More Christmas Cheer

Dear Family:

Well… Merry Christmas!

It was so much fun talking to everyone! I forgot how crazy my family is. To answer your question Mom, we did stay at the Peace’s home for Christmas dinner. They invited a few families from the ward over for a little get together so it was really nice. We’re teaching Brother Peace right now. I guess he’s had the missionaries on and off for 20ish years. But maybe he’s ready now?

Sister Thacker and I had a wonderful Christmas! We are so spoiled… I mean blessed! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For all of those Christmas notes and testimonies from friends and family! Oh my goodness! That was the highlight of my Christmas! I would open a couple every day and read them, then Christmas Day I read them all through AGAIN cause I loved them so much! What a priceless gift!

Zone Conference this week was amazing! My favorite part was when we watched several minutes of a slideshow President put together of photos from the Hubble Space Telescope along with some scriptures from Moses 1. Those photos were amazing! While we watched them I couldn’t help but just be in awe of the beauty of the Lord’s creations! Moses even saw His “worlds without end.” They are absolutely stunning! Galaxy formations, stars and Planets. The impression that came to my mind was how blessed we are to live in the “beauty” of the gospel. There is so much ugliness in the world, but because of the gospel we can be lifted out of that and into a world where we have purpose, and joy, and contentment, and peace, and beauty. Isn’t that amazing! It makes me want to have a higher quality life… in thought and in action.

Anyway…
Last night I finally got to meet Michelle, Andie, and Daniel. They are from China. When the Sisters knocked on their door Michelle let them in and asked Andie (9) and Daniel (4) if they wanted to learn about God. They both said yes so the Sisters started teaching them. Oh man! They are amazing! They know very little about God but Andie picks it up so fast! One of the first things the Sisters committed them to do was have family prayer together every night. We asked Andie how that was going and he told us they were doing it. Then he told us the story about how he lost his Harry Potter book. He looked everywhere but he couldn’t find it. He decided he would say a prayer to be able to find it and after he prayed he flipped up the bed cover and it was right there. I love that! He has the sweetest faith. We talked more about faith and how miracles happen if we would just believe. He really liked the scripture how the Brother of Jared moved a mountain with his faith. 9 year old boys...

I know coming on a mission was for me. Seriously. I needed all of these lessons! I was pondering Andie’s faith last night and I recognized why the Savior asks us to become “as little children.” They just get it. They don’t have to see it to believe. How come we even question it sometimes? Our God is the God that made those galaxies, and stars, and planets, and yet sometimes we doubt. Well I would just like you to know I’m not going to doubt anymore. :)

What a blessing it was to be on my mission during the Christmas season. I definitely have a better understanding now of the “Spirit of Christmas.” It’s the Spirit of Christ. We just have to keep it with us the rest of the 364 days of the year! Now family, I’m going to hold you to the list of “gifts back to Christ” you decided on this year… so don’t think you are getting out of it!

I love you lots!

Sister Painter