MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!! holy smokes can you even believe it? I feel like I've been celebrating Christmas for 6 months now :) you have no idea how excited I am to SKYPE you all. to see your faces, and to share this joy and excitement I feel each and every day for this work. what a miraculous week that I get to tell you about! be aware: I ask that you don't wear socks or they might fall off. thx.
this week was the best week of my mission. (do I say that every week? oops) ellie and Jacob are miracles from heavenly father. I tell you, they continue to be miracles every day. Jacob continues to tell us how bad he wants to be a missionary, he is starting to go with the Elders, ellie cries to us imagining him leaving, and she cries for YOU ALL that I am away from you and she is with us! I love them.
we had a lesson with them on Friday, we went in the lessons planning on inviting them to be baptized. we read 1 Nephi 21:16 and talked so much about our loving savior. how he truly has us graven on the palms of his hands. I mentioned baptism... and ellie said "WAIT STOP...." and she starts whispering to Jacob for like 3 min. sister cendreda and I were like... what is going on..... she continues, "sisters, we want to be baptized. together. before one of you can leave." we sat there with our mouths wide open :0 its what we were praying for. but we couldn't believe it actually happened. literally, we sat there like this :0 ellie said.... "is that okay?" we were like OH MY GOSH YES THATS AMAZING!!!! transfers are Jan. 7 so we set a date together that fit with her working schedule. they will be baptized jan 4 :) they can hardly wait, and we can't either!!!
she does have a smoking addiction. we hadn't taught the WOW yet, so last night we went over to have a lesson. (Jacob was with the elders so that was perfect we got to be alone with her!) we talked a lot about the restoration, she believes so strongly that it is true. so we told her how god revealed to Joseph Smith our health code. we told her what it was, and asked if she foresees any problems? she said "well.. If god told that to joseph than there cant be any problems. he commanded us to do it." it was so powerful. I was falling off my seat. luckily, my socks stayed on. the power of the spirit continued... I asked her if we could do her a favor by taking any cigarettes away from her so she wont be tempted. then, she gladly handed them all to me :) I don't think ive ever held one in my hand.... that was quite the experience. we got multiple selfies. don't worry.
this is a Christmas miracle I will never forget. I have thought so much about "making room" for our savior. is there room in "Our Inn" for the savior? have we completely discovered the joy that comes from having a special, close relationship with him? do we have the desire to come to know him more fully each and every day? we MUST make room for Him in our lives, and continue to make more room each day, through coming to a greater understanding of him and what he has done for us, and what he wants to do for all mankind. I am so grateful to be a missionary, set a part from the world, making all kinds of room for him. I share "The Gift" that he is each and every day and that is a gift I am giving to him this year, and forever. everyone needs "a Loving Savior" in their lives.
I am bringing all the good that you taught me, into my mission. each one of you! as the district leader here in Sidney, I got in touch with the Victoria DL and we are putting on a joined district meeting this week. (since it will be Christmas eve) we decided to do something meaningful, something we will always remember doing together, on our missions. I couldn't help but remember dressing up for the nativity, playing my violin, and reading the birth of our savior, jesus Christ. that is what we will be doing. just like you, here in Canada for our district meeting. He is the reason, so we are going to celebrate like we always will with our families :)
I am so grateful to be on my mission at this time. I remember last Christmas, I thought to myself "poor Austin, he is away from home. I would never go on a mission." boy oh boy was I the most prideful human. I thank my father in heaven each day for this time dedicated to him and my savior. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. THIS is the best time to be a missionary. even for you. SHARE THE GIFT!
merry merry Christmas!!!! I hope you feel my love!!!! talk to you soon! :)
xoxo, sister ovard
p.s. get ready to hear my Spanish!!! I am basically bilingual!!!!!!!!
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