JOY. December 22, 2014

I love people (like the man next to me laughing hysterically...). (: I love them so much!!  I feel it deepen and my heart has been so full lately! I just desire everyone to feel loved and happy-- The joy of the Gospel of Christ.
We have been having a lot of fun! Our area is tough right now because we work with mainly college students and they have all flown north for the winter...we have a few investigators still here, but most of them are off! We have been "blitzing" in other sister's areas (just finding with them in their areas), caroling/ handing out cards about 'He is the Gift,' and we even have been knocking (which is something that we are the first sisters to do in this area apparently haha).  And it is so joyful! Even though it is different than usual.  I have met a lot of people over the last couple days and I have been feeling so lead by the Spirit.  I am really striving to follow exactly and to seek out that Spirit and it has brought sheer joy to my heart.  I am in love! (: My motivation is increasing and so is my tiredness haha but we go on joyfully! (: And how perfect, because that is what this season is all about: joy!  I love meeting new people and hearing their different (and sometimes crazy) stories! I love listening to them and watching their face soften and their cynicism melt away as we come to really understand their place and view of God as our Heavenly Father and what they have gone through in their life that will lead them to eventually believe in our truthful message.  I know that what President Monson said in this last conference when talking about walking AS the Savior walked is true! "Nothing else, no other choice we make, can make of us what He can." Just give it up to Him! He knows best, after all.

Ohh my favorite friend (okay, I say that about them all...) But our friend from China, he is just teaching me so much!  The other day he closed our lesson with a prayer and he said something in his prayer which touched my heart so deeply.  He said, after talking about seeing some of our friends bear testimony and be brought to tears, "I've never seen people so touched by what they have that they are brought to tears.  Most people are brought to tears because of what they have lost."  I felt a sudden wave of gratitude for what I do have and a re-commitment to myself to greater appreciate the gospel blessing I today enjoy.  

It is very different to be here in the Summer heat of December!  They have this event called Winterhaven every winter and it is a block of houses that agrees when they buy a house there to put up lights every year so they can hold this event. People go all out (: It's super fun.  We got to go the other night and there was a house that had fake snow blowing in their yard.  It brought a smile to my face (: haha I kind of thought it was funny, but I guess I'm just used to real snow...Although I hear there isn't much this year? hmm. 

Well, one tender mercy we had this last week:  we were driving to visit a less active and we took a wrong turn somewhere...somehow! And we ended up driving like an hour through Saguaro national park hahaha! Ohhh but it was beautiful! The desert has its own beauty and a new place in my heart. 

Happy CHRISTmas! Love you (: