Did you know love makes you feel happy?!!?!

Dearest Pratt Family,

I just have to let you know that the letter I told you I would write last week took me forever!!!! It's like six pages and my hand really hurt by the time I got done so sorry for the quick writing! Haha. But it was totes worth it all and I sent it out today so look for it in a few days in the mail box!

This past week went by really quickly and lets just say I have worried a bit about going home but really..... MOM, DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME, I'M SO VERY HAPPY! Every day was an answer to my prayers and for some reason I just felt overwhelmed on Monday with so much cleaning and organizing I wanted to get done and a few Valentines gifts I wanted to get ready and there was just no time. But We had fun with our district and had a craft day! I know totes cute, right?!!?! We had dinner at the Zimmerman's home and she was so sweet to make a meal we haven't had in  awhile... with Howells allergies I have been over blown with roast and am super fat right now that I have had to pull my skirts up higher on my waist!!!!!!!!! Hahaha. True fact! So I have been like really wanting cheese... like mom's homemade lasagna! (4 months without cheesy food is like no ice cream during the month of July!) I know it's like even more carbs but don't curr! Hahah. FREAK! It was so very yummy and I just was in heaven!!! We had our very last lesson with Noah and he is still good to go for April! It was such a tender moment when Noah's dad and him talked to each other and it was like they were the only ones in the room sharing this moment of love and happiness. Not very many converts are able to have their fathers baptize their son! Heavenly Father has blessed his family so very much and Noah's mom just thanked us for including her and not pushing her! I'm so very glad I listened to the spirit! Then our lesson with Juan was totes bueno! He really needs to read the Book Of Mormon. A person won't progress if they don't ponder upon the words and pray to find an answer.

So Tuesday was a bit different and exciting! I was able to have lunch with Sister Chelsea Martin! I trained her in SLC!!! She was on her mission for 10 months and had to come home to Orem. It was sad to see her back in some of her old habits but I know that the Lord will bless her as she strives to serve Him! I'm just so very grateful that I have had the spiritual and physical strength to stay on a mission... I really have no idea where I would be right now if I would have gone home last year? After lunch we made some visits and we were able to talk to Sister Hearts and she said she has been reading the Book Of Mormon!!! Party! She said that she, 'likes that it's all about God and it's really good!' Then we were able to have another scripture study with Miss Sarah (Yep, I totes call her what you always called me!!! <3) We had a wonderful lesson! Then after dinner Dana had her baptismal interview..... #she'sgettingbaptized #:)

Wednesday we had a wonderful lesson with Russell, who is less active and we were able to take Grandma Powell with us! He has so many antiques and I really wanted his office desk and book case! It was totes adorbs wood, carved on the edge, more detailed then dads china hutch he made and I felt like I was breaking the 10th commandment. Coveting! Haha. So my energy level was totes at a zero for the day and sweet Sister Holbrook stayed with me as I slept like all day long. Howell was amazing at our lessons! and I know I missed out on wonderful lessons but that is what Howell needed to do. So on Friday during planning Howell felt like we need to put Ashley on date to be baptized. So we prayed about it and Howell didn't want to be wrong so she asked me what I felt and it was between March 22 or the 29th. I felt really strongly about the 29th even though it was a week further out. So during Ashley's lesson she accepted March 29th and that is the same day her mom is planning on going through the temple!!! Who would have thought?!!?! The Lord really does know each and every one of us! The lesson with the McKinlay Fam went super! They are like ADD all over the place!

Thursday was just wonderful having our district study at 9 am! I just know that everything that was said was inspired by each of the Elders and Sisters in my district! On Wednesday I had felt that I needed to read my patriarchal blessing. I have always had a question about a line in my blessing and have wanted to know what the heck it means since I was like 15 years old. I have studied it over and over and have never felt right about what I have read, it was good but it just didn't fit so I just pushed it off and knew that one day I would understand. Little did I know that it would take me to be on a mission serving in North Salt Lake to find the answer! My breath was taken away and I just marveled at how that all happened in our study time of Christlike Attributes and I just know that our Heavenly Father answers our prayers. It may be years down the road but He answers them! Again that afternoon we made visits and they were super great! At dinner that night they fed us KFC and like they totes had Howells allergy list and the chicken was breaded and the mash potatoes totes had butter and milk, how else do they get that creamy?!!?! Haha. So afterwards we went home and she had some food she could eat! She was on the couch and next thing I knew she was out! So I made some calls and got Mama Adams to go out with me for the evening. I'm so very grateful for her wisdom and love! When she went to drop me off at home I just cried and told her how nervous I am to go home and how I feel like I've kept all my feelings inside and don't want to worry Howell so I just keep going. She just listened to me and it was wonderful to have someone be like a back board to understand me. She gave me hope and I need to worry. Every day I'm doing my best and that is that! I'm doing great! Miracles are happening and I'm so very happy! I was able to work things out with a wonderful member to hook me up with treats that I was able to put together for our District for our meeting Friday and it was totes super cute! Plus I decorated our mirror and made this totes cute heart on the floor for Howell so when she would wake up she would see it!!! You know me and super cute surprises! So yep she woke up Friday morning and wha bam! I scored! <3 We had exchanges that night and I went to Centerville! Being with Sister Weber and Johnson was so wonderful and fun! I learned so very much from them. They have only been out for four months and 11 weeks! We were able to have a ton of others because I made sure we testified and said a prayer with everyone we saw!!!! Also I helped them add a new!!! So when we got back Saturday evening Howell and Sister Taylor said they added two news!!! Happy day! For true, miracles happen every day!

