It's Christmas Eve!

New companions in their apartment on Christmas Eve!

The Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert! She prayed with all her heart to be able to attend!

With cousin, Kathy Hale. Sister Butler was able to give Kathy and her family a tour and share her testimony of Christ and families!

She has been blessed to see many friends and family in recent weeks! This is the Beauchamp family from our home stake. Brother Beauchamp is on the high council and sent this photo to us and the stake leaders with a report regarding the great work Sister Butler is doing. So thankful for kind friends!

These are dear friends we have known from our days while Alisha's dad worked in NYC, Kimball and Ninnette. Kimball is responsible for bringing our family to Charlotte as he got Tony his original job here! They have lived in Idaho for many years now so this was a very special surprise!

With cousin, Devin Butler who is in graduate school in Atlanta, GA. So happy they got to see each other!

Hello dear family,

Today is Christmas Eve! It was also my p-day so I spent today cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, and decorating the apartment for Christmas! I'm so excited for a couple of hours of down time tomorrow. I'm pretty sure we will have the whole morning to relax and open Christmas gifts.Yay! Thank you everyone who sent me a Christmas card or a package! It makes me feel so loved. I have all the Christmas cards I've received on my desk and it makes the apartment feel more homey. So thank you.

Oh my goodness! So many good things happened this week! Last Saturday Sister Chamberlin and I got to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert!  Sisters on the square get to go to the Christmas concert once in their mission, and typically if you will be here two Christmases you will go your last Christmas. I will be here two Christmases but I got to go! I attribute this to the fact that I prayed really hard to go! Haha! The Lord knows our desires.  I felt like I had my dream fulfilled that night! It was so powerful. The guest artists were fantastic. I especially loved Laura Osnes (she played Cinderella on broadway!). She is so expressive and sincere, and I could feel the emotion she put into the songs. The first song she sang, "Oh Come all ye Faithful", she teared up and got emotional. I just relished in every moment of the concert! Oh, and I was 6 rows from the front and saw Elder Oaks walk past after the show!

This past Monday we got to go to a members home to have Christmas dinner. It was with an elderly couple, Nathan and Carolyn, and they are temple workers in the Salt Lake temple. How awesome is that?! This was one of the best nights ever! I don't know if you guys realize how special it is to be in a HOME. The last time I was in a home was last Thanksgiving. The minute I walked into Nathan and Carolyn's small apartment I felt such a strong feeling of love, security, peace, and joy. They invited two of their neighbors over--on top of two missionary companionship's--so it was a little crowded. But wow, I could feel so much love. Carolyn went all out for dinner! She made mashed potatoes, a roast, sweet potatoes, green beans, and gravy. It was heavenly to eat "real food" as opposed to the quick meals I throw together on the square everyday. She and her husband provided ice cream sundaes for us after dinner, and then we had a wonderful time chatting about their life story. We concluded the night singing Christmas carols. Oh, it was the best night. We wish we could've stayed for several more hours! Carolyn and Nathan were so generous to have us over. I am so thankful to them for opening up their home to us! I will try to send pictures next week!

Tomorrow is Christmas day and there will be a lot of time with family, presents to enjoy, and yummy food to eat. Amidst all of the fun, please take a moment to reflect on the Savior and the gifts he has given us. A gift I am enjoying right now is PEACE. He is the only source of true peace, and I am so, so very grateful for the peace he gives me.

John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

I can't wait to skype all of you tomorrow! I love you!

xoxo,

Sister Butler