Merry CHRISTmas

This week was absolutely wonderful.

First of all, I want to give a special thanks to the Ashtons and the primary kids back home from the good 'ole Justin ward for the Christmas tree package. My companion and I had a ball putting our tree up this morning! Thank you for making our apartment a little more festive :)

 

This past week, Sister Jensen (my little baby-- she only has a week left of training!) and I combined our areas and have been going NONSTOP the past few days! Literally appointment after appointment-- it's been crazy but sooo good :)

This whole month, we have had dinner appointments every single night...sometimes even two in one night...yikes, I know. This ward is just so wonderful! I love Hamilton! This is the best family ward ever. The members are so kind and wonderful and take such good care of us and have such strong testimonies. I love this family of mine!

We had a such a special lesson with our new investigator, Jessica, this week. While we were teaching her the Restoration, we got to the apostasy part. After she read the scripture about the apostasy (famine in the land, not of bread of water, but of the word of God), we asked her what she thought would happen next and she paused and looked at us and said, "He's going to call another man to bring back the truth."

HALLELUJAH! SHE UNDERSTOOD. It was so beautiful to watch as the spirit testified truth to her! She accepted a baptismal date and her 13 year old daughter came to church Sunday and LOVED it. They are so promising and we love them and ahhhh!!

We also met with Hilde and brought a sister from the ward and they were instantly best friends. So that worked out! We even had to break up their chatter so we could pray and be home on time!

We also met with a less-active woman. She stopped coming because of the people, but she says she really misses the sacrament. We testified to her of her divine role in building the kingdom of God on earth here and in being there for others at church and of not letting Satan get in the way of that! We all felt the spirit. She committed to come to church next week, too!

We also met with a young man from the ward that wants to go on a mission in the near future. We even role-played with him while teaching him the restoration. It was awesome.

We also visited lots of members this week. Oh how I love these sweet people. They are all so dear to me! I am grateful for them and for the missionaries they are.

Oh I wish how I could just talk about every little detail that's happened this past week. It has been such a blessing to be with Sister Jensen. She is such an angel and is just such a good missionary. We have already had such special, tender moments with members, investigators, strangers, each other, etc. I love this work and this season and I'm grateful for miracles!

I love this Christmas season. It's all about Jesus Christ. I know that He is our Saviour and Redeemer and that His love for us is perfect and individual. I'm grateful for the enabling power of the Atonement and know that it's real. I know our Heavenly Father knows and loves us so perfectly and wants us to return to His presence. I know the Spirit is the most powerful and assuring means of knowing truth and I'm grateful for His influence on the hearts of those we speak with as well as His companionship with those worthily under the covenant. I know that the church of Jesus Christ has been restored in it's fulness today and that we are led and guided by a prophet of God. How wonderful! I love this gospel and this work that I'm privileged to be apart of.

*REQUEST*
1) I would LOVE if everyone could send me their heartfelt testimonies of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. It would be the best Christmas gift to a missionary, ever.

2) go print of the poster of "I'll share the gift by ______" on mormon.org, fill it out, take a selfie holding it, and share it!

I love you all so much. Each one of you is precious to your Father in Heaven. And so is the person next to you. So share the gift of Christ this Christmas season.

xoxo