Dear Family,
I'm getting old. New Years Eve
went something like this. Going to bed at 10:30pm, Sister Stoja walking
me up at 11:50 to welcome in the new year (I was so tired I didn't even
hear the alarm go off), me groggily wishing her a happy new year,
watching about 5 fireworks go off with my eyes half shut, and going back
to bed right after 12. I was exhausted! And I value any sleep that I
can get. It was still a great New Years. I'm a missionary and I have so
much to be grateful for!
Mom, I really am trying to make the most of the time I have to
study. The past couple weeks I've really been making an added effort to
get more out of it and try and have specific questions as I study. I am
seeing what a great difference it can make! Hopefully I can still be
blessed with the time to have a decent study when I get home. I am glad
the temple went well. It really is so amazing that all the youth that I
graduated seminary with have been through the temple. Dad, you're right.
I have been blessed with great friends in this ward (and to think that
at first I wasn't too thrilled about moving.. thanks for listening to
the spirit and not to me :)) The Lord knows what we need. Dad, thank you
for being willing to sacrifice and for working at the cafeteria. I know
the Lord will bless you. I am really looking forward to going to the
temple again! This week my study has brought me to ponder on the things
taught in the temple. I can't wait to go again and learn more! Well, I
can wait but I am really looking forward to when I can go again! We are
so blessed to have a temple so close! Mom, I am so happy that you
joined the polar bear club! Thanks for doing it in my honour. You're the
best! And I am really excited to hear that the mission plaque hasn't
been done yet so you can put the big ben picture! The scripture is
perfect. To update you on Hassan, unfortunately he has to go back to
packistan next week because his visa expires. He is having to completely
support himself since his family isn't happen with his Christian
beliefs and so he is having to work all the time and so we never get to
see him, but we still keep contact over the phone. He is staying strong
and continuing to read and pray. I just pray that all continues to go
well for him when he goes back home!
This
week we had a mission-wide conference call because we had a mission
wide fast to start the new year and to fast to reach our year goal of
700 baptisms! President Jordan was saying that in December as a mission
as a whole, we had kind of slacked off and overall our numbers were down
and that it seems many missionaries had used Christmas
as a reason to not work as hard. Then... Sister Stoja and I got a shout
out! President Jordan told our numbers to the whole mission and said
that it was clear that we had continued to work hard and be diligent
even during the holiday season (we did have a REALLY BRILLIANT week! the
Lord blessed us a lot!!) It was really awesome.. and unexpected to hear
President Jordan talking about us to the entire mission. It just gave
me a chance to reflect again and really see how much the Lord did bless
us and continues to bless us for our hard work. And Sister Stoja
commented that it wasn't just with investigators and great lessons that
the Lord had blessed us, but she said that she didn't even have time to
get homesick but could find joy in the season! It is true. When we
forget ourselves and focus on bringing others closer to our Saviour, we
are blessed in a multitude of ways! I am just so grateful I get to be a
recipient of these blessings and be an instrument in the hand of God.
I can't remember if I've told you about Emerjeet Singh yet. Well,
he is from India and comes from a Sikh background. We found him...at
church! A couple Sundays ago, we had gotten to church much earlier than
we expected and there was a man sitting in the chapel. We went and said
hello and then found out that it was his first time there and that he
had just walked in because he felt it might be a place he could feel
peace. We started teaching him right then and have been teaching him
ever since. He has such an amazing receptiveness to the spirit. He
always talks about how good he feels. He doesn't speak the best English,
but he doesn't have to in order to be taught by the spirit. It's
amazing to see how much he is desiring to learn more and more and to see
how happy it is helping him to be. His faith is growing so much and
although he knows he will face some social challenges, he has a strong
desire to be baptised!
Also, Sister Larson told me our investigator Kevin in Gillingham
has finally accepted a date to get baptised!!!!!!! That makes me so
happy!!! I'm so grateful I could get to know him and have the
opportunity to help teach him before I left. Missionary work really does
bring so much joy!
Everything is going so well. I am seeing so many miracles in the
work and in myself, feeling the spirit so much, learning more and more
every day, and coming closer to my Heavenly Father and Saviour. I just
have so much to be grateful for and a wonderful year to look forward
to!!
This gospel is real. Keep living it and finding joy in it!
I love you and your Heavenly Father and Saviour love you!
Love,
Sister Davis xoxoxox
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