HEY 2020 and Happy Bday MOM

January 6, 2020

Happy New Year!

We went to a Hmong store on NYE and got lots of random things to try. We grabbed a random spiky fruit, rambutan, which tastes like a grape inside and is pretty good! I got a melon Japanese ramune drink instead of cider to kick in the new year, it has a little marble that pops down in the drink to carbonate it -super cool and fun haha. We got Taiwanese Ma Hwa Cookies, which are like hard dry churros, sweet on the outside and salty bland inside but still exciting! Also got horse beans? Tastes like Chinese food and surprisingly pleasant. I also got 2x Spicy Ramen - later tried the regular spicy that HURT my tongue so this'll be fun! We love Hmong spice. We were at a local Wisconsin dairy and a man came in and read our tags and started talking to us, asked if we had a card, and I only had 1 left that I was gonna take out the day before, and he said see you sunday! Wow the lord is ever present. We ended the day by making fudge with the Christensen family and putting it on ice cream while it was still hot!

We taught a lot of lessons this week, this area is doing AMAZING! I came in and restarted the area, went from teaching 0 to about 8 consistent people, 3 or 4 are getting baptized this month. I. Love. Neenah Wisconsin. We have seen so many miracles this week with our friends - service and love is the purest form of getting to someone's heart. It makes all the difference. We had exchanges and I got to be in my area with Sister Raventos!! She is so pure, it was the best day! It was so spiritual and happy and of all the miracles I wanted to see on exchanges, we contacted someone that is very dear to my soul God has heard all my prayers and pleas. We got to teach simple truths to random people at the food pantry. One of the people we are teaching has amazing dreams - after he prayed about baptism this week he had a dream he went underwater and watched his sins get washed away - and he wants that! Everyone is progressing so well and we are so excited for all the miracles already happening this year! I found out I am many cartoon characters this week! Mainly blonde Disney princesses and tinkerbell, but also young Ellie from Up🤣

The highlight of the week is my mother. She had a birthday this past week. She is an angel, she is pure, kind, selfless, hardworking, patient, meek, honest, and so faithful. Having her as a mother shows me that God loves me ️ My mother gives the best advice, she laughs with me, puts up with me tickling her with my long hair, she encourages and believes in me, and she has always given me more than I deserve. And so has God. Happy Birthday to my angel

Miracles have not ceased. 

Love, Sister Davis 

 Ramune

 Rambutan

 Hot fudge on ice cream

 Black and White

Ma Hwa Cookies and 2x Spicy

Dreaming of a Foggy Christmas

December 30, 2019

Feliz Navidad!

My only Christmas on the mission was wonderful! It wasn't what I expected haha, it was super busy, which is good! But we didn't have much time to relax and ponder. We had lots of xmas and xmas eve meals, we made cute goodie bags with all of our Christmas candy to bring to people we're teaching, and we spent time with families in our ward! Some of the neighborhoods here lined their streets with paper lanterns on Christmas Eve which was really cool. There was super thick fog everywhere almost all week which made it seem like Halloween, but it was still cold! It wasn't snowing last week, but it's starting to snow today at least - this winter hasn't really been cold! Yet. I think Wisconsin winters actually go January to April. Haha. We saw many Christmas miracles and got in contact with a lot of people! Christmas is a great reason to text people I loved having the opportunity to uplift others who might be a little more willing to receive a message during the holiday season. We  were able to help the family of some kids we are teaching wrap Christmas presents, and it was a great opportunity to serve and connect with the family! 

