Snow and the New Year

Dear Everyone,

This letter comes to you from the Northwest land of ice and snow. Before coming to BC we were told the winters here were pelasant. Two to three feet of snow has stayed here for two to three weeks. No one here can ever remember it being so severe. WE are warm as long as we layer our clothing and stay inside. The snow at Christmas was the one part I wanted to miss! Oooops! We are here for the adventure and adventure it is.

It was great fun and we were delighted to Connie Houskeeper and Rebecca, our daughter come for Christmas. Teh day after they left, Janae, Lonnie, and Britt came for a few days. During both visits we were able to tour the Vancouver Aquarium and on Vancouver Island the Royal BC Museum. The day time ferry was literally breathtaking. I stand in awe at God's creation of Heaven, Earth, and Sea. We were so fortunate to have visitors taste of His beauty as well. If any of the rest of you is adventurous, please come.

As a sidelight, one of my goals for serving this mission is to change for the better. Both my daughters said I am basically still the same. Well, I do have two and one-half years left so I am not giving up. I am determined to serve without complaining. I have yet to become as the women in the Book of Morman....[they] began to bear their journeyings without murmurings..(1Ne. 17:2).

Our theme for Zone Conference #5 was "Sleep is a Burden." In the doctrine section we used Mosiah 15. Abinidi discusses the need for Christ to be born Immortal and Mortal in order to perform the atoning sacrifice. He tells how the will of the Son (Christ) was swallowed up in the will of the Father being one God and how Christ appeased the demands of Justice by suffering unto death without yielding to sin..."that God (Christ) might be a perfect just God and also a merciful God." (Alma 42:15) We still have one more Zone Conference to attend to in Prince George next week. Due to bad weather over Christmas our plane flight was canceled. It has been -35 degrees in Prince George. We have mountain warrior Elders up North.

Our mission feels similar to my first and only year of teaching school I cried but the tears did not help anything. The only way was to go through it. We are learning so much now. Our missionaries make it worthwhile. We are fond of some of the members too.

Thank you for your love and support, you are in our prayer.

Happy New Year,

Jannilyn, Nana, Sister Nelson, Grandma, and Mom