Eat The Rice

Written 2/8/15

My dear ones,

They tell me that the last transfer sees the most miracles. True. It also sees the most temptations and a lot of disappointment. But the good always overcomes the evil, as I've seen again this week.

I lived the "itsy bitsy spider" song this week. I was in the shower and opened my eyes to the wall- that minutes before was completely blank- and saw a huge, very NOT itsy bitsy spider staring back at me. To my credit, I didn't scream because I was pretty much in silent terror, (I don't think that will ever change) but luckily someone came to my rescue and drowned him.... never to "climb up the water spout" again.

MLC  was just one of the many revelatory experiences I had this week. I came with a list of questions and left with plenty of material to study about the answers. I love that the gospel is so personal like that. And planning our training for the Zone afterwards was a huge, wonderful learning experience. I testify that the teacher really does learn more than the learner. This whole week I've been humbled to learn so much from Sister Generalo. She amazes me... Skills that I took forever to learn and apply are the skills she arrived here with. The Lord is hastening his work, meaning all the missionaries that arrive are just getting better and better. Sometimes I feel like I'm the one being trained. We went on member splits yesterday evening and I love that she is so fearless.

Our sad news this week: our really golden investigator, G., the seventh day adventist, dropped us last Wednesday. Her family found out she was investigating the Church and the had a big argument. G.'s family are the ones supporting her schooling here while they live in Cebu, and so she felt that she couldn't continue. It was a really disappointing night, but I know that the time will come for her.

The expression, "When one door closes, another door opens" came to my mind this week, because despite investigators dropping us and monster spiders terrorizing the apartment, we saw so many miracles. Lets take a quick inventory:

1. W. and R. decided to get married. These have been investigators for over a year. W. is the daughter of our recent convert, and we've been doing everything we can think of to help them make this decision. After a lot of temptations, problems, and prayers, they finally decided to be married and baptized.

2. J. N. Imagine a 16 year old T. (T. from my first area.) He is a referral of a recent convert, and we met him 2 weeks ago when he came to church. We met with him, gave him a book of Mormon, and in our follow up visit he had already read the all the way from the beginning to chapter 5 in 1 Nephi, in just one day. (Sort of unheard of in the Pines with new investigators.) Then, when we taught word of wisdom, he told us that he'd given up coffee, alcohol, and cigarettes 3 weeks ago when his recent convert friend had taught him about the word of wisdom. He is the most humble and pure hearted kid I've ever met... I could go on and on about him.

3. E. is preparing for her baptism this week!

4. I get to go to the temple this Friday. I have to go to Manila to get some requirements for my visa, and we all get to visit the temple while we're there. The only analogy that comes to mind is a dehydrated man in the desert finding a drinking fountain. SO EXCITED.

I've learned a lot this week about Charity. When I got to talk with Sister Char this week the night before MLC, we got talking about my subject line today: "Eat the Rice". If you'll let me explain a bit...

This sentence probably speaks volumes to every sister missionary who has ever served in the Philippines. As American sister missionaries, we are (overly) conscious of the fact that we get fat when we eat rice. A lot of the sisters go to extreme lengths to avoid eating rice at all costs. Sometimes these costs are offended members, offended companions, lack of unity, lack of understanding or appreciation... All stemming from not eating a little rice. It seems silly, right? Big concerns arising from such a small issue. It's due to mismatched cultures and different habits. But as Sister Char and I talked, we realized so many of the problems these missionaries face in their areas and companionships could be solved if they laid down their pride and their vanity to just "Eat the rice".

But the principle isn't just applied to Sister missionaries in the Philippines eating rice. It applies to all of us... It relates back to charity, as explained in Moroni: "Charity seeketh not her own." We change habits, shift paradigms, and sometimes something as simple as what we eat to fit greater purposes. We humble ourselves and sacrifice our vain desires (not wanting to get fat) and we "eat the rice" for a greater purpose (achieving unity, showing love or appreciation). Because there, in the small things, people feel our love. We see that our sacrifice is small, in the scheme of things. We seek no longer just for our own good, but for the betterment of others. I've found out that this work truly must be about others.

