[28] Talent Shows, Special Hosts, Christmas Spirit, and Singing at RestHome:)

Hi everyone, this is Karissa's mom, it looks like Sister K's letter might have been cut off a bit at the end again, because she is writing a sentence and didn't get a chance to sign her name... Hope you all have a Happy New Year!

Faithann

~Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year~

To all my Family and Friends!

Good Morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday with family and friends!

This has been such a special week! There have been so many blessings here in Pismo Beach. I'm not sure where even to begin because I really feel so blessed by the love I've felt this week.  First I want to thank everyone who has mailed me letters, notes and Christmas cards.  Thank you for thinking of me and taking the time to cheer up my little Missionary Mailbox! It means so much. You guys are all in my heart and I think of you and pray for everyone all the time.

So I think I will go through the week so I can include as much as I can!

Monday

We had a short P-Day until 2:00pm. After emails and shopping we went and helped out at the Food Pantry again! It was great to serve others and wish them a Merry Christmas. Doing things for others always makes it feel so much more 'Christmasy' :)

Tuesday

We had a Christmas Devotional with half of our mission in Santa Barbara. It was great to see so many other missionaries serving. Usually our meetings are smaller groups of missionaries.  

The first part was done by the Mission President's wife, Sister Felix and we got to watch part of the Polar Express! She used a YouTube video that had someone narrating the book with clips from the movie to go along with it. So it was a shorter version but had all the best parts.  We then compared the Polar Express to the gospel. As we talked I realized there are so many comparisons you can draw from it. Here are some we came up with:

Bell -  Listening for the Spirit, testimony, the Atonement
A loving Santa - Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ
Train - our journey in life
Elves - members of the church, and missionaries! (We liked thinking we were 'helping happy elves'!) Haha

And that's just a few! I loved it because there is no right answer and everyone had a different interpretation. After that we watched another clip with the Christmas song Josh Groban sang for that movie. Sister Clark and I were so happy:) We both love listening to his Christmas music. (We've had his Christmas CD on repeat lately). 

When we were done we went into the gym for a Christmas Lunch which was delicious! There also was a fun Activity, that Sister Felix had planned.  She had the parents send in baby or toddler pictures and we were to guess who the missionary was.  It was so neat to see all these little faces and know they all started out so little and that our Heavenly Father knows each one of them.  He knows what their talents are and what they can become.  It reminded me that because of our Savior and what he did, these little babies, now grown to missionaries can return home (our Heavenly home) and live with Heavenly Father again some day.  This is all because of the Atonement. It was great for a Christmas reminder. 

Oh and when I saw my picture I shouted "that's me!" That kind of gave my picture away. Haha!

We then had a talent portion where different missionaries performed for everyone. It was so fun! There are a lot of talented missionaries in the Ventura Mission. Especially my amazing companion! Sister C played three songs on the piano that the missionaries needed an accompanist for. The amazing thing is, she just got the music that morning with requests and played it perfectly without much practice! She's so very good! We then finished the program with some quotes about the Savior from President Thomas S. Monson. The Spirit was strong and it will be one of my favorite memories of my mission:)

Wednesday

Christmas Eve! Our district went and spent some time with the people in a Rest Home.  We sang and then also talked to them.  It was so fun to brighten their Holiday! I think it lifted my spirits more than theirs when I'd see a smile here and a tapping foot there.  You could feel that Heavenly Father loves these people too and it was such a good feeling to try and spread cheer. 

We also were invited to the Buntings home for dinner :) They are this amazing family and awesome couple. (They wore Minnie and Mickey Mouse aprons!) :) They also did a little program with Scripture stories that were about the First Christmas. It was fun to see Samuel the Lamanite on the wall!:) Then Brother and Sister Bunting had us missionaries sing songs and it was a wonderful Christmas feeling.

Thursday

Christmas Day! My companion and I had fun opening the presents that all our family and friends sent. Sister Clark had a really cute Sister Missionary stocking with a tag, it was adorable.  We also had our District meeting in the morning which we always have on Thursdays. It worked out amazingly well because we all bore our testimonies of The Savior. It was such a beautiful feeling in that room.

This Christmas was special for me.  I was missing my family at times and being away from home on Christmas.  But I think it helped me to learn many things. One, how much I appreciate my family and all they do to help make it be a happy time, and two, that the best and wonderful way to have a good Christmas is thinking of others.   Because we were able to do a lot of service, it really helped me to turn outward this week.  It seemed the more we tried to make others happy, the more my companion and I, and my whole District was feeling happy. I could feel the Christmas Spirit as we caroled to and served those around us. 

I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father that wants us to be happy and He loves us so much He wants us to come back and live with Him.  Because of that, He sent His Son to atone for our sins and to make it possible that we might live with our families and with Him again. I am grateful for my loving Savior to make it possible that I might live again and live again with my family forever.

