I love New Years. I maintain that it is the best holiday. No presents. No obligations. Just party. We partied by writing in our journals and going to bed. It was awesome.
But in all sincerity, I am so excited for 2018. Good things are coming if we invite them into our lives by our choices. Make some goals. Then make plans to meet your goals. Begin today.
Our Christmas was wonderful. We ate dinner with the S family. They were baptized in November. For Christmas dinner they invited us over and several other member families from the congregation and some coworkers and friends not of our faith. Sister F and I got to have great conversation with these individuals and are returning to see one of the families later this week and share with them the message of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Immediately following Christmas, Sister F got totally sick. So she laid on the floor for about 48 hours straight. And slept. So much. So that was rough but we still saw so many blessings. Sister F was feeling good enough to go to district meeting so we did that and had to stop and get gas on the way home. I got out to pump gas and turned to talk to the man on the other side of our pump. Before I could even say hi, he said "I think some of y'all've been out to the house before." Turns out, he had formerly investigated the church a good number of years ago. He was eager to have us return and teach him again so we swapped phone numbers and all that good stuff. So literally the ONE person we talked to that day wanted us to teach them. Incredible.
We called him two days later, which would be Friday/planning day, to set up a time to go out and meet with him. T said, "How about this: What time does your church start? I'll see you at church on Sunday." So we told him. And he was at church. He stayed all 3 hours, happens to have grown up with some solid members of the ward whom he didn't know were LDS, and left church with a Book of Mormon and Gospel Principles manual. After Sunday School Sister F turned to him and asked, "Do you have any questions?". To which Tony responded, "No. Just lots of answers." Incredible!! Jesus Christ's church truly is a place to find answers and receive revelation and inspiration from the Holy Spirit. He was touched by the special Spirit in the church building and service. He felt so welcomed by the members of the ward, commenting that Mormons are so incredibly different from the rest of the world - in a really good way. We are meeting him again this Saturday.
We met the M family this week. They actually live in the Coker Spring Ward boundaries but they really prefer Sisters to Elders... go figure. ;) They moved here from Honduras 3 years ago so we go and read the Book of Mormon with them in English. Actually, they read in English and Sister F and I read in Spanish. Which is fun. And they are wonderful.
On Friday we were looking for a woman who used to be meeting with missionaries in a fairly large apartment complex. We knocked on the door that had formerly belonged to her and instead met another woman who had just moved to Aiken about 2 weeks ago. Her husband died just in October and it was clear that she had some hope but was burdened. She let us into her home immediately and we testified of God's plan for us - of His infinite love and desire for our happiness. she is allowing us to return on Saturday. Without infringing upon anyone's free will, God had allowed us to find her.
Several members this week volunteered to create appointments for us with those of their acquaintances who desire to hear the gospel. we are floored. Aiken is a dream.
I have come to greatly love the Topical Guide to the Scriptures, listing a nearly comprehensive list of scriptures for any given topic.(You can find it here: https://www.lds.org/
- government shall be upon his shoulders
- swallow up death in victory
- wounded for our iniquities
- preach good tidings
- bind up the broken hearted
- wipe away our tears
- save
- fulfill all righteousness
- preach
- reign
- heal
- not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me
- author of eternal salvation
- mediator
- make intercession
- die for all men
- publisheth peace
- redeem his people
- satisfy the demands of justice
- atoneth
- bring about the plan of mercy
- fulfill the law
- light and the Redeemer of the world
- ministry
- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man
How powerful is the role and mission of Jesus Christ as put forth by His prophets? I am thankful that Jesus Christ does indeed accomplish all of these things, and so much more, in each of our lives. He simply asks that we turn to Him and let Him in.
I particularly love Isaiah 61:1, which I found in this study, reading, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;". I love these promised works of our Savior. He brings us freedom and healing and opens the prison doors for all of us who cannot open them ourselves.
Okay, last thing but this is very important:
Sister Fielding's birthday is on 29 January. There's not a whole ton I can do by way of surprising her since we are literally together 24/7. But. I had this awesome idea. My request is this:
Find a birthday card at the store. It doesn't even need to be appropriate for a girl turning 20. Actually, I would prefer that it's not. Find something creative. That card is for dad's birthday? Great. Paw Patrol for a 5 year old? Excellent. That card sings??? Perfect. I just think it would be absolutely hilarious for her to receive a whole plethora of birthday cards from perfect strangers.
You can address them to:
Sister Suzannah Fielding
and they will all make it to us in Aiken.
Say whatever you want, the part that really matters is Sister Fielding's good-natured vexation and how hilarious this will be. The higher the quantity of cards, the better. Your single stamp and card can make all the difference. Don't wait - call now before this limited-time offer expires.
Thanks a million!!! I appreciate this. Y'all are the best.
Have a wonderful week!
Keep on keepin' on.
Love,
Sister Emma Gore
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| Mission Christmas party |
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| we wish you |
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| a Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year |
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