Sunday was just amazing. We had correlation and shared our miracles and were so excited for Dana's baptism!!! Everything was lined up and it went so very smoothly... we totes forgot to get a pianist and conductor so it was a cappella and I conducted! Haha. It was so very totes beautiful! President Bennett was there from the mission pres. and so many of Dana's YSA peeps attended! Sister Claren and Howell sang this amazing song called We Believe! I was going to sing with but I just didn't have the voice like theirs! But it was just drop dead amazing! She is so happy!

Then Monday was a normal day and Howell wasn't feeling well at all so I did my studies and then the other sisters couldn't come over till later in the afternoon but I was fine with that! I was so happy to update the area book and I just started to clean and make our home a place where the spirit could be felt and I vacuumed and cleaned my desk and I felt so very warm and fuzzy inside despite I was in my skirt and blouse and like kind of got a bit warm so I opened up the windows and saw the silly golfers outside and smiled at how wonderful our Heavenly Father has shown his Love to me!

Then this morning we went to the SLC Temple and I'm just in love with it!!! Mama Adams was able to take us and I felt so calm as always and I have been praying about what will happen after my mission with school work and well.... other things and then I was praying about what I need to do here in North Salt Lake and for next transfer and I turned to Moroni 7 and then for some reason I looked at the foot note to 4a D&C 19:23

'Learn of me, and listen to my words;walk in the meekness of my spirit, and you shall have peace in me.'

When I get off the plane I will know what I need to do! I love you all so very much and I'm going very strong and I'm so very happy to have a baptism every month!!!

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Ps. I would really love to have a canon camera but I will be fine... I hope! Haha. Also Anna-Marie, your dress is totes adorbs and I love you so very much! Don't worry about me being there for things I just want you to be happy with DrewMan! I hope you all had a super awesome Valentines day! Love, Love, Love!

God is good!

Dearest Pratt Family,

I just really totes love you all and felt something beyond my own this week and I don't know if this email can even express my humble heart and love for our Savior Jesus Christ! I love serving a mission and every day was a blessing! I have been praying really hard that each day would go by slow because it has just flown by and I really don't like it. Each day I embraced it with a smile and a happy heart knowing that Sister Howell and I were going to see miracles and we did! Every hour was a sweet tender joy to me and I just want to take this week into my hands and put it in my pocket and remember it forever!!! I have seen and felt all of my struggles and hard nights sleeping, long prayers where my bed side was wet with tears, my feet tired and cold because my cute boots have holes in the side and my side hurts because I've slipped on the ice too many times, the rain soaking on my hair causing it to get flat and wavy be so very worth it!!! .... what I'm trying to say or want to get out of my mouth is these hard times that we have when the 'mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you...' it will have no power over us because we are built on the rock of our Redeemer! Helaman 5:12 Isn't that just totes so super warm fuzzy awesome?!!?! I know I will not have any time to type all that happened this week and I haven't written it in my journal yet so I'm totes sending you a cute Valentines card... of course homemade on the mission and will explain all the blessings that came to Sister Howell and I! I know that this is not what you want to have in a Monday email but I'm totes so sorry! But I will send it out today! I just really love you lots!!!

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sarah Jane Pratt

Just like miracles happen every day, crap happens too!

From the subject heading, that is what Sister Howell and I learned just this week... Read on and you'll understand.

Dearest Pratt Family,

I don't know if I can tell you enough but I just absolutely love you all so very much! First off, mom and dad another week has gone by on my mission and your sweet unexpected letters have been so very inspired! You two are so in tune to the spirit and know that all will be well with me and that as I continue to endure the rest of my mission and life blessings will come! I just need to keep smiling and enjoy every day. I was able to read the articles/ talks that you talked and sent me! Oh so very good. What I had read I thought of a chapter in Preach My Gospel and the whole week I thought about what I'm doing to keep my commitments just like our investigators are doing! We are all on this path of learning and growing. So, thank you so very much!

