Happy Birthday to Me

From: Alison Royal <alison.royal@myldsmail.net>

Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 9:46 AM
Subject: One year Older and wiser too!!

First of all THANK YOU for all of the sweet emails that I received this morning. It was a tender reminder of the huge support system that the Lord has given me back at home, and a little uncomfortable reminder of how many people may be reading my emails, haha I should try to sound like a cooler missionary. hah jk But seriously, thank you thank you thank you! I have always loved my birthday, and I still do haha. But this year without any bells or whistles and it still makes me just as happy! I am just so darn grateful for my life and so darn happy to be a missionary!! I feel like the primary song "One year older and wiser too" really does apply to me this year, I feel like I have learned so so much during this year. And to think, I am almost going to turn one year old in the mission. Gahhh... Where does the time go?

This morning was an interesting one, My poor companion woke up sick with a fever so I have been trying to take care of her (even though she is a nurse and the only thing I can do is give her a mothers love) haha But I am so grateful that the Lord gives me so many chances to serve people! It really is the best source of happiness. I can't say it enough. I'm sorry to be a broken record. BUT IT IS JUST SO TRUE.

This was a great week! We have been working our shoes raw with two families that have baptismal dates. The Jazme family and the Navia family. We have literally passed by every single day this week. Leaving notes, reading with them, exciting them, loving them, teaching them, committing them to go to church. I was completely sure they would, because I have never tried SO HARD. When Sunday rolled around, we woke up early to walk with them to church, and nobody answered the door, at either house. Imagine the heart break!! But the Lord is so loving that he taught us a powerful lesson of "free Agency" Doesn't the Lord dedicate his life to helping us be obedient? Doesn't he promise to rain blessings on our heads? Doesn't he work miracles to open the pathway before us? Wouldn't it be so easy to just trust him and be obedient? But we aren't are we? We are just so disobedient! Haha we can't live one hour without breaking his commandments! But he never never gives up on us. Neither does he obligate us to make any decision. That is the spice of life. Over coming our natural man to walk the higher road and enjoy all the blessings he has for us up there. I felt like it was the same, although on a much lesser scale, with these two dear families. I love them so much. I want them to progress so they can be happy! I want to give them access to All of God´s blessings, but all I can do is show the way and pray my little guts out. Haha But Luckily God helps us and sends us the little hugs we need when things don't go as planned.

Haha Did that make any sense at all? Mauricio is just doing great! He is amazing. AND is so willing to make all the changes in his life necessary. He is a miracle. I am tying to live worthy of thisChristmas miracle! I hope that you can pray for me so we can find more people like him, who will hear the master´s call and follow!

I just love you all so much! Thank you for thinking of me. I think about you all often! In fact, each of the people who write me have crossed my mind several times while on my mission! So thanks for being GREAT influences in my life!!!!

I love you,

Hermana Royal

PS. Xanga Johnson had a baby????? I didn't even know she was preggo! You best write me,dear! How are the rest of my married friends?? I love you all!

PSS. So, I forgot to tell you about the most amazing Birthday gift that I will probably ever receive! This week, Hermana Jones wrote me and told me that Carla and Pablo are well on their way to being sealed in the temple June 4! I will be there and Hermana Jones will be here too! It will be the most amazing moment!

yea!! I love the mission and God´s eternal plan!!

Be good this week!