have been given more opportunities than I
can count to share the gospel in small and simple ways because it is
something that brings me peace, joy, comfort, motivation, happiness,
and direction. That has been the greatest blessing.

The church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you.

Merry Christmas Darlings!

Love,

Jessica

The Week Where I DID NOT Get Transferred

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-Sister Cale hit her
eleven month mark (what?), the Sisters celebrated Ward Mission Leader
Appreciation Week (A fictitious holiday made solely for the purpose of
feeling joy and celebrating all the good that our Ward Mission Leader
does for us), Zone Conferences were seriously super awesome, Sister
Cale got to go live the trio life in Reynoldsburg for a day on
exchanges, Sister Cale got to go to the temple with the Reynoldsburg
Sisters and their investigator Nate, and there was goodness in the
land.

Hi Loves,

You know that part in a Christmas Carol at the end where the narrator
is going through what has happened with all the characters and he
says, "And Tiny Tim...who did not die"? Well that's kind of how I feel
about the fact that I'm not being transferred. I don't know that I've
actually shared with the crowd at large what the transfer process is
like in our mission. So here's the deal-the week of transfers our
preparation day is moved to Wednesday. It's kind of a pointless sort
of preparation day because you don't feel like you can do very much
until you know what is happening with the transfer. Sometime between
one and four transfer calls come in. The transfer calls are made and
that's when you know if you're leaving or staying. You don't know
where you're going or who your next companion will be, just that
something is changing. By six o'clock that night you're expected to be
back to work like a normal missionary. Transfer meeting starts the
next morning at 10:45 and the rest is history. After four transfers
with four new areas each, I feel I could very much echo Dicken's
narrator in saying "And Sister Cale, who was not transferred..." I
don't know what's going to happen this next transfer, but it certainly
won't be boring, that's for certain.

So this last week and a half has been a good, albeit kind of stressful
one. On Tuesday while I was in Reynoldsburg on exchanges, Sister Davis
and Sister Bradford were able to help Leticia commit to a baptismal
date. We were so excited because she accepted the baptismal date of
December 19. We made the most killer of plans to help her understand
all the lessons in a week and a half and things were going to be
great. Unfortunately she has since decided that she wants to wait
longer and hasn't been able to determine when exactly will be a good
time for her to be baptized. I think the most important thing that I
learned during this up and down process was that our faith is never
wasted. We were able to fast with Leticia on Sunday and even though
she still doesn't feel like she's received an answer, I felt such
peace. More than ever I am really beginning to understand that there
is very little of this that is about what I think or want, it is about
what God wants and what his children will choose in accordance with
that.

Zone Conference this week was some kind of wonderful. President Daines
gave us an awesome training on the significance of the sacrament
ordinance and our preparation for it. I think one of the coolest
things that was pointed out during the course of the training was the
difference in the wording in the sacrament prayers in the term of the
covenant being made. I also loved Sister Daines's training on Avoiding
Discouragement. It was brilliant.

Well ya'll the church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and
Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica

Sent from my iPad

The Week of Spiritual Instruction

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-it was warm and then
it was bitter cold (but Sister Cale decided to resist tights or
anything like unto them), Sister Cale had all sorts of moments to be
grateful for everything she has ever learned about psychology, Sister
Cale found that she still has her skills in relation to making best
friends with the tiny humans (shout out to my new BFF Collin), in a
moment that was delightfully surprising Sister Cale realized that she
has missionary best friends at Elder Cardon's special Zone Conference,
Sister Cale and Sister Davis found out that they love the same
musicals and tv shows (#losttwins), Sister Cale and Sister Clark
nerded out over Doctor Who together, the sisters got to sing in a
missionary choir for Stake Conference, and weekly planning outfits
were among Sister Cale's more brilliant ideas.

Hello Loves!