As you know being on a mission I have been able to see so very many miracles and have learned so much! Well this week was filled with nothing else that I've had before.... We had dinner then had Noah's lesson which went really well as always! It was like a party with his family, the Bennett’s and the Jacobson’s too! For some reason I just wasn't feeling well at all by the end of the lesson. When we left we had our last appointment for the evening and Sister Howell and I didn't want to go to the lesson, I was really not feeling well and Howell had a really bad headache. We were like maybe they are busy and we can go home?!!?! Ha. We knew we needed to go so we did and we read from the Book of Mormon Stories and it went well. We got out and we were both like shoot, 8:56 pm. We are going home! So we got home and did our planning. I was up all night and I just wanted to be able to sleep and it got so very bad that I wanted to have dad give me a blessing and I just cried going up stairs to wake up Grandma and Grandpa Powell. I couldn't move and I just hurt. I was in all day Tuesday. I couldn't eat anything … so I had called Sister Hansen and I went to the Dr. Short story long, I had food poisoning. I know, right?!!?! So now you can understand that sometimes in our life we see miracles happen and also crap too! Haha. So Tuesday was just really slow but I was so very happy that we were able to have lunch with Ash! I didn't eat but we chatted and I just love her so very much! She just tells me things like it is and that is what I needed. She helped me put things into perspective this week! Wednesday I was still not the greatest and Grandma Powell was like, 'You're not planning on going out today? Are you?!!?!' She was like you are getting your rest! Bummer, I really wanted to go out this whole week but I was able to study and read lots so all went well. Thursday we just made a few visits and it was well. We visited the list that we were given and shoot, President Hansen is just so very inspired! I know that we were to visit those people even if a few answered and we were able to talk to them.

Friday was just super totes awesome! I was finally feeling better from Monday and we had our District meeting and we were able to do so very much in the short time that we had. I felt the spirit so very strongly and it has been awhile since I was able to do a role play and learn/ receive revelation for our investigators during the meeting! We were about the end and the sisters and I looked at each other and was like, 'What? We are done?!' We all got so very much out of that meeting. I'm so very grateful for the sweet tender spirit that can witness to us of truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

'As long as we exercise Love, Patience, and Understanding even when no progress is apparent, 

we are no failing.' -Marvin J. Ashton

I know that ever where we go we are meant to be. I was able to meet Elder Godoy. His testimony is so strong and I just love North Salt Lake! As I was able to fast this week the spirit just filled me up and made me feel so very loved and comforted... I have been able to feel your prayers and love in the cold snow and ice and foggy inversion! President Bennett saw us in the hallway at church and so many people talk about Sister Howell and I! They really love us being in their Stake and I'm so very happy to be here too! Be of good cheer! As we put our faith and trust in the Lord we will see the blessings unfold before our eyes. In Moses 6 as we read in Sunday school class the spirit was so very strong. As we are humble we will have the eyes to see and know that He is with us every day of our lives! He does walk with us! I thought of Dad, Andrew and James and Drew as I read through the talk at conference by President Uchtdorf, You can do it Now! I love you men so very much and know that all things in your life will be okay! You are wonderful Priesthood men and I love you for that! And for my sweet Mother and sis, read Elder Christofferson's talk The moral force of Women. 'Strive to be that kind of disciple of the Father and the Son, and your influence will never fade. 'You are loved!

Stay warm in the super bad blizzards you are having in the Midwest! Haha. I really want to make a snowman so we will see what happens today! Loves!

Love your daughter and little sister, Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Eyes and Ears of Faith are needed.

Dearest Pratt Family,

This week has been one of the most eye opening weeks of my mission. We have had lots of lessons and contacts this week and I feel like I'm just following Sister Howells lead and I have been just observing and learning from her and others around me as I am trying to hold myself together, with this week I have been given some kind of added strength and determination beyond my own and I know that our Heavenly Fathers hands have lifted me this week to see all of these miracles!

