Preacher to the über-rich California suburbanites!

Sister Debbie thinking big thoughts.

So I have been assigned to the Loomis 3rd ward. I didn't even know Loomis existed before Thursday, but I love it here. The ward is amazing and they have spoiled me every single day so far. The families are awesome and I already love them! One family, the LaPlantes, are especially awesome. The dad isn't a member yet, but we're working on it. Anyway, Sister LaPlante gave me some of her extra tights the first night I was there. How awesome is that? She loves the missionaries!

My new address is posted on my Facebook page for my friends, but, you can still send me stuff at the address listed on the left. It will get to me pretty quickly.

I think I already told ya'll about my mission president, President Weston, I seriously love him! I think that if anything else, I was called to serve here to get to know him. I am so excited to see him Tuesday, we're having a special conference because our mission.....is getting I-pads!!! CRAZY!!! We each get individual mini i-pads, like each missionary, not companionship. Also, we're allowed to FB... so that'll be cool. Ma...I can't talk to you on it though, so don't message me...

Sister Allen and the
amazing insta-closet

My new companion is Sister Allen. She is the bomb!! I love her already! She's from Provo Utah and is the first from her family to serve a mission too. She's a super good missionary does a great job at making awkward situations less awkward...like tracting. So here in Loomis it's pretty country. Everyone has chickens and the houses are pretty far apart. We don't tract at night...don't worry ma... but sometimes when we're walking to our car from an appointment it's pitch black, so thank goodness mommy gave me that flashlight! It's definitely been used.

Anyway, most people we run into tracting hate us. But it's okay, the Jews hated Jesus, so He gets me. Anyway, they always like to tell Joseph Smith was a false prophet and then proceed to tell us things the think we believe (that are not true) and then they tell us we're not Christians. So that's fun. We try to clear up misconceptions but they say we don't know what we're talking about and we really don't believe in Jesus, so it's cool that they know what we believe more than we do.... BUT we ran into this guy named George the other day, and he invited us back, so we went back to his house yesterday and taught him, his wife was pretty against us at first, but we started talking and our ward mission leader (who is amazing) came with us and he started a conversation with her and they let us come in and sit down and we just got to know them, BUT i'm excited to go back again and start sharing the gospel with them.

Not sure why we are taking pictures of this, but, at
least Dad didn't get a bill for $5000

Also, miracles happen like crazy out here! Like this kid comes up to us at the ward Christmas party Saturday and is like hey, I want to meet with ya'll. He was taught by missionaries before, but wasn't ready then, and Sister Allen found his info in the area book and then he showed up at the Christmas party. We're going to teach him tonight I'm pretty stoked!

So Loomis is interesting because although it's out in the boonies, the people are pretty wealthy and not too interested in the Gospel. And so our teaching pool is pretty small right now, but me and Sister Allen are working really hard on finding. And some awesome potential investigators have already shown up. Straight up miracles, I wish I had more time to tell you more about it. LIke this one random member not in our ward called us Saturday and was like, hey i know it's short notice, but can you come to our house and teach this family. and we were like ummm yeah! so we went and shared a short message and we're gonna stop by their house again soon (the family lives on our area).

Well, I cannot wait to hear from ya'll again next week. I hope you're having fun preparing for Christmas! and are enjoying the baby bear (Giancarlo) getting home. Enjoy him while you have him. Love ya'll. Miss you!

A Igreja e verdadeira. E milagres sao reis! sou grata de estar aqui no Loomis. mas tenho saudades de voces!

<3 Sister Byrne

Not exactly living up to the poverty clause, here!