Happy Thanksgiving Week! How is it that this Holiday season is already
upon us? I'm honestly not at all clear on how that happened. Isn't it
still January? It certainly feels like it outside here. I'm not sure
what the weather is like in your corners of the world. It would be
poor form motto tell you all how grateful I am for each of you. Your
support, love, and prayers mean the world to me and are so connected
to what I have been able to accomplish here. I cannot begin to express
what a miracle this experience has been for me so far. So many
missionaries talk about how they are completely different people
compared to who they were when they left. My experiment is similar,
but could more accurately be described as having found pieces of the
best version of myself. I'm still remarkably flawed and feel exactly
like myself, but better. So thank you for your sacrifices,
contributions, love, words, emails, prayers, and thoughts in my
direction. To some degree each of you has enabled me to find these
best parts of myself as I have been able to lose myself in serving
others. I love you all so much!

My major highlight of the week was getting to go to our special Zone
Conference. Something I have learned over the course of my mission is
that when we seek to receive answers to questions when attending
meetings that rarely will we not be blessed with them. Sometimes my
questions have been expansive and yet the spirit has somehow managed
to cover them with adequate answers. My questions on Friday were
intentionally rather broad because I had not yet determined even ideas
for how to navigate around these concerns. I was amazed and humbled by
the specificity of the directions that I received. God is so good. In
addition to all the direction and counsel that I received from the
spirit, I was always blessed to be able to understand and recognize
direction for me in the comments of President Daines, Sister Daines,
Elder Cardon, and Sister Cardon. I think one of the most significant
things that I came to understand was that charity, that perfect
Christlike love, possesses us only after we exercise great faith and
hope. Something that President Daines said that was an important
perspective changer for me was "the faith that got you out on your
missions, as great as it was, is not enough to get you home as the
person God intends for you to be."

I'm starting to learn how to be a missionary in a family Ward with
kids and youth again. Itis fantastic! I hope you all have a remarkable
Thanksgiving.

The church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica
Sent from my iPad

The Week Christmas Crafting Began‏

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-the Sisters went on
a (approved) road trip to London (Ohio), got to attend the Ward Relief
Society Christmas Dinner with one of their investigators, went to Zone
Training Meeting, got to help Sister Kurtz with baby prep service,
helped the Priests learn how to plan lessons, shared #ASaviorisBorn
with anyone and everyone who would watch it, made a missionary style
movie bucket for a sick investigator (complete with General Conference
and Joy to the World as viewing options because we know how to party),
made Great OCM sweats, and watched the Christmas Devotional.

Hi Guys!

Okay, seriously, being a missionary at Christmastime is some kind of
magical. I will happily admit that it also comes with more moments of
homesickness (#AngelsWeHaveHeardOnHigh), but those are far outweighed
with the joy that comes from talking about our Savior with everyone
that we come across. There is something almost tangible in the air
that just feels like anything remarkable could happen. Also on the
bright side, even though it has been sort of chilly, it really hasn't
been super cold yet and it hasn't snowed...yet. I acknowledge that all
these things are coming, but I haven't had to face them yet. I still
skip tights somedays (because I'm crazy).

I really just loved this past week. We were able to share
#ASaviorisBorn with so many people and it was so cool to see the
spirit work with them to encourage them to learn more about the Book
of Mormon and our Savior Jesus Christ through reading it. This last
week has been particularly cool for me as I have read about Christ
coming to the Americas and establishing his gospel here among the
Nephites. I love that the gospel was the same for the Nephites as it
was for the people in Jerusalem as it is for us. I can't imagine what
it would have been like to be there and be taught by the Savior. I am
grateful that through the Holy Ghost I am able to know Jesus Christ
even though I haven't seen him. I am grateful that I have been blessed
to feel of his love and concern for me even though I didn't touch the
wounds in his hands and feet. I am grateful to do his work under his
direction. He is why this season is so magical, because the hope he
offers transcends words.

I loved the Christmas Devotional. We were able to watch with the
Bishop and his wife at their house. Sister Kurtz is amazing. I hope to
be like her someday. Seriously, she is Wonder Woman in the flesh. I
adore her. Her baby is due in a few weeks and she's still working on
home renovation projects and she does all sorts of amazing things for
the Ward. She takes such awesome care of us.