So let me just start with our dinner Monday night with President Eyring! He is totes adorbs and normal! His son is in our stake and lives right down the road. His wife has wanted to feed us and finally things were able to work out and when we got to their home she told us that her husband’s parents will be coming to dinner.... Shut up! My mouth dropped and I was freaking out inside. Haha. I'm sure you could imagine what that was like! Well... (my camera broke this past week, the lens will not open anymore.) Sister Howell left her camera at home so we were like forget the car, and just ran down the road and got her camera and ran back up. By the time we got to the door I could see President Eyring in the window! He is just so full of love and sweetness, he was so very happy to be with his family. The little grandchildren were running all over and we were helping with the table and food. Sister Howell and I just sat and ate our dinner as the family caught up on life and what not! Just seeing them together brought me joy and I just smiled like really big the whole time! We then had FHE with them and he gave us some advice from the Lord for one of our investigators, Dana. I know that this is the Lords work and when we put our faith and trust in Him, He will lead us the way we need to go! I will never forget that evening and seeing him love his wife so very much and feeling so very calm like being in the temple. All of my worries and stresses went away for a brief moment while he shook my hand and told me that he loves me and thanked me for serving a mission!

The week has already gone by so very quickly and I wanted it to slow down for a bit but Tuesday we were on the go and we were able to stop by the Thomas family and visit with them. One day they will be baptized! Ha. We had our lesson with Noah and he is doing so very well!

Wednesday was just as busy as the day before! It is really amazing to go to Linda's who is less active and just had a knee replacement and is working on getting it back into shape. She taught me that short hour we were with her! Two of her grandchildren are on their missions and she is doing so very well coming back. She told me something that just hit me really hard, 'The world is so filled with bad things that you are not aware of right now with not watching the news and such. You (Howell and I) have come out here to do the Lords work. Your focus right now is to gain a strong testimony. You have got to be strong enough to concur the world when you go home.' I just haven't thought how my eyes have blinders on and I can't see everything that is going on right now. But I know the Lord is preparing me to come home with a strong testimony! We were able to make some visits and our dinner was great as always! We had a lesson with Triston and I just want to take him home with me, out of his dirty home and tv watching not so good shows... he is only eight and we are reading the BOM stories with him and he loves it! Then we taught Dana and she is still super excited to be baptized!!!

Thursday we had interviews with President Hansen and it was so good to talk to him. I just love him! Ps. I have only 1 1/2 transfers left..... my heart fell as Presz told me about what I need to do before I go home... it hurts a bit to think about it, it's too soon. So he told me that I need to tell myself that I don't go home til May 1st and I need to sprint the whole way! That is what I am going to have to do. I need to pick it up and work extra hard, I was so very overwhelmed and after lunch at Nielson's with the other Sisters in our district, I had to lay down for a bit but when I got up I felt like we needed to leave super soon. So we did and we saw future Sister Heart (Her family came from New Jersey and are not members) outside and Howell drove up to their home... She asked us if we needed any H2O and I was like sure what the heck! And then she said that she was sorry for not getting back with us and if we could just set up an appointment?!!?! Shut up!!!!! We went inside her home and chatted for a bit and have a return appointment!!!!! YEAH!!! New investigator!!!! ;) We were late to our scripture reading with Miss Sarah, but it all worked out super well! Then we were able to visit the McKinlay family and set up a return appointment with them to help their daughter get ready for baptism later in the year! Then we went to Rex and Jennifer's! They just make my evenings and will for true come to church one of these days!!! We stopped by Bro. Beesley's and I just love him and his wife and family! He is just helping us so very much with hastening the work in our Stake! He said something that hit me, 'Proactive is taking responsibility of our actions' I need to do this a bit more so we are working with the ward mission leader's more and I'm working harder to find the ONE!

Friday our distract meeting went well. I just really need to remember to stay on top of it, sorry for rambling but I'm working on it! Saturday was just heaven sent and I know that I am so very loved by all of you my family and friends, where ever they may be! So I had received mom's letter Friday after our meeting and package of the card! But it was so very tender and mom you just know what to say to make me smile and cry! I'm so very grateful you and dad were in tuned to the spirit this past week to send me that little card, 'Close your eyes and imagine my arms around you. Just a note to tell you I Love You!' Tears came down my face that night as I read that and realized who made that card... me, in 2003 for dad. Who would have thought I would need that in my life right now but our loving Heavenly Father. I feel so very blessed with all of these experiences and to know that on Saturday we went to the Stake Relief Society Fireside with some of the women in the FX ward and Linda came too! As it started I knew right then and there why we came! Everything, like I mean totes word for word what mom wrote in my letter Friday was said again at the fireside! Oh how He loves us and wants the very best for us!

