Posada!

Hello!!! 

How is everyone?! It's been a really fantastic week. I can't wait to tell you all about it! 

We left Monday night for Minneapolis for Mission Leadership Conference on Tuesday. It was a good conference, I enjoyed the trainings. One of the trainings was how the leaders need to give correction to other missionaries in their zones. That's something that I really don't like about being an STL. I HATE giving correction to the sisters in my zone. I feel like they won't like me, but I've learned that when I just do it out of love and respect, they will appreciate it. I want the sisters to be great because I do love them, so I have to correct them sometimes. It's definitely a growing experience. 

The trio has been going great. We will be driving back up to the cities tonight to drop off Sister Paris at the mission home. It has been very sad to see her finish her mission actually. She is an amazing missionary, and a huge example to me. She doesn't want to go home, and seeing the relationships she has had with so many people on her mission makes me want to be a better missionary. I have loved being able to hear her testimony of her mission and what it means to her. Last night at dinner ("the last supper"), we decided to go around with the family and share our testimonies. All 3 of us got emotional talking about our missions and Jesus Christ. It's so cool - Sister Paris is finishing, I just hit my 11 months yesterday, and Sister Kohler has been out for a month. I just want to share my testimony with you all that I love my mission so so much. I don't want to go home at all, haha! (Sorry mom and dad). But it's just been so cool to reflect on that this past week. 

So, lots of fun things happened this week. We did an exchange with the Bloomington Sister AP's, had fun with that, and then came back to Rochester Wednesday night. On Friday, the Ferrera's took us 3 out to lunch at Chester's which is a very nice place. That night, Alexa had us 3 and the zone leader's over for tacos! It was so fun to have all of us together.

Saturday night was the Posada. Posada means "inn" in Spanish. It's the annual ward christmas party. It's HUGE. (Like I said, the 3rd ward is basically the wedding planning ward). Hundreds of people, hundreds of tamales, lots of dancing and music, and so much fun. About 25 nonmembers came as well. It was so crazy! It was great to go around and just speak Spanish all night too. I haven't spoken Spanish all week, so I soaked it up on Saturday night and finally was able to talk to everyone! Felt so good to speak it again haha.

Sunday was a great day. We had 3 people to church!! Woohoo!! That night we went to the Methodist Mayo Hospital with the other Rochester missionaries and went caroling around to the patient's rooms. It was really sweet to come together to sing Christmas songs. 

We have a busy day today so I may not have much time to talk. I love you all so so much! Thanks for the emails, kind words, letters, and packages. I'm so blessed! Being a missionary is the BEST. Time is going by way too darn quick.

I will have 1 hour to video chat on Christmas day. I would love to coordinate a time all together with little Joe! 

Don't forget to #lightyourcommunity this week! 

Love Hermana Nissinen