Merry Christmas week! I will see you on Thursday. This week has been really great, with lots of unexpected blessings and miracles. The Lord has blessed Sister Clancy and me show much, especially since this is my last transfer.
We have three investigators preparing to be baptized... Cade (14 year old) on January 10th, Estrella (cute lady who we started teaching who lives in Gilbert) also on January 10th, and Emily (13 year old) on January 17th. Wow!!! We are so blessed. On Sunday right before dinner, Estrella called us and invited us to her "baptismal" (that's what she called it, haha). Today we talked to our mission president and he said we could go to it, even though it's outside the mission, since it's just outside. I'm so excited and happy! That will be so special. So it's a white Christmas, because we are preparing people for the sacred ordinance when they will wear white.
Another great blessing from this week is that we got to teach Matt, the father of a part member family. He agreed to let us teach him again and it was a great lesson! His heart is changing and softening and it's a miracle. It's such a blessing to see his progress because we have been serving his family for 6 months (and longer, before I came to the area). The Spirit was strong in the lesson and he really felt it. We found out his wife is buying him a nice new set of scriptures for Christmas!! The funny thing is that since I was nervous, I kept complimenting him during the lesson. I hope he wasn't too creeped out.
We had a record number of people at church last week!! 6 came and they all liked it. The Christmas programs were really good and it was great to play the viola. I had the biggest smile on my face as I sat between two investigators. It's THE best feeling in the world to sit by a nonmember and see them enjoy church and feel the Spirit. Ou investigator, Josie, has read half of the Book of Mormon and part of the Doctrine and Covenants. She's amazing! Our other investigator, Gary, actually read the Book of Mormon this week!! It seems like Christmas is helping our investigators to focus on Christ more and it's so wonderful.
One thing I've learned this week is that when someone gives you a gift, it's good to consider the effort and sacrifice that person made to give it to you. We called and texted about 20 sisters to find someone who could help us with a lesson with Josie (our investigator) at the visitors center. Lots of people were busy last week. When it finally worked out and it was a great experience for her. Because we had sacrificed and worked so hard to have the lesson, we knew the full meaning behind it. In the same way, if we understand the full meaning and sacrifice of our Father in Heaven to send His Son then we will be filled with gratitude and love. If we study and discover the true depth of the meaning of His life and mission, then we will be more ready to accept the Atonement in our lives. I hope we can all take time to ponder the symbols of Christmas and what it means to us. I know that when we put Christ at the center of our lives now and at Christmas, that we will see His hand in our lives and how He is actively involved.
Trying to embrace and accept this time of my life has been an emotional roller coaster for me. I'm trying to enjoy and make the most of every day. I have been blessed so much, way beyond what I deserve. Have a wonderful week!! Merry Christmas!! Thanks for praying for me! Please pray for our investigators who are getting baptized.
Love, Sister Sallstrom
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From Sister Sallstrom's mother: "A Ward member sent us this picture of her brother with the sister missionaries at the temple lights."
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