Someone is Having a Birthday!

Can you guess who is having a birthday? She is turning 1 today. Nope, not one of our grandkids...it's our cute little Pebbles.

Baby Doll had so much fun getting ready for the big day. She wrapped presents and gave Pebs a ride in her new toybox.

She was not as excited as Baby Doll was...

Get ready to party...!!

All Grown Up - Baby Doll

I was noticing the other day that my introduction to the kiddos is woefully out of date so I thought it might be fun to create a new meme. Here is my youngest cutie...All Grown Up.

Baby Doll is now 12 years old and she is an amazing young woman. She is in the 6th grade and she does not love schoolwork, but she loves her teacher and her friends. She is the secretary in her Young Women group and in her Girl Scout troop. She sells thousands of cookies every January.

Her favorite thing is playing on her phone and playing on the court. She is a fantastic athlete, currently playing on the 12U top team for GSL, a 5th/6th grade Jr. Jazz team (I love being her coach!), and she dances too (jazz, ballet and tap).

She loves her puppy and hanging out with her family. Sometimes it feels like she is 12 going on 17.

Why do they want to grow up so fast?

I love this beautiful girl!

In the Real World...

We might be starting cookie sales tomorrow, but COVID continues to plague the cookie world and they have pushed back our start date to January 28th. In good news, we have a new cookie called Raspberry Rally, which is only available online.

So look for my cute girl scout in a few weeks!

News from North Dakota from Elder Sport

Hey buddies 

I had a great Christmas! We got a ton of free chocolate milk for helping the salvation army so right away it was unreal! We got to talk to family and play some volleyball Christmas Eve then went to our ward mission leaders on  Christmas! I'm so grateful for the awesome and fun members out here. Thanks for all your cards and emails! 

New years was also hype, we went to Gary and Kathy's and played some intense jenga! Love those guys.

We were able to play some laser tag in the church gym yesterday and it was intense! Literally like hiding behind little tents haha. At one point I grabbed the rolling whitepage and charged one of bases with a rolling sheild, it was awesome! Only a few were hurt in the process lol. 

I also got to go to New Town on the Fort Berthold Reservation this week with Elder C... I miss the Reservations and Native culture so much! It was a lot of fun and ran into a lot of miracles and crazy situations, we had the rez dogs chasin us at our first place we went!

We shoveled a crap ton of snow last week too with the big storm, I think I've already shoveled more than last winter!

Hope you all have an awesome week and new year,  I was able to read Alma's council to his sons this week in Alma 36- 42 and I loved it! Here's on of my favorites....

Alma 38: 14

14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times

I love this scripture because if shows that we can come closer to God by admitting our weakness and unworthiness to him! No matter what Sins or wrongs we've done, we can return to him and be healed. I've seen this in my own life over and over! We have the hope of being with him although we aren't perfect. I love the lesson also taught in Alma chapter 40:13... it teaches how the captivite evil spirits have "no part nor portion of the spirit of the Lord" So if we do have a portion, even a small one, there's so much hope for us! I know as we act on the little we do feel and know it well grow in our hearts like a sead of faith💙

 Love you all! 

Elder Nephi Christensen