I also

Pictures - (12/29/14) Child of God Activity, Talent Show, Loving Hosts and The Christmas Spirit:)

This was such a fun surprise and activity. Sister Felix,

the Presidents wife emailed all the parents

to get a baby, or preschool picture and

we had to try and guess 'who was who':)

 

My sweet companion from the MTC, Sister B and 

wonderful Sister H looking at the cute pictures!

I liked their festive hats!

 

 This is me and my Mini Me (Thanks mom

for sending it.) I saw it when I first came into the room 

and kind of shouted - "That's Me!" Hahaha!

I didn't know we weren't suppose 

to say anything until the end) :) 

  

Our amazing loving Mission President - President Felix

He was announcing the Missionary Talent Show.

We have so may talented Missionaries in the

Ventura Mission.

 

Our assistants to the President did a Parody

of the 'Night before Christmas'. It was Awesome! 

 

 This amazingly talented Hermana did a comedy sketch

and she was so funny! She even did balloon animals 

and made a missionary one!

 

This is our terrific District. All ready to sing

at a Rest Home on Christmas Eve.

 

Our awesome and adorable Hosts for

Christmas Eve Dinner -Brother and Sister  Buntings

(Aren't their aprons the best?) :D

 

 The Buntings did a program with different scripture 

Christmas stories. Here are two little shepherds talking to 

Samuel the Lamonite ;)

 

Here is Samuel the Lamanite

on the wall prophesying the

birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ:)

 

This is a home near where we live. 

They love Christmas here.

Christmas is getting close!

 

All the Hermanas and Sister Clark with your

'Candycane wrapper paper' gifts mom! <3

We opened them on Christmas Eve

just like our family tradition!

They loved the Bunnie Slippers!

 

We were still at the Hermanas apartment so

I just put on the top. I liked the 'Very

Merry Me'!:)  Isn't their little tree cute?

 

Thank You for the smile and the laugh!

 

Our Christmas Morning - Thank you

to all those who thought of Sister Clark and I

and made us feel cared about!

 

Sister Clark surprised me by making a Christmas

Morning Breakfast! I am so blessed to have such

a loving awesome Missionary Companion.

She is a gift to be around :)

 

Sister Clark was sent the cutest Stocking

that had a Sister Missionary design to it.  We

both thought it was Awesome! Here

she is with her gifts.

 

Thank you friends and family!

I also can't wait to use the microwave potato

cooker, like the one I always used at home.

It makes great Baked Potatoes in 

less than 4 min.s! Hahaha! :)

 

Thank you Grandma Skinner for the slippers! 

They are so cute and comfy!

 

Our Thursday Morning District Meeting.  We still

had it on Christmas and I am so happy about that.  

We each were able to bear our testimonies of our belief and 

love for our Savior.  There was such a wonderful Christmas Spirit.

It was also fun wishing so many people 

'Merry Christmas' on Christmas Day.)

 

Our Christmas Lunch was Teriyaki Chicken

My favorite! So fun cooking with Sister C.

We had Christmas Day dinner that night, at

our Bishop's Home. It was really yummy but

I ate too many Christmas desserts!

 

Trying out my new camera for Christmas - 

Thanks Mom and Papa!

 

Another picture of Shell Beach. So beautiful!

[27] Highlights are Blessings, Love Who You Serve and 'Thanks Be Unto God.'

Merry Christmas and Wonderful Happy Holidays Everyone! 

Highlights & Blessings

My new companion, Sister Clark, and I had a great week of service, teaching and helping.

One highlight was that we were able to teach a part member family in beautiful Shell Beach. The wife is a member of our church and the husband is not. He has lots of great questions and has a desire to learn.  He is such a kind person too. The wife has been less-active so it is great that we can teach both of them. The best part of the lesson was when Brother K (We like to call him brother already:) committed his wife to start to read the Book of Mormon along with him and for them to start going to church together! He made our job easy:) 

And the great thing is, that they did come to church yesterday! They enjoyed our wonderful Christmas program. Our ward did a especially good job I think:)  Sister Clark and I enjoyed singing Christmas Hymns in the church choir too. The spirit was so strong during our Christmas meeting. Sacrament Meetings always lifts my spirits. 

I've always thought that Music has such a wonderful way of bringing the Christmas spirit. We had a lot of visitors at our meeting and I'm sure they could all feel it. It was so wonderful that we could all gather together to remember the birth of our Savior through music, stories and scriptures.

You Love Who You Serve

We were able to do a fun service at the Methodist Church and wrap Christmas presents for children and families in need. It was a good feeling helping out and being surrounded by wrapping paper, bows, gifts and mostly, caring people. I loved serving with everyone and felt love for those who the gifts were going to. We were also able to help at the Food Pantry and Food Bank in our area this week. So it was a great week for service!