Sunday came and the week just went way too fast. Sister Howell and I met with the Stake Prez and that was again another tender moment that I needed to hear. He is just so very inspired, just like Prez. Hill in WC!!! I feel my days lessening and I still tell members and everyone that I've been out for a year! Haha. As we went to the ward meetings I felt so inspired to go to those wards and the spirit was so very strong! In one of the Relief Society classes we talked about Elder Bednar's talk at conference. I got so much more out of it then tithing! 'Sometimes we may ask God for success, and He gives us physical and mental stamina. We might plead for prosperity, and we receive enlarged perspective and increased patience, or we petition for growth and are blessed with the gift of grace. He may bestow upon us conviction and confidence as we strive to achieve worthy goals. And when we plead for relief from physical, mental, and spiritual difficulties, He may increase our resolve and resilience.' This is my life. I have asked for things and have received so very different but now, my eyes have been opened and I have been blessed and guided by the Lord more than I can express in words. I don't know why I haven't noticed all of this beforehand but I know I'm at a new level now of being a missionary. I have been observing way more and have been adding so very much to my brain that I want to remember it all but I know that when the time comes I will remember and feel at peace knowing I am doing my best to serve Him. I really hope this all makes sense. I LOVE YOU!!!

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Miracle number 5,670!

Dearest Pratt Family,

I just want you to know that this week has been so very difficult but I have seen so many blessings that they overlook the dark gray cloud that seem to never go away in my mind. I have been so blessed to be a servant of our Lord, Jesus Christ here in North Salt Lake, UT!

On Monday it was quite amazing to know that Sister Howell and I will be together for another six weeks in the area and to continue to work with all of our wonderful people! Our whole district has a new comp but us! Pretty fun, huh?!!?! We taught Noah that evening about the Ten Commandments and I just love doing it! He is so super cute!

Tuesday was quite the learning day for me. Sister Howell and I have different viewpoints on some things and I tried to talk them out but it was like totes no bueno.... I'm just grateful for inspired Elders that came by to drop off some dish soap! Yep that's right we needed some and they had it for a few weeks and now just brought it by. It was meant to be. I didn't have the spirit with me and I just was so very lost and felt like a fool! The Elders were able to leave with a prayer and then I went up to ask Grandpa Powell for a blessing (also for Howell too. She needed one real bad!) So it was a tender moment and I'm just so very grateful for our Heavenly Fathers guidance. We had dinner that night and the sweet sister told us that she could feel the spirit and she knew that we were united. I'm so very grateful that it was shown to her and her family!

So with transfers we had like a district lunch at Joy Luck and it was so very good! We have super wonderful missionaries in our area!!! After that I had to go home and take a nap... I have been feeling so very tired and just exhausted. We went to dinner that night and I just felt our Heavenly Fathers love for me and our family. There was something about this family and for some reason tears were just filling my eyes. They started to talk about James E. Faust and I was like hold up you're related to him? Me too! They shared stories from Oak City Days and pictures of him! Oh how I just love our family and felt them nearby! We left and I just cried in the car on the way to our next appointment with Dana which was just awesome! We taught Lesson 2 and the spirit was so very strong. I had found new scriptures to share from that morning’s personal study and I felt so very successful along with Howell! Dana wants this and really wants it for her family too but going to the U and her family not very supportive will be a bit hard but she is so very strong!!!

Thursday was another down day so we just planned. Dinner was with the Smart Family and they are just super wonderful! We were able to help their little daughter to share the gospel. She said she is shy and so it's hard but we got her excited and I could just feel the spirit so strongly! Can I say I just love teaching young children! Their spirits are just so very close to our Fathers and they are so willing to learn and improve! The song, I'm trying to be like Jesus, we start when we are young and then we never stop. It is this continuous process that at times may be hard because of our Pride and yet so very Humbling because of our willingness to let go of ourselves and do what He has asked of us!

Friday, we had our Zone meeting and we just have so many wonderful new missionaries in it that have like only been out for 3-5months. I'm totes the old grandma! Haha. They call me Mama Pratt! Haha. Sister Howell and I just packed our lunch and then went to our lesson with Dana. We taught Lesson 3 and again it was just amazing!!! I love her so very much and she is progressing like totes super fast we don't know what to think! Feb. 15 will come sooner than I think! When we were about to end the lessons I had asked her if she would say the prayer... she did it for the first time!!! Yeah!!!! it was so sweet and tender! We had planning and that went really well for this coming week! Then we had our first lesson with Sister Cowle! It is so very amazing to see a less active willing to come back to church and learn the gospel again!

Saturday, I wanted to fast so very badly because I felt like that is what I needed to do for some of our investigators and for some reason it was just not right! I tried and I don't know if I'm getting something or what but my stomach was like not feeling well at all. Plus I have not been able to sleep at all and I have asked some RM's in the area what I need to do... I really hate it so if you could please pray that I can sleep well at night?! But, it was so good to cuddle with Sister Howell. It's hard to be sick and help your compion feel happy too so I had to put myself aside and just love Sister Howell as I read her happy scriptures. I'm so happy for sweet Sisters that gave me some advice and I received a blessing from my DL and I know that the atonement is real! Our Savior Jesus Christ knows what we are each going through. He knows how we feel. I need to just be very patient with this trial that I have.

