"It's amazing how aware the Lord is of His children and His missionaries. I love Him a ton!"

Hello everybody! It is COOOOOLD here in Stara Zagora! Let me start with some questions (in this new format).

Hi Sweetie, I am a little sleepy tonight and so I cut a couple corners in your email. I intermixed my letter to you with the questions we had this week, please just copy and paste this one and answer any questions I throw at ya...

So, Thanksgiving was fun. You and Tay were sure missed by EVERYONE!!! Only Uncle JJ and Aunt Julie weren't there. It was a full house again! Dinner was delicious of course and I ate way too much. We went to a movie after dinner at the District and then home to bed. I DIDN'T even black Friday shop until 8 am! Then Abbey and I went black friday shopping at a couple of boutiques and then Costco. We got a 55 in SMART TV!!! It is so cool! It is for the family room of the new house. Then we went to the outlet mall to visit Ally, who was working. It was PACKED! Anyways, a good weekend for the most part. Life begins again tomorrow.:/ We had a great time with Abbey here, she always asks about you. She reads your blog everytime!   I dropped Abbey back off at the dorms today after a missionary farewell for Rachel. She enters the MTC on Wednesday and is going to N. Carolina. We would like some details on your Thanksgiving day!!! Consider that a question...

 - Well, Thanksgiving was really cool. As you saw, I made an Apple pie and a Banana cream pie. They both turned out wonderful, and everybody basically worshipped the ground I walk on. :) TIP! For the banana cream, use only flour, not cornstarch. If you let it boil for a while, you can tell absolutely NO difference to taste, and you are able to cut it wonderfully, and it is set in a matter of minutes. :) We contacted a little bit on Thanksgiving, and I was going to make the pies that day, but our power was shut off all of thanksgiving, so I had to make the pies the night before. Thanksgiving dinner was at the church. Haha, everything was cold because we don't have a kitchen there but it was good nonetheless. :) Haha we bought the chicken from this place called Shami which is our favorite duner stand. It was pretty good... AND There is this place here called Technopolis, which is basically best buy, and Elder Worley and I were DROOLING over the SmartTV!!! I can't believe you got it!
 So, framing on the house starts tomorrow!!! I am so excited I could cry! We all go over there everyday to see what has happened. Last week was not much. Weather is holding out for now... I'll keep sending pics as they start!
 - That's so exciting!!! Keep those pictures coming, I love them a ton! I love the lot and basement! I'm so excited for you guys!
 Dad was wondering about the language. Do you feel like you are still progressing? Has it gotten any easier?
 - Okay, here is my official stance on the language. I am beginning to be able to understand people when they talk to me. I can say a lot of the things that I would like to and I form all of the verb and tense conjugations pretty well. I always have Elder Worley with me so If I don't know a word I can always ask him. As far as "fluency" I'm nowhere near. Everybody in the mission tells me that I'm the best speaker by far for how long I've been out here, but I don't know. It's really hard when you don't know exactly how to answer the people when they have questions or concerns, but it's getting easier and is a work in progress.
 We got the video from the Larsens! I have maybe watched it 100 times is all. We are so happy to have it and to hear you are playing! Do you play for church? Dad is hoping you get to practice often!
 - I'm glad you liked it. I didn't even know he was recording. :) Haha no I don't play for church. Sister Frame is a pianist, and she is really good. I do get to sing for church though. Yesterday, I was talking with some people downstairs when a member comes down into the room, points to me and says עט שו ןוור. Which means, you will sing. She grabs me, and takes me upstairs where 30 people are sitting dead silent, and they made me sing like 6 songs. Including....well......you'll see. :) But everybody in the branch loves my voice and yada yada.
 We got a Christmas tree this weekend. It is live and very small. We bought lights for it but so far can't find the ornaments. We may be stringing popcorn this year. Candy canes, snowflakes, etc... a homemade Christmas. That is new. :) We also got some colored lights to hang on the deck in the front of the townhouse. One strand covers it but it is cheery and the girls love it. 
 - Cool! :) That's one thing I'll miss.
 Dad is going to Kentucky this weekend and Texas the next. Always busy! He says to tell you hi and he loves you.
 - Tell him that he's a stud, and to keep up having fun!
 We will be doing the live nativity on Monday after he is back. I will be missin you for sure that night. I remember last year, you drove all the way up to go with me even though you were sick and tired. Meant the world to me. :)   - Haha me too don't worry! I wouldn't miss my last time with my mommy!

This Christmas will be pretty different. No decorations (other than the tree and a wreath when I make it.) We will still do as many of the traditions as we can, but it will feel like we are traveling and not "at home". We are sledding on Christmas Eve. Wonder where you will be living then. Do you know when transfers are? Can you tell me why the atmosphere feels so anti-American right now?
 - Transfers are about a week before Christmas, I don't know when. It was going to be a couple of Elders' THIRD CHRISTMAS on the mission, and President didn't want to do that to them. So he's ending the transfer a week early. I really don't care what happens. It is possible I will be here in Stars again, and that would be okay with me. Wherever President wants. The people think that Americans are all rich and stuck up and just life is better there. I'm not disagreeing with them... ;) but people just don't like us. And yeah I could be anywhere.
 
Have NOT received package from you yet. I'll let you know the minute it gets here...
- :( I am PRAYING it gets to you.
 Any trouble this week? Me and Sarah are going to the temple this week to put your name on the prayer roll. I figured HF would know everyone I mean if I put Nick's district... :) Have you heard of any trouble in other areas? Sarah was wondering how old those kids are about?
- Thank you very much, that's very nice. No trouble this week luckily...the "kids" are generally between 20-25 or so. And there is trouble EVERYWHERE, not just here.
 How have you been feeling?
- Pretty good, pretty normal. :)

Grama was wondering if you have had any spiritual experiences you could share with us?
- Well, it's not very specific, but I was having a hard day, and I had just downloaded a random 30 hours of general conference to put on my ipod, and I was listening to one random talk that really really made things easier. It's amazing how aware the Lord is of His children and His missionaries. I love Him a ton!
 
When is zone conference?
 - Like the 10thish of December, plus or minus 5 days. I don't know.
 
Plans today? How is Elder Worley doing? How long has he been out and what areas has he been to?
 - Movie: The Incredibles. Nothing really else. Elder Worley is great. He has been out in country for 10 months, but he was in Chicago for a month and a half because his Visa got delayed. He's great! I'm really thankful for friends like him. Elder Worley is an incredible person, and I LOVE serving with him. You always hear about those mission buddies for life, and he is absolutely one of them. :)
 Are you pretty sure about the skype thing for Christmas? If not I need to be prepared to have an international calling plan added to my phone. Though Skype sounds AWESOME!!!
 - Yeah I'm totally sure. It's free, and you'll be able to see my pretty little face. :)

Well, this week was rather slow. We didn't meet any of our goals as far as lessons or receives goes, and not a lot of people wanted to talk. We did meet a couple of really cool people, and we'll see how well that can go. It got REALLY cold this morning, like really cold. My ears hurt a ton. I will have to consider a beanie. :) Not really too much else going on in my life though.  I have to go...I'm going on secret splits to get Elder Worley a Christmas present. I love you so much!! Talk to you soon!

 I love you all a ton!
- עאנוירטםא מנרט

Love you more.