I hope we all look for opportunities in our lives and relationships to just "eat the rice". To stop thinking about ourselves and be willing to change and give up our pride for others.. So they feel and see our love.

This work is the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm the happiest I've ever been. :) Our new mission President, President Ferrin, is called by the Lord. And the work goes on!

Loves,
Sister Luke

1. Reunited with Sister Santos :) She'll kill me if she knew I sent this. She woke up like 2 minutes before this was taken :)

2. The most popular kid in school. Thanks to Megan! And the Wilkins. :)

3. Itsy bitsy...

4. Zone training

Confessions of a Worry Wart.

Written 2/1/15

The mission helps you get to know yourself. Probably way more than you ever wanted to know about yourself. One thing I learned about myself this week: I definitely worry too much. I only preface this email with this statement so you can forgive the scattered and probably detail starved email this week, because between yesterday and today and this whole week... We're feeling a little frazzled :)

The good news this week: I finished the Book of Mormon in Ilonggo! Right before I went to pick up my new trainee. That felt so good.

We had a little angel sent to help us this week on our wild goose chase looking for a referral one day. We met a 15 year old boy named E. who only has one working leg, and uses a crutch to walk. He helped us find the place we were looking for and led us through the creepy cemetery and back to safety after we got stuck in a forest after dark. I love the natural goodness in this kid.

Ro. En. has been doing SO good with his word of wisdom this week. It's probably my favorite thing to see people transform their lives with the help of the Atonement, because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is such a different person than the 18 year old I met a couple  months ago, and I know there are so many more changes ahead for him. Keep him in your prayers.

So. The trainee. Her name is Sister Generalo, from Bicol, Legaspi Philippines. Tagolog. And about 2 licks of English. So you can imagine the fun we have :) It's a good thing I've asked my past ompanions throughout my mission to teach me Tagolog so at least I can understand her. She's amazing... Even just the first day she was ready to try and lead lessons, share her insights, and try and speak even just a little Ilonggo. We've had a really crazy week, but it's been a lot of really good learning experiences too. Throws me back to about 16 months ago, when I was fresh in the field.

Another thing I've learned this week is that I am not expected to be a perfect trainer or missionary. God's love for me does not change because I make a mistake or because I locked the key in the house or dropped and broke our cell phone or wandered around for too long searching for a less active we never found. God's love for me does not lessen because he also loves my sister. God loves me whether I'm rich or poor. He loves me when I do not deserve it. He loves me "this much" and "this much" never changes. I learned this week that God's love is not affected by anything; instead, it affects everything.

I hope that you let God's love affect you this week. I hope you look to this new week as a fresh start, and that you share His love in some way. What a selfish thing to keep to ourselves, right? Something I love about the Filipino culture is that if something is good, delicious, or makes one happy, they immediately share it. Its what makes them such good missionaries.

I love you all. I love God, and I know this work is His. Go and get lost in it. You will find more happiness than you have ever experienced.

Love,
Sister Luke

1. Twinners. This is my favorite RM- Analyn :)

2. The newbie

Full of Surprises

Written 1/25/15

Bonjour.

Before I forget.. Happy Birthday to Heather this week :)

I feel like every week for the past while there has been some sort of dramatic news to relate in my email, and today is no different. Yesterday at church we got a call (during sacrament... great job, sister missionaries, you have a phone ringing during the last speaker...) that Sister Turtal is transferring, and I will be training. Right now I'm with Sister Rey, a temporary companion who is in the next area over and will also be training. We get to work together until Thursday when we go to Bacolod and pick up our newbies. The twist is that Sister Rey and I are the STL's in the zone, even though we aren't companions. So. That makes life interesting.

