Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for all that you do to support me! Your prayers, packages, letters, and all else you do are important to me!
This week I learned an important lesson about charity and stewardship. As a missionary, I get revelation for my investigators. I didn't realize that it was happening until it wasn't. In planning, I get thoughts to the mind and feelings to the heart as to what I should plan to teach my investigators. In lessons, I get thoughts to the mind and feelings to the heart as to what I should do and teach in that moment. I get help with discerning their needs. I get direction as to what doctrines they need to understand. Without it, I would have a really tough time helping anyone progress. That's why my lesson with Yajairah last week felt so strange. She was progressing, and she had real intent, but I walked out of the lesson puzzled by the lack of Spirit that I felt. Last night, we passed her off to the English speaking missionaries, and the lesson went wonderfully. She started praying about a baptismal date. She listened and understood. Sisters Garretson, Shelly, and Keck are perfect for her. It was really hard to let her go. I love Yajairah. She's now a dear friend. But I don't have stewardship over her anymore, and I would rather she progress with them than keep meeting with us. I'm going to miss her though...
What else! We got to attend a session at the L.A. temple this week. By some crazy circumstances, we got to ride down with Sister Risser from the Canyon Country ward. She is wonderful! She told us stories about growing up in the Depression on the way down, and stories about her kids on the way up. When it got slow, she turned up the MoTab, and she and I sang along. Hermana Arenas and Hermana Peck(from the ward) listened intently because they only know the hymns and primary songs in Spanish. I think that's beautiful. I learned a lot at the temple. I'm glad I got to go. I love the Celestial room. It's hard to want to leave. But there's work to do in Santa Clarita!
I'm sorry I forgot my camera cord this week. We had a fun time giving service at Operation Gratitude last Saturday! We got to assemble packages for veterans and servicemen. I like the feeling of giving service. I like the feeling of such organized work. I just walked along with 2 boxes and people put things in them. Then someone took them from me at the end to tape them up. Around and around I went! It was great!
We found an awesome investigator for the YSA Elders. His name is Miguel. He is living here even though he's only 18 and from Vegas. He loves his family a lot, and he believes in God primarily because he's still alive today. I think that's awesome. We taught the last half of the plan of salvation and left the restoration pamphlet with him. I can tell he really loves his family, and he really wants to get closer to God for the right reasons.
Yes, it's cold! It gets down to 50 here! I have to bundle up for knock out!
I love you all, and I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!
Love,
Hermana Sleight
