Long time no talk :) I hope your thanksgivings were full of lots of
food, fun, and love! Mine was great.. To start off the exciting week
we went with our Bishop out to lunch, and then after we went grocery
shopping and put thanksgiving dinner baskets together for some people
in the ward that were in need, I was grateful to be able to help with
that! Thanksgiving day we had three meal appointments... (The life of
being a missionary in America) All of them were so yummy! I ate
like I had never seen food before, lol. First we started off with
lunch with our lovely neighbors Karen and Kathy, (Kathy was the one
that called you mom and Tawn, haha she's such a goof!) then we stopped
at our bishops for dessert, and last but not least we had dinner with
the Bank family. I was so stuffed, and so grateful for the people I
got to spend it with. I love this time of year to take a step back and
to remember the things were grateful for! I loved from one of Elder
Uchtdorf past general conference talks when he said that "there is one
thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious... We
can be grateful!"
It's been a big week, but a GREAT week here in Manchester. I truly am
just thankful to be here. I love every single thing about Manchester,
sometimes I just take a step back and think, how did I get so blessed
to be here? The area, the people, the city, the companion, the ward,
our investigators... I just love with my whole heart!
Can you believe it's December!? I sure can't! Such a wonderful time of
the year. I love Christmas season, it truly is something that changes
the whole world.. It's the best time of the year, especially as a
missionary, people's hearts are a little more softer, and a little bit
more turned towards Christ. I love new englanders, they're different,
but oh so great. I feel like over time here that I have finally put it
into words on how to describe them. They're like a chocolate chip
cookie... Crunchy and sometimes a little hard on the outside, but once
you get to know them they're gooey and soft on the inside! Haha it's
great to serve the Lord, there is a special spirit that comes with
serving Him, and I feel like around this time I can always feel Him a
little more nearer. The church has came out with an awesome new
Christmas video, "A Savior Is Born" and also a video called "A world
without a Savior" (pretty intense video!) I love them both, it helps
remind us the true reason for the season. A Savior is Born! And He's
changed the world for forever. I love Jesus Christ, He is the most
precious thing in my life.. He brings us hope, love, happiness, and
every good thing on this earth. I can't begin to thank Him for the
help and strength He has given me. What a wonderful time of year to
celebrate Him.
So here's a funny little moment that happened this week.. Our ward had
a ward temple night. A lot of the ward members went down to
Massachusetts to the temple, I was really happy to she how many
members went down!. Anywho, we as missionaries were assigned by the
bishop to set up the church for a dinner after all the ward got back
from the temple, and we also had to go pick up the Chinese food for
them to eat. Well we go to go pick it up, its a Friday night and it's
packed in there, and here comes this little Chinese man walking out
with three huge beer boxes with bud weiser and coors light on the side
of the box and says "here is your food, I put it in boxes so it'd be
easier to carry!" Haha so we grabbed the boxes of our food and were
walking out of this busy restaurant holding them, I don't think there
has ever been a moment on my mission that I wanted to cover my name
tag, until then. Haha so off we go to the church and in we go with the
boxes, all the members had already gotten there, and you should of
seen the looks we got walking in with the "Chinese food."
Many have asked about our investigators, and they are doing good for
the most part! A lot of problems we have here is with our solid
investigators getting into anti. Man oh man, how I hate anti. You
wouldn't imagine some of the questions we get. But I am very grateful
they feel comfortable enough to bring up there concerns with us. I
mean questions are great, but anti is not. If you really think about
it, this gospel wouldn't be here if Joseph Smith wouldn't of asked the
question "which of all the sects are true!?" Its just hard to find a
balance of, yes questions are a very good thing, but not so much that
you research too much and find very untrue things. I'm grateful to be
in a church that with our questions we may have that we are told to
take them to God, and the scriptures, and that He will give us an
answer through personal revelation from the spirit. I've have my
studies this week centered around personal revelation and how we can
better communicate with God. I've learned lots, now I'm just trying to
apply it. There was a quote from true to the faith that says "The
witness of the Holy Ghost makes an impression on the soul that is more
significant than anything you can see or hear. Through such
revelations, you will receive lasting strength to stay true to the
gospel and help others do the same. Although we often describe
communication from the Spirit as a voice, that voice is one that we
feel more than we hear." I know that The spirit testifies of all
truth, and that if we have that with us we can never go astray,
because we'll know what's true and what's not. We don't have to know
everything is true all at once, we're just asked to hold on to what we
do know! The gospel is like a big puzzle, you put it together, and
sometimes you run across a piece that doesn't fit in the puzzle (or
make sense in your mind) but as you put it aside and work on what you
do know, the puzzle comes together and then we see how the piece that
is set aside, soon fits right in.
Last in the email...Saturday!! It was a special day. We tracked a lot,
and after walking 5 miles in the rain it was nice to sit down for an
hour and a half and drive down to Charron Vermont! There was a live
nativity, and we got to watch all the Christmas lights turn on for the
year with our investigator Pauline. She loved it, and so did we! It
was such a neat neat night. I also got to see the Sargent family from
Somersworths which was really exciting. Lots of the Manchester ward
went, and President and Sister Stoker! Pauline was amazed at the
beauty, and I was happy she got to feel the happiness and spirit that
is at the Joseph Smith memorial. Our other investigator Kiks is doing
amazing, she has a baptismal date and is just too cute. She's from
Hawaii, but lives with the Bank family and each time we have a lesson
Sister Banks feeds us dinner! We're there a lot and it's so fun to get
to know them all. It was exciting to see on Sunday both Pauline and
Kiks at church, it was a good good Sunday, after many Sunday's of no
investigators at church it was great to see two finally come! After
church we had dinner with the amazing Spencer family.. Well, that's
about all for now, but I hope you all have a good good week as well!
You're all in my thoughts and prayers.
Sorry for the big update.. And for it being all over the place..
I know the Church is true, I love Jesus Christ, and His gospel. It
will bless you. Hold on to what you know, and keep on keepin on :)
Remember...All it takes is faith, trust, and a little pixie dust ;)
Have a good good week!
LOVE YOU SO MUCH
Have a fabulous week..&&
Thanks Be To God.
Xoxo
Sister Bee