I'm still in a bit of shock, but the mission desensitizes you a little bit to shocks and change. They happen way too often. So, overall, we're doing okay. I'm stoked to be with Sister Rey for these next couple days, we were batch coming into the mission. This week the work was really great, too. When we came to teach M. G. last week, I was struck by the physical difference in her countenance. I was even more surprised when she told us she wants to come out and work with us, so she can prepare to serve a mission. She gets to go to the temple this week in Cebu to do baptisms for the dead for her ancestors, too. The cherry on top was when she told us her little 16 year old sister, E., finally wants to be taught by us! We've been trying to teach her for a few weeks, but she hasn't been too interested. When we met with E. this week she told us she wants to be taught because she wants to know what caused the changes she's seen in her sister. I love the reality of the gospel.

B.'s baptism was so good. She's been waiting for this for so long, and she already has so many friends in the church that were good to support her at her baptism. I've felt this week the truth of the statement from the first presidency in Preach My Gospel on the first pages, "More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among his children."

To quote Sister Fitzgerald's sister... I feel like I was born in a skirt with a Book of Mormon in my hand. It feels like I've been doing this my whole life. And yet, at the same time, it feels I've only been here a few weeks. But one thing I know: This is what I was meant to do... to come here to Bacolod and serve my Savior. Whatever he wants me to do.

This week I've been pondering much on the Christlike attribute of humility. I want to share 3 scriptures that touched me in my studies this week, and especially after the call of transfers. When I got the call that I was training, it was my first reaction to think, "Alright, who's receiving the revelation here? This can't be right." But as I thought this, the Spirit brought to my remembrance a prompting I had received last Tuesday, after our "Mission President's Training" conducted by our Assistants to the President instead of President Lopez. The impression I got then, as I was listening to our capable AP's, was "We are in good hands." The mission is in good hands. I know the Lord was confirming to me that this transfer was not just by chance or because someone drew straws... But that this was His will.

Isaiah 64:8- "But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."

Romans 9:20-21 "...O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it,Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay...?"

Luke 1:38 "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

So, let the last chapter begin. More details to come :) Thank you to all of you for your support and love and prayers.

Palangga ko kamo,

Sister Luke

1. I love Jesus!

2. M. G.'s baptism last week

3. Sister En.'s head lamp so she can read at night. Love.

4. Baby carabao!

5. Rattigan died in our drain.

6. The one in blue is Sister Rey
You can figure out the rest :)

Treasures

Written 1/18/15

My wise Father sent me this in his email this week... And I didn't realize how applicable it would be this week:

"There are some challenges in this last part of your mission because there are things that need to be done in preparation to return. It's part of mortal life. Sometimes we wish things could take care of themselves without a thought... but that's not how it works. As Mom would say "shooter-booter". Continue to rely on the Lord to direct you in these last weeks on your mission. He is very aware of you and will help you accomplish what needs to be accomplished. Continue to trust and follow Him."

We just received news from our Area Presidency that "President and Sister Lopez returned to the United States so President Lopez can receive urgent medical treatment. It is not anticipated that they will be returning to complete their mission."

So...  I feel like my bubble from this really wonderful week has completely deflated. This is most certainly a challenge like my dad talked about. President has changed my life in so many ways, and has shifted so many of my paradigms. All the missionaries are still in shock, but we won't lose faith. I know the devil knows our weaknesses, but God knows way more than the devil, and I know Bacolod mission is capable enough to work with the Lord to overcome this. I'll try to focus on the really good stuff from this week...

For one, it's been freezing. Megs told me somewhere in the 70's or 80's? And I'm dying. But it's a blessing because people are so much more awake when it's not hot and they are napping. So. Better for proselyting. Blessings.

Speaking of sleep. I often wake up my companion because I teach in Ilonggo in my sleep. Some things never change, I guess.

Companions are so great because they are like permanent, assigned best friends that aren't allowed to leave you 24/7 and they have to like you. So. I see the benefit of eternal companions. I love my companion, too. And we got to do exchanges twice this week, one in Old Sagay and one in my area with Sister Molejon who taught me SO much. That was a great day in and of itself.