We had interviews with President Murphy this weekend! He's really excited about the work going on here! I love being able to serve under such an inspired mission president! I can't wait to hear him speak in General Conference with all his wisdom and love in 20 years. He is such an amazing example of trust, faith, and revelation. We were able to still have lots of lessons this week, and to be able to help all of our friends progress! I still say a lot of funny random things, I called Sister Ferrin's guitar 'country music', so now that's how we refer to guitars! I retaught myself how to solve a rubix cube, and now I have a remote control car to drive around our little home - with Restoration cups as the obstacle course haha! A couple weeks ago, we were visiting a lady and helped her paint some rocks for the community, and I really liked my rocks so she gave them to me for Christmas, it was really funny. I have noticed a lot of little moments that are filled with good intentions, and we can make them bring us so much joy based off of our reactions! In Come Follow Me this past week, we learned about separating ourselves from the world, or 'Babylon' in the book of Revelations. It seems simple and complex at the same time, but it all starts with daily goals that we want to implement into who we are becoming. And as the new year is coming and goals are being set, what better time to really evaluate little things we can do everyday to show our Heavenly Father that we love Him and feed our spirits! A huge example to me this week has been Amulek. He turned his life around completely, and ended up being one of the greatest missionaries in the scriptures! We can change, we can improve, we can be forgiven. Amulek saw an angel who told him that he would feed a prophet (Alma). Amulek at the time was hard-hearted, but he listened. Don't think that you have to see an angel to know the decisions you should make. President Heber J Grant taught that Laman and Lemuel saw an angel, and it did not have that same effect on them. The true conversion comes from the Holy Ghost. That is what converted Alma. That is the feeling that converted Amulek. So pay attention to the feelings you get while you pray, and don't stop praying until you feel the love that Heavenly Father has for you! The day of miracles has NOT ceased! How cool. 

I love you all!

Sister Davis

 What a great combo (us or the scriptures??)

 Look at all that cute lil Christmas

 Fa la la llamas

Mickey Mouse and a rushed Grinch hahaha

Praise Ye The Lord

December 23, 2019

It is the week of CHRISTMAS!! Which you are fully aware of. Christmas time brings many miracles as we adjust our focus on the joy that is found by turning outwards and remembering our Savior. Think of the power we could have year round if we treated every day like Christmas (Elf Rule #1). My last couple days with Sister Nelson were tender as chicken nuggets. We made Graham cracker houses with the Christensen family - frosting a house is a hand workout. Sister Nelson is going to do amazing things in Milwaukee! My new companion Sister Ferrin is so sweet and kind! We are already great friends. We also celebrated her birthday on Sunday!! We spent Thursday in Oshkosh with the Oshkosh sisters and had a lot of lessons! One of the Sisters was getting really sick so we went to our Bishops home to meet the Elders there to get her a blessing, and it was a really cool opportunity for the Bishop's kids to see missionaries giving a blessing! BETH is now getting baptized in January!! I am so excited for her, she has an amazing light! We had a great lesson with our Hmong friend, he is gaining an amazing testimony and loves God so much. D and S came to church for the first time! As I sat with them at church singing Christmas songs I was filled with an overjoyous love for my Heavenly Father, and for the opportunity I have to serve His children. We had 6 people at church yesterday!! Leave room for the Lord to perform miracles️ He can't provide miracles if you don't reach out or leave your apartment. 

I taught myself how to play O Come O Come Emmanuel on the piano yesterday as well! My favorite Christmas songs to sing are ones that exclaim 'Alleluia'. Alleluia is the Greek form of Hallelujah and is a shout or song of praise to God. It is directly mentioned as 'Alleluia' once in Revelation, as the inhabitants of Heaven are heard crying out Alleluia in response to God's righteous judgement. So I invite you to sing praises for all the miracles and tender mercies you see. They are there every day. Acknowledge them, reach out to God, and sing Alleluia for he is good. I love the opportunity we have to focus specifically on Christ as a community and world together in December. The joy of giving and the excitement of His love in the air is only a glimpse of Heaven. He is Almighty, all loving, all knowing, all merciful, and all I need and more️ Alleluia He is Risen. 

Merry Christmas!

Love, Sister Davis

 Most of Sister Griffitts' children

 Christensen Family

Graham Cracker House