Glorious

God's work and His Glory is to bring to pass the Immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). To me this means that glory lies in the salvation of God's children. Some things that are therefore extremely glorious are:

Repentance,

The temple,

Humility,

Missionary work,

Family prayer and scripture study,

Ordinances of salvation (like baptism),

A life spent in humble service of God

I love this. To find glory we can't be seeking our own power or influence. We have to be trying to serve and lift others. We have to call repentance. Sometimes people talk about the glory of the world. That's not the kind of glory that we want. That's fake cheap glory that is found in:

Acceptance,

Affluence,

Fame,

Positions,

Promotions,

Recognition,

Ability,

The list goes on.

I am grateful for a Father in Heaven who is able to remind us of what is really important.

I am really trying to work on charity right now. I need to feel more love for people and feel an urgent need to help them come unto Christ. I think that it's impossible to do this work without love, and that is something that we can all improve on. I need to remember how very much Heavenly Father values every single one of His children. Doctrine and Covenants18:10 reminds us "The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.". He weeps with us when we are sad. He rejoices with us when we are happy. We matter to Him. That is why we need to cry repentance unto every person. It's glorious.

Love,

Sister Faulkner

Charity Never Faileth

We got to go to the temple again today. I told you that Sister Allred and I are companions again. I didn't tell you that Sister Donnelly is in Richland now, so I am her Sister Training Leader- so we get to see each other quite a bit. I love all of my companions and all of the sisters that are serving here in the Richland stake. It is fun to get to see them at the temple. 

We have been grateful to see the love that the members have shown us and our investigators. It makes a big difference. It is very difficult to come to church for the first time. It helps a lot when you know that someone there loves you. We have seen amazing service and compassion on the part of the members toward the people that we have been teaching. I will be forever grateful to the members that continue to help the people I have taught after I am gone.

I am grateful to our Father in Heaven. He loves all of His children. I can testify to that. It is amazing that He can lead us to the people who are prepared for our message and who have lost hope. We knock on strangers' doors and we find people who are ready to learn. It's pretty amazing.

This is a picture of Sister Allred and Sister Lindmeir a little less than a week before Sister Lindmeir went home.

The members we live with "heart attacked” our apartment. They left us brownies and flowers. It was so sweet!

This is some of the sisters in our zone at the temple. Some of them were gone by the time we came outside, but we got pictures with the ones who were left.

Have a lovely month!!

Love,

Sister Faulkner

De Ja Vu

Transfer calls same a couple of days ago. Of course we knew that Sister Lindmeir would be headed home (she goes to the mission home today). I get to stay in Richland. My new companion is an old companion. I am getting Sister Allred again. The area won't suffer too much for losing Sister Lindmeir since Sister Allred has all of the devotion, diligence, obedience, and enthusiasm that Sister Lindmeir has. Remember that Sister Lindmeir trained Sister Allred. I now know where she got some of that zeal for the work of salvation.

Speaking of trainers- Sister Owens is training a new missionary this transfer!!

Sister Allred and I will be tearing it up here in Richland for at least six weeks. We are pretty excited about this coming transfer. We saw a couple really cool miracles this week. Last night we were referred to a family that has been meeting with missioonaries in Kennewick, and they are so excited to be married and to be baptized. They have already shown significant faith and repentance. I love the light in people's eyes as people show faith and repentance. When people feel the Spirit testify of truth and they feel God's love a change comes into their countenance. They look different. They talk differently. The spirit causes a person's countenance to reflect Christ's image and His light.

Some of the members gave us live violets this week. It made me think of my grandmother, Violet Faulkner. So I named the violets Johnny. I'll post a picture next week.

I would love to write more, but we have to take Sister Lindmeir to the mission home, so I have to go. Have a wonderful week!!!

  

Love,

Sister Caroline Faulkner

February Already

Our recent convert received the priesthood this Sunday. He is preparing to go to the temple and perform baptisms on behalf of the dead this month.  The branch is really reaching out to him. I am so grateful for members who are helpful to recent converts, and I know that Christ is more thankful than I am. I am also grateful that we have a temple so close- because the spirit of the temple is powerful and it helps people to keep their testimony strong.

One of the recent converts in our branch received his mission call this week. We like to joke that we are his trainers because we take him tracting with us and we take him to lessons. We are so excited for him. I know the missionaries who taught him. They are still out, and they may be able to be there when he goes to the temple in a couple of months in preparation for his mission. That will be a great blessing to him and to them. I know they care about him a lot. Missionaries love all of the people they teach. We love watching them grow in their faith, and we love watching their lives change as they grow closer to Christ. We pray for them. If you are a convert- know that somewhere there is a missionary praying for you.

We have really been enjoying a new weekly service project at a nursing home here in town. We read the Bible and do Arts and Crafts with these sweet elderly people. They have great stories and amazing spirits and we have been spiritually filled as we've been able to work with them. If you have the opportunity to do something like that- take it. These wonderful people love visits even from strangers. They have much more to offer us than we give them.

I'm grateful for the members who have wrapped their arms around the people that we have been teaching. It makes a difference in their lives. It is our responsibility as disciples of Christ to "lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees" We also promised at baptism that we would "mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort" and that we would "stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places" (Mosiah 18). I know that when we do this, we are acting as the Lord's hands. We are helping Him reach out and embrace those around us. Thanks to all those who help others feel loved and welcome at church and in the community.

Transfers are next week, but I am probably staying. Sister Lindmeir is going home, though she would fight tooth and nail to stay if it would do her any good. She is one of the most converted missionaries I have ever met and it has been my privilege to serve with her. I know that she will do so well as a returned missionary. I know that she will continue to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am thankful for the opportunity I've had to serve with her in this area.

Love,

Sister Caroline Faulkner