But the weekend was even better. For one, M. G. got baptized. After 7 months of going to church, she finally made her decision. She is a maid for one of our members, Sister S., and S. gave a really lovely talk at the baptism, encouraging M. G. to go on a mission. (she's 26.) S.'s family is going on a temple trip next month, and M. G. has been working on her family history to be able to go. It's such a wonderful opportunity for her to go to the temple so soon after her baptism. I've seen so much in Sagay the influence the members can have on investigators.

I just love missionary work, and I love accounting for our work each day and at the end of each week. Daily planning has turned into such a revelatory experience for us, and we've seen the fruits of seeking guidance, acting on promptings, and following up on our investigators. We've seen a lot of progress this week with Brother J., a long time investigator and husband of a recent convert. He came to church the past two weeks- the first time in almost a year. Ro. En. accepted a baptismal date for February and is so much more interested in reading the book of Mormon with his family than he's ever been. W. and B., a couple we've been helping work toward marriage and baptism, have seen progress and both came to church yesterday with their recent convert parents. Ber. is preparing for baptism this Saturday with her recent convert mother and her member friends. We walked in for our lesson last Monday night and saw Ber., A. (En.), and another member working on their Personal Progress at the kitchen table- with copies of the Ensign, book of Mormon, D&C, and church manuals strewn everywhere.

I love this work. And in every one of these situations, members have played such a critical role in developing our investigators commitment to the gospel.

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not breakthrough nor steal."
As I've seen our investigators and recent converts begin to lay up for themselves treasures in heaven, I've thought about what this means to me. It is my opinion that God doesn't care nearly as much about the things we do in life as much as he cares what we become. because of the things we do in this life. It may not be overly important to the Lord what we study in school, but what we become because of what we study. He may not always care too much about where we work, but He most certainly cares about how our work shapes us, what we learn from our work, and if we work with integrity.

The Lord is there in all the decisions in our lives, but often times he trusts us to make informed decisions because he sees the whole plan in full. He knows that this world full of jobs, schooling, work, communities... It's all just an instrument to put us where we need to be and teach us what we need to learn for a much bigger and better purpose than just worldly success. I often think those who work only for worldly success here on earth will find that, in the next life, they are just like the high school student who wasted his high school years striving for fame and popularity only to realize after graduation how little it all mattered.

The wise man built his house upon a rock. It might not have been a big house, or a really nice and fancy house, but the wise man probably learned a lot about diligence and hard work while in the process of building. It may have even been a small, bamboo house, but it was founded upon a rock-- a sure foundation. It may not have been filled with lots of nice things, but it most assuredly was filled with his family, his scriptures, family pictures and memories, and the Spirit.

I'm so grateful for the perspective the gospel gives us. Because of it, we can see clearly that heavenly treasures carry much more weight than worldly counterfeits. Sort of like weighing gold against feathers.

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

I love you all. Please pray for President and Sister Lopez and for the missionaries. We feel a little lost without our President.

Love,
Sister Luke

This is 2 weeks worth of pictures, so get ready.

1. Reunited at MLC

2. Reunited 2.0

3. Some of my favorite peeps

4 &5. Meet J.J.

 6. Last week's VIP at our planning session

R.O.U.S's

Written 1/11/15

"But Wesley, what about the R.O.U.S's?"

 There seems to be some good Princess Bride themes happening in my life lately, if you know what I mean :) Apparently rats are not exclusive to Inayauan... But we have poison now, so no fear, Mom.

I hope this disjointed email makes sense. Lets start with the funny happenings:

This week we finished teaching the Word of Wisdom to an investigator, and she runs to the kitchen to feed us snacks before we go, and she comes out with..... Iced tea. Ahahaha. I guess we need to raise the caliber of our teaching skills. (Don't worry, we didn't drink it.)