Sunday came so very fast and the blessings just came our way to see people we needed to and to have lessons! So many are praying for us and I can totes feel them and know that my Savior loves and knows me! I just need to remember that I need to seek Him for help and knowing the choices I need to make/ do! Everything seems to be working out for my and Sister Howells good! I may have a bad bark cloud over me but to know that the Atonement is so very real. The Holy Ghost has come into my heart and told me that all is going to be okay for these next few months! Miracles happen every single day and I know that my eyes have been opened even more to recognize them in my life! I love you all so very much and miss you lots! Continue to have a smile on your face and know that He Loves You!

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Learn. Grow. Transfer. Stay!

Dearest Pratt Family,

This week has been a week of learning and growing! For some reason I wasn't feeling the best so I had been home for a few days. But it was so very needed and I had a great talk with the big guy up high!

So I'm so sorry about Monday's email. But the temple was just amazing and I'm so very blessed to be able to go every now and then! The spirit was so sweet and I was able to learn so very much! When went shopping and what not and I was able to see Heather and Grandma P!!!! What a happy time that was to sit where Ash and I would have studies and feel of her sweet spirit! Tear. Then we were just go go after that we went blowing with the Zone and that was fun but I'm not going to lie... I have to just stay away from the 'worldly things' it got me so out of it and I didn't like the feeling at all. We had dinner with the Warner family and it was so very good. Too bad we could stay afterwards and chat for a bit but we had our lesson with Juan. We talked about the 10 commandments and Pres. Clark was so wonderful at using PMG and we were able to find a concern Juan has, tithing. For some reason I told him how I am able to be here on a mission which I have never shared before and he knows he needs to do it but financially it won't work out but I know that with faith the Lord will provide a way for him to make ends meet! Noah is totes progressing and we had Lesson 3 and he is just so stinkn' cute! He is on date to be baptized in April! It's a bit far out but I'm sure it will all work out with his family not being members and all.

On Tuesday was Zone Conference! Can I just say that President Hansen is such an amazing wonderful inspired man! I just knew that all would be okay with transfers... I'm here in NSL for a reason and I really do love the people so very much! It's all about becoming Better. This is what I have been trying my very hardest to do every single day. I'm so blessed to have a friend who has told me this like every week and I know I need to study a bit more in the morning but I'm so excited about the new SOE goals we have for the mission, it's so very true, we need to be happy every day so why have goals that we can't reach?! Start small and then improve every day, week, month, transfer. -President Hansen

Faith to act is so very hard but when you do it you see all the blessings our Heavenly Father has in store for us! And they are so very special and wonderful and totes adorbs, all tied up in a little bow! Ha. ;) Oh how very blessed I am to have this sweet mission experience to learn and grow! I want to stay here forever!

On Wednesday I was not feeling well and so I stayed home. Sister Howell was able to go out and Sister Holbrook wasn't feeling great either so we just cuddled all day! Sometimes you just need someone to listen to you and be hugged! Is that a bad feeling? Well little did I know Sister Holbrook needed me more than I needed her. I'm so grateful our Heavenly Father cares so very much about us to send us wonderful people to cuddle with! Ha. The spirit is just so wonderful to know that as we ask inspired questions we can find the real problem/and answer to help others around us!

Thursday I still wasn't feeling well but I got up anyhow and went out for the day. Sister Howell practiced singing for Sunday with Sister Hawlks! It sounds just amazing.. so super tender! Then lunch with Sister Moffat and her girls was just so wonderful! She is the sweetest thing ever. Then I was so happy to stop by the Cowel Fam. For true, she is totes going to come back to church, I just know it! Her son even told her not to have a cup of coffee in front of us! It was so sweet! Three times in white! Then to have our scripture study with Miss Sarah was so wonderful! The spirit just touched my heart. I had read 3 Nephi 17 before but that day was totes different. In verse 10 I thought, How would that be to have that much gratitude toward someone to bathe a person’s feet in your tears? Then in verse 15, to hear our Saviors voice. I know that if we live our lives in a righteousness way we can too hear Him! PTL! Dinner with the Davis Fam was wonderful. I just love having dinner with members who have missionaries out, they are so happy about doing the work and know what it means to love the work! Then we visited Rex and Jennifer... it was like having an FHE with them. We played 'primary songs charades', it was just the best! I'm so very happy that they have come this far to let us share a few things about the gospel to them. Their hearts are being opened little by little!

