The Gift :)

We had another great week!  Sister Hartley and I were blessed to see President and Sister McDonough 6/7 days last week!  What a blessing!  We gave some service to Sister McDonough and helped set up the Christmas decorations in the mission home.  The tree is beautiful and it was such a blessing to be there and feel the spirit which is in the mission home, especially during this Christmas season.

We also had interviews on Tuesday and MLC Thursday and Friday.  There is a powerful spirit at those mission leadership council meetings, and I think Sister McDonough said it best when she testified, "The spirit is strongest when you sacrifice."  In this last MLC meeting we talked about our baptism goal for this year and if we should lower it or keep it, since we would need 20 baptisms more than what we've ever gotten in a month.  After discussion we decided to keep it and do our best to increase our faith and diligence this month.  As a result we discussed what we need to do in order to make it happen.  The reality is, if we want to accomplish something we've never accomplished before, we have to do something for it that we've never done before.  This means sacrifice will be necessary.  What are we willing to sacrifice in order to receive the blessings of Heaven?  I didn't realize how much my heart loved certain things until we talked about sacrificing them.

The Lord is answering my prayers and I am truly being refined during these final weeks of service as a full-time missionary.  I know that there is more for me to learn and become, and my hope is that I won't stop it from happening.  Am I willing to put my fear, my personal comfort, my routines, and my habits on the alter of sacrifice?  This will be the test.  Christ doesn't just want us to give up the bad.  He wants us to give up the good for the best.

Dearest family and friends, we need your prayers.  This mission is doing things it's never done before.  Progess is being made, but it needs to continue in ways it never has before.  We truly need Heaven's help to share the gift of our Savior and help others come unto Him.

I would invite you all to watch the video the church has put out called "He's the Gift" at christmas.mormon.org.  It is just over 2 minutes long and it really brings the spirit of Christ into your home and heart.  Ponder it and Share it.  It is a wonderful opportunity to share the gift of our Savior, and it's so simple!  I know that the more we share our testimonies of the Savior, the more hearts will be open to receive Him and His gospel - including our own.

I know my Savior lives.  Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God.  He is my brother and Redeemer.  He is my leader and my friend.  He is my everything.  He is the gift.  Discover the gift! Embrace the gift!  Share the gift!