Letting something go for good!

Kind readers,  Hope's birthday is next monday jan. 6th.  As luck would have it that's the same day she gets to check her emails next.  Since her VERY favorite treat in the world is MAIL please consider dropping her a quick birthday wish via email.  Nothing would thrill her more than having a full inbox of birthday wishes.  Her email address is: hope.thomas@myldsmail.net

Thanks!!!

Hope's family

Now to her blog post for the week:

December 30, 2013

Alright, alright I know that I promised you a poem for every holiday, but if I did one this week then I would write 3 in a row (since I will be writing one for my birthday next week), and I think that may be just a bit too much for right now.

Nevertheless, it was a promise, therefore, let me share with you a most heartfelt Haiku (hey, a poem is a poem)

out until midnight

streamers, parties, confetti

or in by seven

So. yes. It obviously took a few hours to write.....just kidding. But what it lacks in length, it makes up for in accuracy. Our mission president has asked that we be in our apartments on New Year’s Eve by 7 to do "weekly planning." This fits my schedule perfectly, as we will probably have a little roommate celebration after planning until about 10:30, at which point I will be completely content to start off the new year with a nice, refreshing NAP. (I don't call it going to bed anymore because 8 hours of sleep suddenly feels like 20 minutes!)

My short little message for today is about resolutions. 

All day every day, as missionaries we help people make resolutions to do things that draw them closer to Christ, and therefore make them more happy. In missionary talk we call them "commitments" but

they SHOULD be strong enough to call resolutions. I didn't realize how hard it was for people to break out of their rut and keep our commitments, until I tried to do it myself.

In Preach My Gospel - our missionary handbook, it invites the missionaries to try and break a bad habit or form a new one just to know how it feels when we ask someone who's investigating the church to break or form a habit.

OUTCOME: it's hard!!

I tried to break a bad habit this past week, and even though I knew I would be happier if I stuck to my resolution, and would be disappointed in myself if I didn't, my familiarity made it hard for me to break out of the habit. So this year, as you begin to share the gospel more (oh goodness, did I just make a resolution for you?) pick ONE THING than you want to STOP doing. And at the end of this year you will be able to say: in 2014 I never____________

and won't that be a good feeling?

HAPPY NEW YEAR and good luck!!!!

-Hermana Thomas