Friday, Sister Howell practiced her song again for Sunday and it was wonderful to assist her in singing it better! Oh how I just love music so very much! I'm so grateful for our fams talent of the ear of music! We had weekly planning and it was so super good! We have like our days full so I just am praying that this week will be better than last and I can keep smiling and my chin up! Dinner with the sweet Bennett fam in the RT ward is just so cute! She made us these little bracelets and one of the boys told me that he wants to be my friend! Haha. It was totes cute! It was like when I was back home Anna-Marie and I would have so many friends, little boys under the age of seven! Haha. I just loved my job being a nanny!

Saturday was a day of visiting referrals! It was so super fun to have an RM, Bro. Brown, come out with us. He just got home on Monday and shoot he is so great! I totes want to be like that when I get home! I just love this work! It was a bit sad and funny to have a man shut the door in our face! Haha. Sad for him but for us, our testimony is still super strong! I felt so happy and successful to update the area book and make cute little reminders in the binder... I didn't know how was getting transferred so I was just being prepared, plus it was a healthy way to help me relive my stress... you know me and craft projects! ;)

Sunday was so perfect! I was so happy to get up and get everything ready for the day and our lessons! Stake Correlation was really good and I know the work is moving forward in this Stake! We went to the FX ward and Sister Beesley and her daughter sang, Where can I turn for Peace? and I thought about that... I have so many places, in a warm hug, in our home, in the scriptures, in a member’s home teaching a lesson about our Savior, Jesus Christ. It hit me that I need to focus on those places more and in my life! When Sister Howell sang, Abide with Me, I thought what an amazing experience it is to know that so many of the members if not all the people that were in that sacrament meeting have had the feeling of our Heavenly Father abiding with them at one point in their life. Totes warm fuzzy! Then we were in the HL ward and the spirit of two missionaries going out into the field in ten days was so exciting. I have learned so very much! It was just amazing to know that Sister Cowles was at church!!!! It was so sweet siting by her in the Sunday School class and in RS! She is coming along! Then by the time we ended church and talked to the bishops it was dinner time... It was really fun! Then we had a lesson with Dana, our new investigator in the Clark's home! It was like I wasn't even talking and lesson just flowed as Sister Howell and I took turns teaching and bearing testimony and having the Clark's share their thoughts... it felt just so good. Then Sister Howell invited her to be baptized and she said yes! She then asked her if she would prepare herself to be baptized on February 15th, she said yes! There was a pause and then Dana and her friend Mackenzie cried and they were embarrassed! It was a tender moment like, 'oh my word I'm doing this' and 'oh my word my best friend is accepting the gospel!!!' Heavenly Father has trusted me to teach Dana and I fell so very blessed!

So I guess Heavenly Father still trust me to be in North Salt Lake and I'm just so happy to serve the Lord!

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Ps. Mom, I got my flu shoot... hope that's okay?! Haha. Oh and stay like super warm!

Christmas Blessings!

Dearest Pratt Family,

The Christmas Season is over for the world, but in my life it still continues on! I just love talking about Christ and how wonderfully He blesses us! So the few days before Christmas it was just so much fun making visits and giving little spiritual thoughts and such to members and less active peeps in the Stake and of course handing out cute homemade Buckeyes!!! Shoot, I love being an Ohioan with Sister Howell! On Christmas Eve we went to a nursing home to sing carols and what joy that was to sing to the older class of the world! Their spirits are just so tender at the close of their lives! There are some that I just want to cuddle and hold in my arms forever! But we had to leave and continue our visits! We ate out for dinner with a family which I thought was a bit different but I know Heavenly Father had a hand in it because I was able to see Grandma and Grandpa Lingard! I couldn't believe it! It was just a year ago Sister Yates and I were at the Lingard’s making my first phone call home on my mission!!! Tear. They mean so very much to me. After dinner, Sister Howell and I stopped by this home that has their Christmas lights go off to music... yep, I was like heck, turn on the radio and watch the cute little lights all over! It's my last Christmas and so I was going to enjoy myself, plus I know Sister Hanson would allow it... I think?! Haha. Then when we got home I wanted to cry but I just kept it all in and got into my cute polka dot leggings, put on our happy David Archuleta MoTab CD and made Buckeyes and then helped Grandma Powell wrap her Christmas gifts to her grandchildren!!! It was the best thing ever!

