Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN AMAZING!

MICHAEL GOT BAPTIZED! It was a White Christmas here in Apex! So many miracles and spiritual experiences! His baptism was so special his dad was able to come and feel the spirit so strong. 

We went on exchanges with the Asian sisters out in Raleigh and the pittsboro sisters! We had so much fun.

I was able to have so many amazing experience that I won't be able to squeeze into this quick Christmas email! But I love you all and I am excited to share more next week:)

We had Christmas zone conference and I was able to share my love for music with the northern part of the mission. It was so much fun!

We have this sweet lady we do service with, and she offered to make a skirt with us! So that's what we did:) it was so fun and such a good learning experience!

Daniel is now on date for the 1st of February! So that is some new exciting news too!

MADDIE IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS SAT IN UTAH AND WE ARE SO EXCITED, MY CUTE MOM AND SISTER SMITH WILL BE THERE!! We are so proud of her! I will miss her so much!!

I finished the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time on my mission! It was so amazing! My fav time ever reading it!
We got asked to write a little summary and wanted to share it with you all today!

My copy of the Book of Mormon is covered in all the colors of the rainbow reminding me and teaching me each time I read it of what I felt and learned during my reading. I decided to follow some guidance from PMG and turn my copy of the Book of Mormon into my "most powerful resource for conversion." (Pg109) Initially I wanted to follow this outline so when I was teaching I could flip open to any part of the book of mormon and have a scripture highlighted ready for me to help them better understand the principle being discussed, but as I studied this for myself I was the one who was becoming converted. I saw the Savior teaching me on a very intimate and individual level, each day I gained something that I needed to learn, whether I had read this chapter 100 times or maybe just a handful of times.

As I read the prophets became really real to me. The things they wrote became less of a story and more of a history. As they bore testimony I could feel the importance of the things they were sharing. And it was interesting to see where each individual writer had different spiritual strengths and strong testimonies of specific gospel principles. That knowledge and love for that principle caused them to engrave it on gold plates out of love for the Savior and out of love for us, the people it would most effect!

The Book of Mormon is for us! I have found great power in teaching as I have allowed the Book of Mormon to be the teacher and the chance I have to testify of the things it is teaching us. The Book of Mormon is for every single person who has ever lived, especially you and me. It is so personal in reach and provides the security and comfort we need always. The doctrine is unchanging and leads us on the path to happiness. I marked each time the Lord makes a promise with us and the attached blessings for keeping that promise. It is beautiful to see how much the Lord wants to bless and forgive us, but those things are predicated on our obedience and devotion to follow the Savior. We know we will all fall short but let the things we fall short brings us to repent and feel the grace and love of the Savior in our lives who so freely forgives us.

In addition to studying the PMG lessons I felt something I personally needed to gain from my reading this time was the power and effects that prayer has on us. My whole life I have had a hard time feeling like my prayers get answered. I have felt so completely alone even when and sometimes especially while praying. But I have instances in my life that always remind me that he does answer prayers, I frequently draw on those seemingly small experiences to help me know he does. As I read and saw these amazing prophets write and testify of the power of prayer my testimony and experiences greatly began to grow! My faith that he is listening and wants to bless us grew and I began to apply and see things change in my own personal relationship with my Father in Heaven and recognizing his blessings in my life.

One of my favorite and most powerful experiences of prayer is found in alma 31. Alma is offering a prayer of a missionary.
26 And he lifted up his voice to heaven, and cried, saying: O, how long, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that thy servants shall dwell here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness among the children of men?
27 Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world.
28 Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while others shall perish.
29 Yea, and they say that thou hast made it known unto them that there shall be no Christ.
30 O Lord God, how long wilt thou suffer that such wickedness and infidelity shall be among this people? O Lord, wilt thou give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my soul.
31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.
32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers who are with me—yea, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, and also my two sons—yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ.
33 Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them because of the iniquities of this people.
34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.
35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.
36 Now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words, that he clapped his hands upon all them who were with him. And behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
37 And after that they did separate themselves one from another, taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what they should drink, or what they should put on.
38 And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.

This is the prayer of a missionary. I know that as we pray the Lord will answer in his time and in his way, but he will answer. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is the greatest tool we have to teach and testify of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that he leads and guides this church, his church and that he loves us beyond what we could ever imagine.

In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!
Talk to you soon :)))

Sister Kinne