Week 30: new year, new me!

i wish today was january 1st so i could pull the "i havent seen you guys since last year" joke but i guess that joke doesnt work to well on a mission especially cuz i havent seen yall for 7 months.. except my FAM... yay talking to them was the bomb.com. speaking of january, my favorite holiday is around the corner. Aka my BIRTHDAY. Im going to be 20 years old, which quite frankly makes me want to throw up. anyway, christmas was good, i watched incredibles 2 and the greatest showman and maybe 4 other movies im not sure. But i felt like a great big lazy mess so i was happy to get back to work on the 26th. It was a different Christmas this year, the only one in my entire life that i was able to dedicate the whole season to Christ. It changed my life and I'm so grateful for my Savior and the strength that He brings. the library is closed once again so this will be short. but real quick. i have had some mad self reflection this past week and with the new year around the corner have decided i can have more faith in Christ. So i have studied self-mastery a LOT and i have become a new WOMAN. I realized it all comes down to faith in Christ... so thats one of my new year goals...and daily goal honestly to increase my faith and turn to him in hard times. INVITE : study "Finishers Wanted" by President Monson April 1972. Doctrine and Covenants 24:12, (strength we didnt know was possible to have, yes please !!!) 60:2-3,7-8 (better use your talents before you lose them... this one got me YIKES). anyway the party animal in my wishes me i was going to a really cool party tonight but the missionary me will be sound asleep at 12, happy NEW year. Xoxo, sis folk
P.s. Mom note: The Church deposited $100 in Anna's account on Dec. 31 (pday) to buy pants. Anna spent $100 on pants that day in about 5 seconds. haha! Love that she is still Anna! Miss Shopaholic!

pps. Part of email to MOM-Thank you for telling me to study self mastery because i needed it for the other aspects of my mission. I learned a lot from it and a lot about who i am becoming and how Christ will help me get there. I got a blessing from the elders because i felt like a failure missionary, i dont want to knock on doors anymore because im sick of rejection but one of the elders told me to turn to Christ in the moment. So, i kinda have to force myself to knock on doors right now but i do it because i love Christ. I know that with him i can do anything if i just have faith. And so thats what im doing- increasing my faith and trying to get back to the strong missionary that didnt mind knocking on doors. Of course its a work in progress but i am learning so much and becoming who Christ needs me to be one step at a time. I am trying not to be hard on myself. Heavenly father has blessed me with a great companion who motivates me and is so patient when i am expressing my concerns to her. And the elders i serve around as well are amazing. im grateful for their worthiness of holding the power of God. But overall im good even though it sounds like im not. its so hard but i love it. Its not like school or other hard things. I didnt love hard times. But i love this hard time i have loved the past 7 months because there is joy because of Christ even in trials. The person i was before my mission is dying and a new wonderful daughter of God is growing :)