We also had a visitor for weekly planning this week. I wanted to attach a picture but the computer doesn't seem to allow it, so I'll send it next week. But we had a huge frog prince hop into our house and onto our area book on Friday during planning, so we had to pause for 10 minutes while we got the situation under control by trapping him with a strainer. We're so resourceful. :)

MLC was 4 kinds of amazing. I got to see Sister McKee and Sister Char, the only other 2 sisters in my batch that are "foreigners" (we're referred to as the foreigners here) and that was wonderful. I never get tired of being in the mission home with President. I've learned more about faith from him than anyone else. At our Zone Training meeting on Thursday, I got a letter from my recent convert, L., from Manapla. It was the BEST letter ever... I quote just a bit from the rough translation:

"Sister, Cheequi and I got to go to the temple last November! I'm so happy I got to visit the Lord's house. It was so good and it's so sacred. I'm continuing to read, pray, and attend church. I have so many friends here, sister! No matter how poor we are, we're still seeing blessings arrive. I'm so happy, Sister. Thank you that I became a member of this church and that I've become close to our Heavenly Father."

This work brings the greatest joy. The kind of joy I feel when Sister En. bought a head lamp she can wear at night so she can read to her husband after he gets home from work? Can't describe that one. I just love what the gospel does to people. We've seen this week that our investigators have been opening up to us and trusting us a lot more, leading to resolved concerns, commitments being kept and repentance. We met a man, a young father who's name is Brother P.J., (flashback to my first area!) who told us he read the restoration pamphlet we'd given him and felt so light and good inside, and that he knows it's true. Experiences like this strengthen my testimony that there are people prepared.

M. G. is getting baptized this week. She's the maid of one of our members and has been going to church for about 7 months, but has only just made the decision to be baptized in the past little while. She's a sweet 26 year old, and I cant wait to see her join the true church.

I testify that faith is the antidote to all maladies, spiritual and physical. I've come to know what we can do with true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we have faith, no disappointment lasts. If we have faith, no discouragement can keep us down. If we have faith, no fear can block our path. It helps us to be patient in trials. In Hebrews 11:24-26 it describes what Moses accomplished by faith:
"'By faith Moses...[chose] rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt..."
and then in verse 40, it explains why we must suffer sometimes for the cause of Christ:
"God having provided some better thing for them thru their sufferings, for without their sufferings they could not be madeperfect."
By faith we can do all things. Even suffer. When we humble ourselves, we make way for faith to take over. President Benson once said, "To the proud, the applause of the world rings in their ears. To the humble, the applause of heaven warms their hearts." Humility is a prerequisite to faith. As we long for the applause of heaven, we look to please the Lord and not man, it is then that we will feel our faith beginning to grow. And with faith we can do all things.

We got told this week, "Well, Jesus was a member of the Catholic church, right?"

Jesus is a Mormon, my friends. And I have faith in Him.

Peace out,

Sister Luke

Happy 2015!

Written 1/4/15

I just realized I forgot my list of things to tell you all at the apartment. Oops :) We'll be winging it here.

First off, Happy Birthday, Sarah! I swear I thought you'd all change more than you have. You're all as beautiful and young looking as when I left. Or even MORE.

Heather, the Filipinos in Sagay 2nd ward know about 2nd dinner. They even know about 3rd lunch andmidafternoon snack. Needless to say we get fed CONSTANTLY here. No complaints there, though.

We're emailing now because we're going to Bacolod to stay the night for MLC tomorrow at the mission home. I'm peeing-my-skirt excited to get trainings from President. I could go on and on about him but I'll refrain.

Speaking of President, nothing better than your mission president showing up suddenly to your district meeting unannounced.... While you're wearing flip flops. I cut my toe on a rock last week (it has since healed, mom) and I couldn't wear regular shoes... So... That was a nice embarrassing experience. Some things never change, like my awkward nature.

