"...it was so cold that we were all commanded to go buy winter clothes"

Dear Family and friends,

Hello again! It seems like I'm always writing you emails! Time is flying by way too quickly. 

First of all, welcome to the world baby Rory Olivia Wallace!! I'm so excited to meet her when I get home...in a year ish! Wow that's a long time, but that's okay. Thanks for all the pictures from everyone :) it was so exciting to see those :) Give her kisses from me and just show her some pictures of me. I'll be her favorite aunt one day... 

This week has been so good! We have been doing a monthly fast with the Ward for missionary work so that someone is fasting each day of the month. This week I have really felt the power of the fast. So many small miracles have happened. Less active people are flooding back and it's been so awesome getting to know them. I love it. We keep running into Joseph (a less active that we met with last week that I may have mentioned) and he keeps reminding us to come over on Friday so we are excited about that. He is awesome. 

On Thursday we had the most incredible lesson with Richie at this cute little hot chocolate place while drinking the most delicious hot chocolate. Richie is the investigator from queens (I have no idea if I mentioned him before or not) and the spirit was soooo strong. After saying something all from the spirit we all just sat there for a second. Richie sat there with his mouth dropped open in awe and sister brown goes "wow that was REALLY powerful..." And then we all just didn't know what to say and then sister brown started laughing because it was just such a joyous time I guess so then I started laughing and he laughed. Oops...we are the worst! Haha but we are getting better so it's okay. It was really an awesome lesson though so I know he will get baptized one day. 

Some kid named Trace (I think that's his name. Something like that) came up to me at the temple and was like "I think I know your sister" turns out, he said he knows Danielle Tanner (my cousin) and Grandpa Tanner...so that was interesting! He acted like he kinda likes Dani?(so gramps find out) idk it was a short visit....and then that other lady who randomly took a pic of me and said she knows Tom and Michelle! So I told them I was their niece and they thought that was pretty cool haha

On Friday I went on a split with Sister Smith! It was so much fun! So I went on a split with her like two weeks ish after I got here (she transferred to this area when I got here) and we saw some of the same people. It was awesome. But ya since I have served with sister smith these past 5 months or so, I've really gotten to know her and I just love her. It was just a breath of fresh air. She is the best. 

We had an APF this week in Washington square park and it was freezing. The cold has come! Yesterday it was in the 20s all day..plus wind chill. So it was so cold walking around all day! Since we are on an island and surrounded by water it's even colder especially because yesterday everyone we wanted to visit happened to live right next to the water. It was crazy windy there. We just couldn't stop laughing because it was so cold. In fact, it was so cold that we were all commanded to go buy winter clothes yesterday if we didn't have them yet and to not go outside if we didn't have any winter clothes. Let me tell ya, the California girl in me has arrived.. Good thing you sent me that super amazing warm coat! I wore it today for the first time. Thanks mom!! ........anyways back to the apf, so we passed out free hot chocolate and had a thanksgiving turkey. Everyone wrote what they were thankful for on a feather and posted it onto the board. It really is so important just to be thankful for what we have. We have been given so much. 

On Sunday one of the senior couple temple missionaries came up to me and shook my hand and said "sister Tanner how are you? you have been here for a really long time. Since we got here. It's about time you are leaving isn't it? Best of luck to you!" So that was sad because I don't want to leave yet...but sweet because I didn't know him at all but he knew me! Haha I guess I'll let you know next week what happens!   

On Monday it was rainy and kinda a gloomy day so we decided to say hello to everyone (more than usual) really enthusiastically. So many people were shocked and said hello back as if it were a question haha and some people just got really happy because of it. As we were walking I couldn't stop smiling and I just started giggling with joy hahaha it was so awesome, I love doing that! :) 

This week I am thankful for something I have been thinking about a lot this week. I am thankful for all the families (and individuals) who kneel down together each day and include me (and all missionaries) in their prayers. I have really felt your love this week. It's so amazing to know that so many people are praying for me. I am so blessed. The power of prayer is so real. I have seen so many prayers get answered. we are so blessed to be able to talk to our Heavenly Father everyday. 

I love you all so much! Have a good week! Give Jax and Rory kisses for me! 

Love, 

Sister Tanner <3