Christmas Day was totes packed and so much fun there was like no time to think! We had an 8 am Breakfast with the Clark Family and their neighborhood! 9 am we had another Breakfast with our Zone! and then at 10:30 am we ate the best French toast at Mama and Papa Z's with homemade syrup! You know my feelings about French toast... MY FAV! ;) Then I just couldn't wait any longer to open my Christmas gifts that were sent and placed on our door step prior to this happy, joyful, sweet, tender, merry day! I just felt so loved by all of you! Then we went to our lunch at1 pm with the Bennett Fam in the RT ward! They were wonderful and my plate was so not even filled with the yummy food! Haha. I couldn't eat another bite! Haha. They had given us presents too and they were adorbs! Then we went home to sing to Grandma and Grandpa Powell and their family upstairs and watched them open their gifts! We then went to our 4pm dinner! No more food! I'm so totes fat! But we ate the dinner anyhow! They didn't have it ready until after we were at their home so that is why we were late seeing you! But I was just so happy to see all your bright smiling faces! And the gorgeous diamond ring with my new brother-in-law!!! I'm so happy for Anna-Marie and Drew! <3 I just love you all! and it seems so unreal that the next time I see all of you will be in April! I was able to meet Sister Howell's parents and I guess I'm the first to do that but what can we say... we’re Ohio sisters! After I cried my eyes out on Sister Bair I was able to go back out and share a few more Christmas messages! So we went to Mama and Papa Adams and shared a super cute message with their family and grandchildren! It was so wonderful! But we locked our keys in the car so we had to get a ride to our next appointment! No big deal! Haha. We couldn't stay long at the Warner fam but it was so super sweet! I love their family! I just know that Heavenly Father is looking out for me.

The day after Christmas I felt like a burnt marshmallow! Haha. Fat and totes burnout! But we managed to go out and about which was super fun! On Friday we had our district meeting and the spirit was just so strong. One of the elders had said something that touched my heart and I just cried. I had to go to the bathroom and clean up... He said something about, 'our heart is willing but our body is weak.' That is where I am right now as a servant of the Lord. I know I have made it so far and have understood the Atonement a lot more but I want to be in the big fluffy cloud and the few steps that I have to do to get there seem so far out of reach... I just can barely get to one of the steps. I'm so thankful for our Savior and our Heavenly Father who provides me with understanding that where I am right now is just fine. I can always do better but I'm doing okay with the circumstances that are in front of me right now.

On Saturday for some reason we stopped by Rex and Jennifer's. I felt bad they had friends over but it was perfect and just what I needed! Rex was just talking to Sister Howell and I and Jennifer was at the dinner table with their friends who are not members who live in Sandy. When we were about ready to go I felt like I need to say goodbye to the friends but to go over to them and give them a handshake and a hug... I was like ummm, okay! As I did that the mother looked at her little girl and said, 'Show her what Santa got you!' So this little girl Olivia shows me her doll and I asked her if she had a name. She said she did and it was Kit. Oh?! I then remembered that it was an American Girl Doll! I said that she should write Santa a thank you card and told her how wonderful she was and how Kit looks just like her, blond hair and pretty freckles on her face! ;) I'm so grateful for the sweet Christmas Blessings that have come to me!

During lunch on Sunday I had opened the Ensign to read and it was just wonderful! The Good News of Repentance. I can't tell you enough but Heavenly Father loves each of us! He knows us! Tears just fill my eyes as I am able to understand a little more about our Heavenly Fathers plan for me! In Matthew 11:28 it reads, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' The song, Each Life that Touches ours for Good is so very true! My Heavenly Father has truly blessed mine and so many others! At dinner the Brother just asked us so many questions and I really had to think about them but I know that every single day I have a warm fuzzy and this family helped me laugh so very much! They said I helped them have an 'Internal woop, woop!' Hahahaha. How funny is that?!!?!

I just love you all so much and know that all will work out with the family... soon school, a wedding and baby Jones! Oh the blessings He has given to our family! Mom and Dad, just take lots of deep breaths and smile lots! Ha. Loves!

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Pictures:
1. We were at Rex and Jennifer's and took cute pics!
2. The FX ward we made cute Gingerbread Houses!
3. Future Sister Kathrine will be going home to CA to go to the Temple and finish preparing for her mission to the West Indies! It will be so different not having comp study with her anymore!
4. We made cookies at Rex and Jennifer's with her family! I have never seen a sugar cookie with so many fun sprinkles on it before! It was the cutest thing ever!

1. Christmas Eve, watching the lights dance to the music!
2. Opening our one Christmas present on Christmas Eve night from Grandma and Grandpa Powell!
3. Christmas day opening my presents all over the floor! Haha.
4. First Breakfast with the Clark Fam.

1. Second Christmas Breakfast with the Bountiful Zone!
2. Third Christmas Breakfast with Mama and Papa Z!
3. Lunch with the Bennett Fam!

1. Present all over! ;)
2. Christmas Dinner!
3. Best Family Ever!!!
4. Mama Bair.

1. Mama and Papa Adams! I love them!