Its been a really, really good week. I feel like Sister Turtal and I saw the fruits of our compounded faith, and my testimony has grown leaps and bounds. Sister and I committed to exact obedience and were constantly evaluating our teachings and our work and ourselves, and I saw a difference in the work this week. We experienced so many powerful lessons. I felt the Spirit burning in my heart every time we taught, and I saw a visible difference in our investigators. We have a lot of long time investigators who have been taught by so many sets of missionaries and just haven't progressed, but this week we saw changes and I know they felt the Spirit. We were able to see 10 investigators at church on Sunday, and I just have such a testimony that our faith can change others. It can bring the message strongly unto their hearts, and it can bring them to a knowledge of the truth. I love love LOVE missionary work.

We taught a recent convert this week and she had missed church last week. She told us it was because she had played volleyball last Sunday at the park with her friends. This led me to some pondering in my studies on our purpose in this life. I thought about the good things we do in life as opposed to the best things. (Thinking on the vein of Elder Oaks' talk from a few years ago.) It's not bad to play volleyball with your friends- in fact that's a healthy, wholesome activity. But when it gets in the way of the best things, that's when it becomes a sin and a hindrance. I learned that the devil doesn't always work through making us do horrible and evil sins... But if he can distract us enough from the best things in life by doing only the good things, then he has succeed in distracting us from fulfilling our divine purpose. Elder Cook put it well in last conference's priesthood session:

"Many choices are not inherently evil, but if they absorb all of our time and keep us from the best choices, thenthey become insidious.
Even worthwhile endeavors need evaluation in order to determine if they have become distractions from thebest goals.
"Distractions and rationalizations that limit progress are harmful enough, but when they diminish faith in Jesus Christ and His Church, they are tragic. ...In all things we should remember that being 'valiant in the testimony of Jesus' is the great dividing test between the celestial and terrestrial kingdoms. We want to be found on the celestial side of that divide."

We learn here that the choice of doing good things or doing the best things is the deciding factor of us being able to return to our Father in Heaven and be exalted. We taught this principle to our Recent Convert and lo and behold, she came to church on Sunday, bringing with her a non-member friend.. Perhaps one that had gone with her to play volleyball the week before. :)

This week was crazy and busy and filled with the usual trials and tests... But there was something different about this week that I will never forget. A special spirit abounds in the work. We are not alone. The work is so good. It's inspired of God and He knows what we must do to keep the work moving. I love my companion. Sister Turtal and I made New Years Resolutions together. We made lists of of the things we are going to leave behind in 2014, and then burned each slip of paper containing the things we want to put behind us in this new year. My list helped me mentally release and refocus, and ponder on those things I want to change about myself.

 Happy New Year to you all, I hope you all set resolutions and rely on the limitless power of the Atonement of Christ to accomplish them. Here's to getting our priorities straight and doing the best things, those things that will bring salvation and endless happiness in the life to come.

Love,
Sister Luke

1. What's that I see?

2. Sister "Turtal"

3. Cuties.

The 6th and 7th En. Children

Written 12/28/14

This week Brother En. told us that he has 5 kids, and then he named me as the 6th and Sister Turtal as his 7th. Have I mentioned how much I love this family?

Happy New Year my family! And Happy Birthday to Bekah :) It was good to see your faces. This week was joyful for so many reasons, and I learned a lot. I also got hugged on the street by a slightly crazy 16 year old boy who had to be pried off by Sister Turtal. It's a good thing we have companions.

Since one encounter with the opposite gender wasn't enough, I experienced another one on Wednesday. We went to our area about 45 minutes out of the city, to find lots and lots of mud and slippery hills barring our way to our investigators. We were advised to take off our shoes and rough it bare foot, thinking maybe that might be easier, but we slipped just as much. Then- I don't know if this was supposed to be mercy or temptation- as we were just about to decide to slide down the muddy hill on our bums, or throw ourselves down it Wesley-and-Buttercup-Style, a teenage boy appeared to escort us down the hill, holding my hand, and sister Turtal holding me as we carefully made our way down the muddly slope. I tried not to be traumatized and disgusted by actually touching the opposite gender. Ahaha. The mission does things to you.

