Miracles!

I really apologize for not writing. Things have been so crazy with our temple trip and preparations for Christmas. We've had so much to do on P-Day.

I have a few wonderful miracles to share.

This week has been one of the best in the last year. We found so many amazing, humble people this week. We found someone on Friday, and someone on Saturday that really needed a message of hope. They both came to church (given rides by members of the ward) and had really good experiences there. I've found that attending church does wonders for a person's testimony. They feel a great spirit there. We also found a family of 7 on Sunday night right before we headed home. They are really great, humble people. I love how the Lord leads us to people who will receive us. We really felt led this week by the spirit. There were so many times that people were placed in our path or we were directed to theirs.

I think our temple trip last week really helped us. I think that having the spirit of the temple in our hearts and on our minds helps us do God's will. We are working really hard to do our best, but I know that our efforts have very little to do with what we accomplish. Christ waits for us to show faith, and then it is His infinite power that gets the work done. We see miracles because of His Grace.

Another miracle was that a couple of my aunts sent me information regarding my grandparents’ conversion here in the late 1950s. I was moved by their recorded testimonies and experiences. I was glad to see that both sets of grandparents met missionaries who were tracting. (Though my Mom's parents were actually taught by missionaries, whereas my dad's parents were taught by stake missionaries – AKA older members called to be missionaries in their own area.)

I hit my year mark since I've written. I was at Mission Leadership Council on the 4th. That was a pretty special day. MLC is a great meeting where we discuss the needs of the mission and council together on how to serve the other missionaries. I saw Sister Reyes there, and some people I've known in past areas. It's weird to have been out a year. It doesn't feel like it's been that long. It feels strange to be having another Christmas in the field. I have more time to think about it and prepare now. I know the area and people we are teaching now. We have had a chance to share Christmas messages with several families. Especially He is the Gift. We have been sharing that with everybody.

We see a lot of hearts soften as we share about Christmas. We always tell people that our message is about Christ, but I think when it's about Christmas people are a little bit more open.

Here's a picture of Sister Lindmeir and me at the temple, and then one of Sister Owens and Sister Standing (I trained Sister Owens and Sister Lindmeir trained Sister Standing. They are currently companions) at the conference that happened in November.

Another thing that happened – I sang a solo at Christmas Zone Conference. One of the elders in our Zone is a concert pianist, and he wrote his own spectacular arrangement of "Oh Come all ye Faithful." I got to sing along and it went really well. Sister Lindmeir shared her testimony at Zone Conference because it's the last one that she'll have on her mission. She gave a really moving testimony. She's on fire.

I am so grateful for this time that I have to serve the Lord at this Christmas Season. I love you all. I am praying for you. I know that our Father in Heaven is watching over you.

Merry Christmas,

Love

Sister Caroline Faulkner