HELLO PARTY PEOPLE!

Guys christmas was amazing...we saw like 10 million people. And I got to talk to my family. BEST DAY OF MY LIFE. 

I've had an awesome week. We have a ton of amazing potential investigators who we are meeting with this week and I am so excited. There is so much work to do. And this is the last week of the transfer! Craaaaazy! We get a call this Friday night and find out where we'll be going. I'm trying not to think about it....haha not doing a great job at it.

 Well I have like no time this week to write..Sorry!!!!

I have pictures though, enjoy.

LOVE YOU ALL! :)

Love, sister Hallmark

THE REAL NORTH POLE!

Just soaking in the "happy light" during morning studies :)

Ice skating trip!

Merry Christmas Adam! (because it's not eve yet....get it?)

 

Hello hello!

I hope everyone is having a fabulous holiday season. It's been so fun being a missionary around the holidays. We get to remind people about the importance of putting Christ first. :) I love it! 

Well being here I am constantly reminded by everyone that I meet that I'm in the "REAL Alaska" now... apparently the southeast isn't count. Too warm there. :) I definitely feel like I'm in the real Alaska...so far this transfer I've tracted in -30, KIND OF seen the northern lights, and I've eaten bear meatloaf, moose soup, and whole lot of salmon. I love it! 

This week has been a little challenging because the lack of sunlight is starting to affect me and sister Harrison. But the people we love with just ordered a "happy light" for us to use and it should be here this week. Blessing! It's basically a light that gives you natural sunlight or something? I don't know...but everyone here has one and I'm excited!

Well I don't have much time but I love everyone so much!!!

Love sister Hallmark

Sister Harrison and I are spoiled! Presents under the tree!

My good friend Frosty.

Real life icicles! They're giant!

Finding positivity in the negative

 It's negative 32 right now! Ah! I can't believe I'm still alive.

This week was great, I am loving my companion more and more. She makes me want to be so much better! We have been working really hard on talking to EVERYONE we see. So  many people are caught of guard to get a chipper "MERRY CHRISTMAS" in a dark freezing parking lot. :) We like what we do.

Well we are saying goodbye to ALOT of amazing YSA here because everyone is going home for the Christmas break! Yaaaay! It's exciting for them, but a little sad for us. We will keep ourselves busy though. :) We are trying to help people focus on CHRIST this Christmas and not get so caught up in the hustle and bustle.

A few of our investigators are staying here so that is great, we have lots of people to teach. :) We also met with this guy named George this week and he basically know EVERYTHING about the church, his girlfriend is a member, all of his friends growing up are members, he already has an idea of when he wants to get baptized and who he wants to baptize him, but he's never met with the missionaries before. CRAZY!!!! So we are teaching him all the lessons and he will be getting baptized in Valdez during Christmas break. :) Yay!

 I love this gospel! I love Christ our Savior! I love this wonderful holiday season when I get to testify of the love he has for each of his children. I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love, Sister Hallmark :)

Baking banana bread for some Christmas treats to take people!

Finished project!

I love my companion :)

Our AMAZING friends Bente, Gabbi, and Dani :) Loooove em!

Freezebanks!

GUYS MY HAIR IS LEGITIMATELY FROZEN RIGHT NOW. THIS IS IN CAPS BECAUSE I AM SCREAMING...IT IS REALLY REALLY REALLY COLD.

Okay seriously, even though it's cold, I am absolutely head over heels in love with my new area. In love. I'm in a YSA again and I missed it! Young single adults will always have a special place in my heart. I feel like I am able relate with them because we're all kind of in the same phase of life. Man, it's good to be here. My companion is a rock star. She's been out 3 months and I feel like she's training me. She's follows the spirit incredibly and have such a huge desire to do what the Lord wants. She makes me want to be a better missionary! 

We have so many amazing potential investigators right now, we are meeting with them all this week! It's going to be an incredible week here in Fairbanks, folks. :) The work is so good! I love this church!!!!! 

Guess what else, I met the REAL SANTA IN THE REAL NORTH POLE! YES YES YES! We went and did service at the North Pole at Santa's workshop and we were literally Santa's helpers. Even if it was just a run to Wendy's...I did it for SANTA! YEAH!

The weather here is so weird. I still don't know how to handle negative temperatures. It's been averaging around -20 since I've been here and it's just...strange. My nose hairs freeze..I can't breathe too deep or I'll cough like crazy...and walking outside with damp hair is clearly only done by amateur Alaskans. I learned this morning. I also have been having some really painful itchy spots on my head and it's been driving me CRAZY....I've been asking everyone what it could be and no one knows. Well last night we asked Sister Maynes at dinner and she said I just had a dry spot on my head and it was reacting to the dry air here in Fairbanks. WHO KNEW?! She gave me some coconut oil to put on it and it's already feeling better. Man, I love the members! 

I am so blessed to be in this winter wonderland for the holiday season! I love everything about Fairbanks, especially the people. There are alot of special people here that I hopefully get to teach. :)

I love you all so much, thanks for your support and love!!! Send me letters! I love them!!!

The church is true! Love, Sister Hallmark

THE REAL SANTA!!!!

Rosy cheeks and frozen eyelashes

Oh you know, just unplugging our car...

Dry scalp solution!

 

 

In an ice igloo!

Ice Ice Baby

Yeah, it's that time again. Six weeks has come and gone. WAY too fast.

So I got a call from el presidente...he gave me some news. Do you guys want to know? Are you sure? I've give you a hint. It's somewhere cold...really cold.

I'm going to Fairbanks.

So for most of you who are saying "Okay...cool...no idea where that is or what the significance is in that area..." Well let me educate you..... Fairbanks is consistently around negative 40 to 50 in the winter...so basically inhuman temperatures. YEAH, FUNNY JOKE RIGHT?! President Beesley must have forgot I'm from Texas and I'm chronically freezing. Although I'm terrified to experience such unfathomable temperatures and to leave the southeast, I have prayed a ton and I have been able to receive a sweet peace about Fairbanks. I will be serving in a YSA branch. It will be fun to see how the holidays are there. AND we are close to the North Pole and they have an actual Santa's shop and everything!!! It's like the real life north pole and I'll be there for christmas! I really have a great love for YSA so I know it will be good. I know I was called there for a reason. It has been really really hard saying bye to all the people I've grown to love so much here in Juneau, I didn't think I would be such an emotional mess! But Juneau and Sitka will always have a special place in my heart. :)

So if anyone looking at sending an early Christmas gift...now would be the time. :) Anything warm, please. I am desperate. Gloves, hats, scarves, anything. I have a good pair of boots and a coat.

I don't have a lot of time but I just want you all to know I am doing well and that I love you!!! Fairbanks, here I come!!

The church is true!!!

Love Sister Hallmark