I was also informed this week that cold water makes you fat. So. That explains it. It's not the endless rice they feed us every day. It's the water. Watch out for the water :)

Of course one of the highlights of this week was the baptism of the En. family. Seeing them baptized and dressed in white and bearing their testimonies afterward... There is truly nothing like it. They offered simple testimonies, and as they spoke at the front of the room where we held the baptismal service, I had a glimpse from the Spirit of who these wonderful people can become, if they continue in this church. I saw future leaders, stronger testimonies, trials overcome by faith and blessings poured out, if they will just remain true and faithful.

I came to a point this week where I realized that the work here is like my medicine. No matter what stress I feel at the apartment or if I have something worrying me or even if I feel sick, if I can just get out and work it all goes away. The familiar feel of putting on my rubber shoes and tromping through mud and grass and over hills, talking to strangers and praying for families... There is nothing better than this work. It cures every negative thought, heals all impatience, and teaches me more than I ever thought I could fit in my head.

M. G. is getting baptized this January, she's the house help of one of our member families here. She is 26 and so sincere. She has such an open heart and getting to teach her is a delight (not just because she feeds us) but because she accepts everything we teach and asks genuine questions. She has been going to church for a few weeks now, but we've had a hard time adjusting our time to teach her and finding her at home, so her baptismal date is January 10. She introduced us to her sister last week and even brought her to church. She also has a date for January.

This week I experienced the physical part of the Atonement. I know it can have a literal effect on us to physically do things we may not have been able to do on our own. I know the promptings of the Spirit come subtly and powerfully, and especially to those who listen to his influence. I learned this week that the Lord protects his missionaries even when we make mistakes. I know the Atonement is not just for the sinners, but for the righteous in times of immediate need.

I finished the Book of Mormon on Christmas day. It's such a wonderful cycle to me to start over, and I'm glad that it never has to have an end. Whatever else changes in a missionary's life, the book of Mormon is always constant. I'm still working on my goal of memorizing the Living Christ.

In my studies this week I had a few impressions I wanted to share:

God gives us weaknesses so we may be humble (from Ether 12:27), but he wants us to be humble because humility begets repentance.

"Even the transgressions of man may be turned to the accomplishment of High Purposes." James E. Talmage. I based my study off this quote today and connected it to Jacob 5, where the Lord uses wild branches of the olive tree as grafts for a natural tree. Eventually these wild branches take strength from the root, and produce beautiful, natural fruit... In essence, the nature of the branch was changed. In verse 18:

And he said unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the wild tree have taken hold of the moistureof the root thereof, that the root thereof hath brought forth much strength; and because of the muchstrength of the root thereof the wild branches have brought forth tame fruit.

 I like that the Lord didn't just cast away the bad branches right away, he used them to his advantage. We are the same way, with our weaknesses, sins, and "wild branches".  God doesn't expect us to be perfect immediately, but he gives us the chance to change. We have been grafted into the natural tree (which I likened to the church), so that we may change our very natures and bring forth good fruit. In time, if we take hold of the strength of the roots (I likened the roots to the Atonement) we find the wherewithal to change our natures and bring forth "fruit meet for repentance".

God "cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance" because Christ did not shy away with the least degree of allowance from his responsibility given to him from the Father. He gave all, suffered all, not to just save us "as we are" because what we are is unclean. He did what he did to give us an opportunity to repent. So we may change from "just as we are" to "even as [He is]". If our faith is strong, our repentance is also strong.

It has been a lovely Christmas. The best, actually, in my life. I wasn't focused on worldly gifts or buying things for people... I wasn't wondering what decorations looked best on the house or what food to share at my party. It was focused on the Lord Jesus Christ, and his great gift for us. On Christmas I did what I've done for the past year or more of my life: I went out and worked and shared the message of the Restoration. And I couldn't have been happier. I love you!

Love,

Sister Luke

1.2.&3. HAPPY WHITE CHRISTMAS!!