Thank Heavens I'm Stateside 🚎🚷😵

Week: 47
Date: December 30, 2024
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Email: leah.kimball@missionary.org
Companion: Sister Roos /Paradise, Utah
Blog: https://livinlavidastlouis.blogspot.com/?m=1

Lexi's Mission Blog: https://iputtheradincolorado.blogspot.com/

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 KESHA and us in Jacksonville 😇
Jacksonville Illinois
December 2024

Hi everybody!!! Christmas week is officially over, and it truly was one of the best weeks of my mission by far.

This week, we were so blessed to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!! A quote that has been on my mind a lot this week is, “We wouldn’t celebrate Christmas without Easter.” We truly are so blessed to have our Savior, Jesus Christ, die for each of us, allowing us to return to our Father in Heaven. Being on my mission, I truly didn’t understand how merciful the Atonement of Jesus Christ is until I understood the overall love that God has for us, wanting us to return to Him. From the beginning, God knew we would fall, and because of that, He planned to send His Son as our Redeemer.

Anyways, let's get into the week!! Christmas Adam, Eve, and Christmas Day, Sister Roos and I were BEYOND spoiled! We were invited to the Thomas home all three nights, and it was just the biggest party week ever! We played games, ate yummy food, and best of all, spent hours by their piano listening to Brennon (their son) play hymns, Christmas music, and our faves from home. It was the most special experience going into a home with such a strong spirit and being able to celebrate the birthday of the Savior together. The Thomas family has been such a blessing in my life, especially around this Christmas season. I know God sent me here to meet them and feel His love for me through their love for us! Sister Thomas also went out and bought us gifts, and I got spoiled with some yummy Oreos, mints, pens, gum, and Vaseline—all my faves! I'm feeling so blessed!

Christmas at the Thomas'! Blessed with my tiramisu oreos!! 🙏
Springfield Illinois
December 2024

How fake do our smiles look on this bus ride ?
Springfield Illinois
December 2024

While partying it up at the Thomas home, we also got to deliver cookies to our friends, eat German pancakes with our district, and we did a service project on Christmas morning making meals for the needy! All in all, it was an amazing experience. Being wrapped in love and service, I didn't get super homesick (I also got to call the fam, so that was awesome). So, it was a very bomb Christmas!

Although the next day, it felt like everything was against us. We got invited to eat IHOP with some members of the YSA and some youth. We planned very poorly, and Sister Roos and I didn’t realize our car would be at the shop getting an oil change that day. So, we had the idea to just walk to IHOP—it’s only 4.5 miles; it can’t be that bad… although we thought 4.5 miles would only take us 45 minutes to walk since it was a 10-minute car ride. We did our math so wrong and realized it was actually an hour and a half walk—way too late. So, we thought, if we ran, we’d make it. Now, picture two very out-of-shape sister missionaries trying to book it to IHOP, sprinting then walking, then sprinting again, on the side of the main road… we made it 3.5 miles in 40 minutes and had to call someone to pick us up for the last mile. #Embarrassing 🤦‍♀️. But it gets worse… When we were all done at IHOP, we knew the member who picked us up had a flight to catch right after, so we requested they drop us off at the bus stop, which was just 2 minutes away. So, that’s exactly what they did. And we were confident we’d be back to our car in no time. Until… dumb and dumber (us) got on THE WRONG BUS!!! We did an hour-long bus route with the driver until she could drop us off at the stop we got on at. After feeling sore, embarrassed, car sick, and quite humbled… we finally got on the right bus and made it back to our car. This is why God called me to the States. I have so much respect for all my friends serving in different countries. I love my mission car, and I know I’m spoiled. 🤕🙏

 Serving meals on Christmas!!
Springfield Illinois
December 2024

We went on exchanges again the other day, and I had the chance to go with Sister Oyler again, but this time in Jacksonville! Recently, I’ve really been trying to get out of my comfort zone and make a genuine effort to talk to EVERYBODY! So, in Jacksonville, I just prayed that I’d have the strength to lead by example. And y’all, the Lord answered my prayers. I legit didn’t even recognize myself. But because of my efforts, we experienced literal miracles!!! We went up to this girl named Kesha, introduced the church and the Book of Mormon, and this girl was soooo excited. She said that recently she’d been praying for guidance for herself and her sons and wanted to take them to a church, but didn’t know where. We talked to her, and she just about cried and asked if she could have a Book of Mormon! It was soooo cool and such a pure miracle!!

After our exchange in Jacksonville, we went to go teach our literal bestie, Richard. He’s the best. Richard needed to push his baptism date back for the following weekend, but he is determined to be baptized!!! So now we’re praying for January 12th! He’s psyched! I’ve been praying extra hard because we have transfers on the 8th, and I really don’t want to leave! We have the coolest miracles and friends happening, and I just want to stay in the YSA forever! So, everyone pray for Richard (and me) lol!

Speaking of miracles… y’all, yesterday we had 4 people come to church! YAY!! Then we had a branch party at the Thomas’ home! And we had a lesson in their home right after the party with our friend Juan. We met Juan and his friend Brent the other day as we pulled over and jumped out of the car to talk to them! They were actually on their way to their own church. We asked them if we could do a church swap (we go to yours, you come to ours) and invited them to church! They both showed up at church, and we taught Juan that night. Juan read the Book of Mormon we gave him and asked us if he could be baptized… it was like the best experience ever!! So we’re praying for January 26th!! Literally, God puts people in your path. IT’S SO CLEAR!! We’re also going to their church on Saturday, I’m pumped!

 JACK GOT BAPTIZED (2 years ago) lol
San Antonio Texas
December 28, 2022

This past Christmas week has been just perfect! I thought we were gonna experience a drop, but the work just increased like no other! Throughout this week, I always remember a memory that put me on my mission. My best friend (😉) Jack got baptized on December 28th of 2022! Jack's experience with the missionaries is the reason I'm on a mission. A lot of people thought I was crazy to still want to go on a mission when I have Jack in my life. I’m pretty sure my Nana still wants me to just come home and get married! Lol! But because of the power of the Holy Ghost, the missionaries brought such a strong spirit into my home each Sunday teaching him. I knew that they came for me as well! It was so obvious that God wanted me to have the experience to truly be converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ! This church is truly the church of joy! It has changed my life, it has changed Jack's life, and it has reminded me how blessed we all are. God literally sent His Son for each of us, and because of that, we get to experience the blessings of the Atonement and be baptized. I am so grateful for this time of year. I'm so grateful for Jack and his undying faith and his example to me. But most of all, I’m grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and because of that, I know I can return to my Father in Heaven with my eternal family!

I love you all so, so much!! I hope y’all had a wonderful Christmas!! Also, God is sooo good! See y’all next year! 😉💃💯🥳🌟

-Hermana Kimball 🎀

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Dad: BIG BYU DUB YAY!!! Saw you on the Facebook page!
Mom: It made me lol that you were excited for any plane ticket to anywhere, lol.
Colton: Die-hard BYU fan leaves wife and kids with the car…
Caryn: Thank you for putting up with Colton.
Taylor: Thanks for spoiling my mom.
Bailey: You look good, sissy.
Clay: Sorry you got women's pajamas.
Lexi: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Praying for Cottonwood Creek for a 5th transfer 🙏
Bella:... TikTok goes cray.
Collins: Why do you look so old? Cute nails.
Capri: Sorry you were sickly Beth on Christmas.
Kash: Glad you’re organized.
Reese: Your laugh is the most precious thing ever! 💖