Happy Late Thanksgiving!

Written 12/1/13

Hello my loved ones!

We just found out the news about transfers..... Sister Fitzgerald and I AND Sister Davis and Sister Smith are ALL staying together! I am so excited I want to scream. Maybe I will later :) That means we all get to have Christmas together! What a fun holiday season it will be. I love these three sisters with all my heart. 

It's been a good week! Thanksgiving was a blast with Sister Smith and Sister Davis. We bought a chicken from a slow cooking stand place, made mashed potatoes, cooked carrots and corn, and had rolls! A true American holiday :) Topped off with chocolate milk (which, on a slight tangent, is super delicious here. It freaked me out at first that they don't refrigerate their milk or eggs or cheese, but their chocolate milk is like a heaven.) and for dessert we bought a buko (coconut) pie and ice cream. So... You could say it was a pretty great day :) We went around the table and talked about what we were grateful for, and I even did our own thankful list in my journal! I thought especially about the characteristics of my amazing family that I was grateful for. I want to share a few of the things I wrote:

Spencer's laugh and Heather's teaching skills; Krista's patience, Aaron's humor, Adam's drive and diligence, Sarah's strength and smile, Megan's heart, Jared's logic, Bekah's personable way with everyone she meets, Hunter's innate goodness, Charlotte's imagination, Sophie's adorableness, Aiden's sense of adventure and curiosity, Laila's sweetness and sincerity, Ezra's chub and smiles, Casen's sensitivity, Benson's giggles, Mom's constant love and service, and Dad's everlasting testimony and his love for our mother. 

As I thought more and more about it, I am overwhelmed with the multitude of blessings and miracles that have occurred and arrived in my life here. For the people I've met at home and especially for the new souls I've met here. I am amazed every day at these hardworking and humble people. Our amazing investigator T. is on track for his baptism on Christmas and I can't wait to see him become a member. His desire to quit smoking, change his whole life, and join himself with this church, in a matter of 3 weeks is unbelievable... But it happens because of the power of the Atonement. I had one day this week where I felt like the language really clicked for me, and I was able to understand what I needed and say what I needed. The power of the gift of tongues is real! Some days are awesome and some are... Nosebleed days, but the language is coming.

This week we went to visit our investigator J. She's 13 and wants to be baptized, but can't get permission from her dad. So we've started to teach when her dad is home. He's sat in on a few lessons, but on Wednesday we visited the house and only Brother P. (dad) and her little sister F. were home. I felt like something was off, and when we went inside I could tell why. There was a super bloody movie playing with scantily clad persons and way, way too much gore. It's crazy how much that drove the Spirit away, and how much it affected me the rest of the day. I don't feel like I've ever been super sensitive to that sort of stuff, but it made me realize how many roads the devil has to wiggle into the crevices of our hearts. Through media, through friends, through music and books and anything that causes us to put something above God in our lives. As we've taught the 10 commandments to people, and talked about not having any god's before Heavenly Father, it's made me think about the things that I put before God. Anything can become a vice, an addiction, or an idol in our lives, if we let it. It's become more and more apparent to me that if we in reality put the Lord at the center of our lives, and don't let anything obstruct our relationship with the Almighty, that is when "all these things" that are necessary in our lives, will be added unto us. That's my invitation to you; especially in this Christmas season, find ways to make Christ the center of your celebrations. Find ways to serve, to share and to love! Then all the rest will be added unto you.

One miracle this week was that same brother, Brother P. showed up to church with little F.!! Sister Fitzy and I were sitting on the stand leading music and playing piano for the hymns, and we nearly jumped out of our seats! I think he had a good experience there, and I really hope this helps us baptize the whole family.

The J.U.'s family is a referral we received a couple weeks ago. They are seventh day Adventists, but are "Searching for the truth". LOVE that, right?! :) So we've taught them a couple times and they are totally golden. The mom is 28 and the dad in his 30's and they have 4 beautiful kids. The last time we taught them there was a FULL rainbow over the house by the end of the lesson... Sign?? I like to think so :) God is so preparing people to receive this message. People just need to be invited! (This experience made me think of Adam, too... "Why are there so many songs about rainbows?..." :) )

Anyway, sorry this is a bit of a boring email. Not too much to report on this week but I am safe and happy and loving my life here in the Pines. Before I forget, Hunter! I have a picture of a HUGE tokay gecko that I want to send to you! I'll send it with Mom and Dad as a printed copy sometime soon, but I will try and send an attached one today:) The funny bit from this week: I definitely got pooped on by a lizard. (Not a tokay gecko though. Phew.) We were teaching our awesome little mischevious 11 year old, A., and a little black thing plops onto my arm. I flicked it off and then saw A. laughing his head off and pointing up. I looked up and saw the last flick of the lizard's tail disappearing from view on the pipe above my head. Ahahaha it was so funny. Later that appointment, they were showing us their pet birds and as Sister F was holding them and I was taking a picture... It pooped all over her hand. So... That was a good appointment :) Also I got sick for the first time this week. We were passing all these workers chopping down sugar cane on our way out from one of our neighborhoods. They asked if we wanted some and the members we were with said yes. They cut some off for us... I have some pictures I might send. Imagine a really thick stalk of celery with the texture of an apple. That's what it's like.. and it doesn't really taste like anything. But hey, it's the experience right? Anyway, that night I got pretty sick and we think it was from the sugar cane. Oh well. Also, I ate fried fish squid ball things yesterday at a members house. So that happened! Not too bad. :)

Love all ya'll! The work is working.

Sister Luke