New Companions :)

I am so excited that I have this opportunity to serve with Sister Clark! I love her already and we get along great. She is a hard worker and very dedicated to the Lords work. She is a wonderful example of charity and love. From the few days we've been together, I can tell we will be a great team :)

Thanks Be Unto God

Grandma Skinner wrote me this week and included a scripture that I thought fit perfectly with the 'He Is The Gift' campaign. It is 2 Corinthians 9:15 "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift". It is so true. Everything we have is because of Christ. 

We have so much to be thankful for and even with ups and downs and good days and bad days, if we look around we will be able to recognize our many blessings. This is such a wonderful time of year when we can turn outward like the Savior. I liked this quote from a talk I read -  "Christmas is a time of reflection on what we can become because of God's sacred gift. As we DISCOVER the gift, we learn of the immeasurable love of God and our absolute need for a Savior. As we EMBRACE the gift, we strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and desire to become more like Him. As we SHARE the gift, we follow in the Master's footsteps, who invited all to hear is message" - Elder Russell M. Nelson

I'm going to try more to Discover, Embrace and Share the gift. Much love to you all! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. I'm looking forward to talking to my family soon!:)

Merry Christmas!

Praying for you all,

Love,

Sister Karissa <3

Pictures - (12/22/14) Nativity Night, Transfer Meeting, Gift Wrapping Service, and Giant Reindeer:)

 

Another picture I took of the pretty Los Angeles Temple. 

It was a such a blessing and special day 

to be able to go and attend.

 

I call these my happy ocean pictures:)

  The skies are beautiful just like the ocean.

 

I'm especially grateful to my Heavenly Father 

and my Savior Jesus Christ, for such a beautiful 

world. Doesn't it look like someone is painting 

with a paint brush to make it look amazing?:)

 

Here are some pictures with the Sisters and 

Hermanas opening their little boxes mom:)

 

The Hermanas bought us dried crickets and larvas snacks... 

and I ate them! They mostly tasted like sunflower seeds:)

 

One of my Favorite Stake activities so far

on my mission! Nativity Night.

 

Anyone that loves Nativities would be in Heaven:)

They all looked so amazing and it was so Christmasy:)

I know you would have liked seeing all of them mom.

 

And to go along with all the Nativity Collections,

a real live Nativity. Christmas is awesome! 

 

Getting to see these dear friends is one of the

best parts of Transfer meeting.

 

I got to see my lovely friend, Sister M

 

I miss Sister R, she helped me so much. 

I  hope to be able to keep seeing her 

at other meetings in the future!

 Sister Jenkins!! I was so excited to see her,

she was my family for the first weeks I arrived

in California and took such great care of us!

I love her so much!

 

I can't say enough good about

Sister Snow. Love her too!

 

Our New District with my new companion, Sister Clark.

 I love her already.  From the few days we've been together, 

I can tell we will be a great team:)
Sorry the group picture is blurry. 

Missionary fun and selfies:)

 

Sister Clark and I were able to do Service at the Methodist Church 

and wrap presents for children and familes in need! It felt so

much like Christmas being able to know that these

gifts could bring smiles! It was great.

 

Santa's elves:) and a lot of loving giving people

helping make Christmas a happy one.

  

Classic California - Pismo Beach sign added a festive touch.

A giant Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer to their sign. Haha! 

It makes me and Sister Clark smile. ;)

[26] Life is a Gift, This Week has been a Gift, and He Is The Gift:)

Hello dear family and friends on this December winter day! (Not so winter here, but it has rained more and it feels great.)

Wow what a week! Life as a missionary is truly amazing :) First of all, if I haven't already, I want to thank the wonderful Activity Days girls and their leaders back home for the sweet Christmas box. It was awesome to be thought of and the little letter, colored stocking and treats made my day! I'm blessed to come from such a thoughtful and loving ward!

Ok, I'll go through each of the days this past week so I remember everything:

Monday

P-day! Very busy washing, cleaning, food shopping, so nothing too exciting.   Beside the writing letters part, which is always fun and reading letters, which is even more fun and being able to be connected with friends and family.  Letters, notes and cards always make a mission feel better because they motivate you to do your best:)

Tuesday

Sister Zimmerman, our sweet Relief Society President took us to lunch at this amazing Italian restaurant in Pismo Beach. It was very kind of her :) The place was decorated for Christmas and looked beautiful with it's holiday lights and red poinsettias. Not only did she feed us, but she had a surprise for us! Before we got there she told our server that it is Sister Reneer's Birthday soon so at the end of our meal everyone came out and sang! It was so cute!! There are so many good people out there helping to lift people up each day.

Wednesday

(J) was interviewed for his baptism! He was feeling so good and so happy.