So here are my major take-aways from the Christmas Devotional-

This next week is going to be awesome. I'm excited to see what we learn at Zone Conference and for the other magic this holiday week is bound to include.

The church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you. 

Love,

Jessica

The Week We Baked and Ate‏

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-the Sisters went on
exchanges and Sister Cale got to go to Pickerington 2, District
Meeting was absolutely on point again, The Sisters baked over 100
chocolate chip cookies, Sister Cale fulfilled a mission dream by
having not only one or two, but three Thanksgiving dinners (shout out
to the Coulter's, Kurtz's, Brazier's, Wilstead's, Neal's, and
Drysdale's), it almost got cold enough to convince Sister Cale to wear
tights, and there were many miracles.

Hey Loves,

Happy almost December! Seriously! I have now completed two of the
three holidays that I intentionally arranged to miss only once during
this missionary experience. I'll be totally honest, I was pretty
worried that not being at Grandmother's or Aunt Ginger's for
Thanksgiving was going to be pretty lonely and maybe a bit
homesick-inspiring. But I was so immensely blessed.

First thing Thanksgiving morning I made pomegranate salad. In terms of
life choices I feel like that was a solid decision. Even though it
wasn't fresh whipped cream or fresh pineapple, it was still a taste of
home. After companion study we went to Bishop Kurtz's house and helped
Sister Kurtz bake pies and do other Thanksgiving prep things. She's
expecting a baby in December, so it was awesome to be able to help
out. More than anything I felt so grateful that we had a family who we
could help do Thanksgiving prep things, because it helped the morning
feel so much more normal to me. After pie service we went to
Thanksgiving lunch at the Coulter's. They are such an awesome family.
It was delightful. We then took cookies around to the world...or to
our investigators, potential investigators, less active members, and
former investigators. It was so fun. When it was dinner time we went
over to The Brazier's and had Thanksgiving part two with them and the
Kurtz's and the Wilstead's. The Wilstead's are actually in the
Moundbuilders ward, so it was super fun to see a family that I got to
know really well in Pataskala. We delivered more cookies and before we
knew it the night was over.

So much more important than an accounting of the happenings of
Thanksgiving were the many miracles that we were blessed with this
week. The first miracle of the week happened Monday night. Getting
back to work after p-day can always be an interesting experience, but
we were lucky enough to catch a potential investigator named Marilyn
at home. We were able to share the first lesson with her and feel such
a special spirit in her home. When she said the closing prayer she
prayed for things that were so related to our doctrine and I know
she's going to love the Plan of Salvation. Our other major miracle
this week happened in part on Friday night and in part on Sunday
afternoon. We have an investigator named Shay who has been taking the
lessons for over a year now. On Friday night we were able to meet her
boyfriend and invite him to come to a lesson that we were going to be
having with the girls. I guess historically he has refused to really
even talk to the missionaries, to say nothing of agreeing to meet with
them. Well, he agreed to come. Yesterday we were able to teach their
whole family the Restoration. We had this really fun lesson planned
because Skye and Stormy are only 9 and 6, so we wanted it to be really
interactive. We played telephone and watched several Mormon Messages.
It was so cool to see their parents really engaged in teaching and
learning with their darling girls. At the end of the lesson they said
that they want to be a forever family and all accepted the invitation
to be baptized. The Church is so true! I love what the spirit can do.

If you haven't seen the new Christmas video yet, please stop reading
now and go to christmas.mormon.org. It's different than the last
three, but every time I watch it I love it more and more. The website
itself has a lot of really cool features and things to share with
people. I personally love the number GIF's that tell the Christmas
story. I'm also excited for the Social Media 12 Days of Christmas
vides. I really hope that we can get to them. I know that Jesus Christ
was born to be the Savior of the World. I am so grateful for the
righteous choices that he made every day in his life that allowed him
to be worthy to perform the Atonement which enables me to be a
missionary. I could not be a missionary without the love and support
of my best friend, older brother, and Savior Jesus Christ. I am
changed because He came.

The church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica