Hello my favorite people:)
Sorry I'm sending this in later than usual.... Turns out Sister Weber and I have the worst luck ever!! Haha everyday something major goes wrong.... but we're handling it:)
Today it was-- the carwarsh wouldn't take our card. Then Walmart took like 2 extra hours to print our pictures... but whatever. It's just worldly things.
Can I first say THANK YOU to the wonderful packages from my family?? Jordan & Carly, and Mom & Dad have kept with tradition and sent me the 12 days of Christmas. I get SO excited every morning that I get to open 2 presents under our tiny little Christmas tree:) It makes it feel more like the holidays.
You'd think that being out on a mission, the Christmas spirit would be like WILDFIRE in a missionaries heart. But it actually hasn't felt too much like Christmas except for the opening of my presents in the morning. We did a have a chance to run through the mall last P-day so that I could get a new coat, and the hustle and bustle of the Christmas shopping made it feel more like Christmas. But this year, it's just the peace and spiritual side of focusing on Christ and His atonement-- not needing to worry about all the craziness. It's really nice!
Tomorrow is our Christmas Zone Conference and I am stoked out of my mind!! President and Sister Weston have some big things planned I can tell and I know it's going to be a spiritual feast-- as well as a food feast :) He's asked us to all write a one page paper on The Atonement and as I've studied for the topic, the gentleness and meekness of Christ and the TRUE meaning of Christmas has brought peace to my soul :) I love this time of year.
So Jordan and Carly sent me the CUTEST little poem that was in my package. It's called "The Littlest Christmas Tree" and I encourage you all to find it. It's a story and a message that we've been sharing with ALL our dinner appointments this month. (And BTW our meal calendar is FULL until the end of January-- yeah, we're pretty popular. Poor elders). They have all loved the poem-- so I thank you, Jord and Carly!!
We had many miracles this week and WE were immediate answers to peoples prayers. (hah, so the lady on the computer next to me right now is like blasting metal music in her headphones--- it's quite the day today.. hahaha) We're working with this woman in whom I love to DEATH. She is going through an EXTREMELY hard time right now. She's literally almost lost everything. Husband, kids, home, job, car-- like everything. And we had seen her a few times this week, but on Thursday, before our dinner appointment, we thought of her again and decided that we should go and see her. But thought we could wait until after our dinner appointment. We got done with dinner, then headed over to her house and we got out my hymn book to carol to her when she answered the door. When the door opened, she started BAWLING. We went inside and she explained that she had JUST gotten off her knees from praying, just pleading with the Lord to "hear him". She finished her prayers, blew her nose, and then *ding dong* the doorbell rang and there we were. It is the best feeling when we are answers to peoples prayers. She is amazing and I know she is on the right track in getting everything in her life straightened out <3.
(haha sometimes I just have to pat myself on the back.. ;) lol jk. The Lord just SO puts prepared people in our path!! So we're at the library and I overheard this man talking to the librarians about family research. They refurred him the the LDS church down the road. I whipped out my handy dandy pass-along cards and went and introduced myself! He's going to give us a call to come to the family research center-- YAY!)
So I got extremely sick this week. I woke up on Friday feeling like death. I hadn't really felt this way in over a year! Flu symptoms.... I was in bed ALL day on Friday and it was SUCH a bummer because Friday was our ward party. We missed it because of me :( I was changing temps from BURNING hot to cold like every 20 minutes. But our ward missionary and the Elders came over to give me a priesthood blessing, and RIGHT after it, I stopped changing temperatures. That night, Sister Weber and I had a party-- we watched The Restoration!! dun dun dunnnnnn!! Haha being sick as a missionary is the greatest-- hah! funny. But we still did have a good time!
I went to bed Friday night and felt 10x better Saturday morning. So Saturday we went out and it was a SUPER productive day! we committed 2 LA families to come to church and 1 of our investigators too!! We had some really progressive converstations with them!! And then Saturday night, the stomach ache came. I felt like something was ripping out of my stomach. :P Since then, I've felt SO much better, I just can't eat a lot or else I hurt again. I'm getting over it. But my testimony of the priesthood just continues to strengthen <3 <3 God's power IS REAL and IT'S ON THE EARTH!!!
Sunday was so funny..... so ALL the people that we committed to come to church-- CAME!!! MIRACLE!!! Some were families that haven't been in years! And our investigator came too. She has a 4 year old son with Autism, cutest little guy ever:) During the sacrament it was funny. We all closed our eyes for the sacrament prayer and then her little boy went RUNNING up to the podium up front, she went chasing after him and caught him and sat back down with him, JUST as everyone was saying "amen." So nobody saw it!! hah it was so funny:)
Anyway, it's been another trying week, but it's been the best:) we're having so much fun and meeting so many wonderful people!!! I can testify that obedience to the things that the Lord asks us to do, brings MIRACLES. If we do what He says, he will bless us more than we can comprehend!! And God does know all. If we are living righteously, and seeking for opportunities to serve, He will put thoughts in our minds and give us things to do that will lead us to being answers to peoples prayers. He WILL give us service opportunities if we but ask and look for them. And through service, comes infinite happiness. I promise you that. So think about that during this holiday season. Seek to live righteously. Ask Him for opportunities to serve your fellow man. Open your eyes to those around you. And then follow through with the thoughts that enter your mind and hearts. That is the Holy Ghost!! And by following through with these promptings, you WILL become happier and feel closer to Christ this holiday season. He is my world.
I love you all!! I hope you all know just how much I love you--- it's A LOT!!!!
I want to give a shout-out to those wonderful people in my last area of Red Oak! Sister Carpenter called me today and informed me that you're all stalking my blog ;) I love you all and miss you tons!!!!
Also, GREAT Christmas surpise?? TEMPLE TRIP THIS WEEK!!! I've been SOOO lucky to get to go so often!!! The temple is seriously the best.... oh gosh I'm excited <3 MERRY CHRISTMAS
I MISS YOU GUYS!!!!! Stay true <3
Your missionary,
-Sister Checketts
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