Called to Serve in DC North: Happy Valentine's Day!! :)

Hey everyone! This week was SO GREAT!:)

I think this last week has been the busiest week so far!! We were constantly moving!! It was the best!!

So the craziest/ most stressful/ most confusing experience of my life = driving in downtown DC. Let me just say that driving in DC is CRAZY!!!! The round o bouts are nuts and every street is one way...

So if you miss your turn then you might as well add a half hour to your route hahahah!! We got so lost!! And every car is parked on the side of the road so you have no room to drive. So that was an interesting experience!! But we made it back alive... Barely! Haha!!

If you can drive in DC you can drive anywhere ;).

A lot of really neat things happened in the Visitors' Center this week!! In our Friday meeting the director read to us a super cool email from the man in charge of all the Visitors Centers in the world!! They told us that we (the Washington, D.C. Temple Visitor Center sisters) beat the Temple Square sisters in Salt Lake City, Utah (and all the other visitors centers in the world) last year in getting referrals!!!! AND we beat them by 40% in getting referrals during the December lights season!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!! They have like 10X more sisters and people that come to them but hehehe we beat them! Haha it was so exciting! They said that the brethren were so impressed with the sisters at the Washington DC Temple Visitors Center! The sisters here are so incredible!! I am so lucky to get to serve with them! On Saturday there were 15 weddings. I guess it was because of Valentine's Day!!! One of the brides walked in and haha all the sisters were in awe!! Haha!! She looked so gorgeous!! When she walked in, there was such a sweet spirit that came in with her. It definitely strengthened my testimony on temple marriages and how special and important they truly are. That is the only marriage that seals that relationship together beyond the grave and for beyond this life!!

One day I was sitting on the bench next to the Christus (the giant statue of Jesus Christ) and I saw this little girl come up to Him and she stops right by Him and says, "Hey Jesus how are you doin'? I love you so much and I know you love me!" And then she ran away!! It was so sweet! I got a little teary!! Little children are so close to Christ and so innocent!!! I love how we are instructed in the scriptures to become like children!! Become submissive to our Heavenly Father and to love Jesus Christ. There is a quote that says, "Hate is learned, love comes naturally." This is so true! Almost every little child I have met is loving and just innocent! This is definitely a concept that has really hit me this week!

So as you know, yesterday (Sunday) was Valentine's Day.... And Sister Wilson and I are serving in a young single adults ward..... So ya church yesterday was awkward haha!! Missionary probs!! During the last hour lesson all the guys in the ward came in with flowers for all the girls.......... Haha......... It was so funny!! I'll send you pictures of the flowers we got!! Despite the nice flowers and awkwardness, the lesson was really good. We learned about opposition and trials!!

President Howard W. Hunter said referring to paddling in a boat, "The pulling of the oars against the resistance of the water creates the force that causes the boat to move forward. Resistance creates both the opposition and the forward movement." This is so true!! Trials help us move forward and to progress!! You can't get over a trial and avoid it, you have to go through it. We become acquainted with God and with Christ through these extremities!! During these hard times, that is when we can become submissive and meek and rely on Jesus Christ to help us. I encourage you all to change your mind set to become and to rely on Christ! I love you all and remember that God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers!!

Sister Freeman