Thursday

December 11th, I hit my 6 month mark!  Wow - I can hardly believe it!  It doesn't feel that long. (Mom thank you for the 'Sixlets' candies to help celebrate six!:)  And one of the many great things I have learned in this short time is that my Heavenly Father and Savior are always with me, guiding me to learn what I need to learn, say what I need to say and do what I need to do. I'm thankful for this blessing of serving a mission.

Friday

Such an Awesome Day!  Because Sister Reneer's birthday is this month we got to go to the Los Angeles Temple!! The LA temple area is technically out of our mission, but we are so happy that we get to visit the temple for our Birthday month! :) A sweet Sister in our ward, Sister MacClain, said that she could drive us down to L.A and go with us. Sister MacClain is so giving and thoughtful. I love her! 

Our day spent together was wonderful. It was raining a lot on the roads, but it stopped right when we got there! The Lord was aware of us and we even were able to get some pictures ;) It felt like an early Christmas present to be able to go to the temple:) We are so blessed to have temples all over the world. These sacred buildings really are heaven on earth and inside we can feel close to our Heavenly Father.

Saturday

This week in Pismo Beach kept getting better and more amazing! We have witnessed so many miracles. The miracles that are all around us, showing us that Heavenly Father is really aware of each one of us and cares about us. The biggest was (J)'s baptism! It all went so beautifully  :) We had a great turn out from our wonderful supportive ward.  And some of (J)'s neighbors came as well to support him. One is actually a less-active member so it was great that she could be there. Also (C) came. Jeffrey has been a father-figure to him for years so they are very close. Everyone had a great time and there were smiles all around :)

Sunday

Yesterday after (J)'s confirmation in Sacrament Meeting (when he recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost and was officially made a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), he asked to say just a few words. He bore his testimony in front of everyone and The Spirit was so strong. He said that it was the happiest day of his life, which made a lot of us have tears in our eyes. (J) is going to be an awesome member missionary. He has told us he has already shared some things about the gospel with his friends! And that he wants them to feel the same love from his Savior that he feels.  Yay (J)! He told us all in the ward that it felt like a family and that we were all going to be friends forever and he believed we will see our friends, as well as family all in Heaven together.

Transfers!

There is always something both good and also sad about that word.  It means changes, and that means we get to meet new people, which is good, but it also means we have to say goodbye to people we have spent so much time with and care so much about. 

I am staying in Pismo Beach for another 6 weeks! Yay! I love this area and the wonderful members here.  Sadly Sister Reneer is leaving. She has been such a blessing to me. I am grateful that I have been able to serve with her these past two transfers. She has helped me a lot with my confidence and teaching skills. She is a wonderful example to me and all those around her :)  Pismo Beach will miss her, and I will miss her, but I know she will do great up in San Louis!

He Is The Gift

Christmas is one of the best times of the year and I am so grateful for the 'He is the Gift' campaign. What a beautiful way to remember the most important gift we celebrate at Christmas.  Hopefully you've all seen it by now, but if not go on Mormon.org and watch it right now! You'll be glad you did:) 

We've been using pass-along cards to share the videos with everyone. It has been wonderful to share it's message with those around us. I like how it also shows the love that people share together as well.  It's beautiful. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that He was sent to us from a loving Father. He really is the reason for the season and I am grateful I can share the message of His birth with others gladly! It lifts my spirits to try and lift others at this wonderful time of year.

My challenge to all of you is to share the He Is The Gift video with family and friends before Christmas! Remember we can share love and let people know that that they are loved.

Love you all! You are in my prayers,

Sister Skinner-Karatassos

Pictures - (12/15/14) Gelato Celebrations, Beautiful LA Temple, and Special Baptism Day:)

What a wonderful Amazing Christmas time week I've had 

serving as a missionary!

 

Sister Zimmerman, our wonderful Relief Society

President, took us out for Sister Reneer's Birthday!

 

Yummy Italian Gelato for the Birthday Girl!

 

We were able to visit the LA Temple for Sister Reneers Birthday

One of the Best Days! Sweet Sister MacClain made it

possible by driving us and going with us.

 

I Love to See the Temple!

 

 Going to the temple made

Christmas time even more special! <3

I picture that the first Christmas night 

had palm trees too!:)

 

You did it again mom, you made six very

happy Sisters and Hermanas! And they

arrived before Transfers! Thank YOU! 

 

Brother (J) ready and going for his 

Baptismal Interview. Yay!:)

 

Awesome Day! I will always remember 

this time. I am humbled and very blessed to be

able to be a part of (J)'s Baptism Day.

 

Lots of support for (J) that day!  And there is the 

Christmas tree I told you about in the background, 

with all the primary kids pics for ornaments! It's beautiful.

 

More people supporting (J) I love these Ladies!

 

Sister Fillerup is such an amazing person

and friend. She said we were her

Christmas angels. She is so kind!

 

Sister Reneer with Sister Fillerup's family.

Their home is beautiful and it feels like

Christmas. <3