Christmas Caroling with Questions

Hi Everyone!!!! 

I interrupt this email to announce some shocking news. Sister Echols, my MTC companion, will no longer be my companion. Because last night we got a call that we would be receiving 2 new missionaries who are waiting for their visas, and we would split up and train them! And we are no longer Sister Training Leaders. I'm relieved and freaking out and the same time. Prayers our way would be appreciated! We will be receiving our new companions this afternoon, so I don't know anything about her yet. So exciting. 

But I wanted to quickly talk about one of my favorite Christmas presents (so far!). On Wednesday we had the opportunity to meet as half of the mission (and I got to see Sister Reading!!!!) and gather for a Christmas dinner and devotional.

One of our Christmas presents from President Harding was the book "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" by Clayton M Christensen. I've already read the book, but I'm excited for my own copy so I can highlight and take notes in it. 

I was reading chapter 2, where it talks about how we should focus on asking people questions. Basically the idea is that our church is the only church that believes that God still answers questions today. Joseph Smith was known for asking questions, and one of them resulted in a miraculous vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appearing to him in the Sacred Grove. The Doctrine and Covenants is really 130+ anwers to 130+ questions. If Joseph Smith could receive so many answers to his questions, why can't we? 

We were able to put this idea in action on Friday night. We were on exchanges, and all day I was struggling with the plans we had made. All but one of our appointments fell through, and I just didn't feel right about our backup plans. So at night we decided to try caroling in a condominium community. Most of the doors were unsuccessful, but then we finally had someone open the door to listen to us carol. His name was Booker, and he said he wasn't religious. Because I had read the Power of Everyday Missionaries that morning, I asked him what questions he would ask God if he could. In response, he listed so many amazing questions that ALL could be answered with the Book of Mormon. At each one of his questions, my companion and I got more and more excited. He was truly searching for truth! We made a return appointment with him for next week and we are so excited to see him again. 

Then we went to visit the member that lived in this condominium community, who was in major distress because with her father being in the ICU for 8 days, she just hadn't had time to wrap her Christmas presents, and she had a good friend who's sister just passed away that day that she needed to console. So we quickly got to work wrapping most of the presents, and she was so grateful. Afterwards she mentioned how missionaries never tracted in their community, because there was a strict "no soliciting" policy and some neighbors sometimes would call the cops on the missionaries. I was so grateful that we not only decided to go caroling instead of tracting, but that we met Booker right away. 

I'm so grateful for all the many Christmas miracles that happen everyday. I'm so grateful for my Savior and everything He has given me, and I hope my small sacrifice can somehow make up for a drop of all He has done for me. 

I love you all! Merry Christmas! 

Sister Laser

Pumpkin Kitty

knocking on Hobbit doors