We started off Monday with what we called the "Festive Home Evening" I told you about last week, decorating sugar cookies for a local homeless shelter. Santa came, and the message went really well! We had an amazing turnout and the ward will try it again next year! :D Santa came in at the end, and did some laps around the room with the kids following him singing Jingle Bells then handed out candy canes and cuties to them. :) Of COURSE we had to get a picture with the jolly man!! 
On Tuesday, the missionaries were assigned the job of individually bagging all of the cookies to be taken to the homeless shelter!! 443 cookies and a few hour later...this is most of them! Hahaha it was so fun!! We got to go deliver them with a small group of ward members on one of the trips, and it was such an amazing experience talking with the sweet people there!! :)
On Tuesday, the missionaries were assigned the job of individually bagging all of the cookies to be taken to the homeless shelter!! 443 cookies and a few hour later...this is most of them! Hahaha it was so fun!! We got to go deliver them with a small group of ward members on one of the trips, and it was such an amazing experience talking with the sweet people there!! :)
On Thursday we got to go caroling with the cub scouts!! They, no joke, got a school bus and us, two sets of Elders, and a band of cub scouts and leaders piled in to go caroling around the ward! We got to sing at a house home to a few horses the enjoy eating sister missionary hair and hoods!! Haha oh how fun!!
This week we saw many miracles! We have a list of former investigators that we drop by when in the area, and there is one that we have felt prompted to drop by a few times but have never gotten to actually do it. The other day, we got a call from the Elders saying that a lady had called wanting to meet with missionaries and that they gave her our number to contact. It was her!! We were able to see her the next day, and the Spirit was so strong!! We asked when we could see her again, and she asked to meet the next day! So we saw her again! She has an extensive teaching record that dates back to 2014...and just was never ready! This time, I think she is. :)
This week we saw many miracles! We have a list of former investigators that we drop by when in the area, and there is one that we have felt prompted to drop by a few times but have never gotten to actually do it. The other day, we got a call from the Elders saying that a lady had called wanting to meet with missionaries and that they gave her our number to contact. It was her!! We were able to see her the next day, and the Spirit was so strong!! We asked when we could see her again, and she asked to meet the next day! So we saw her again! She has an extensive teaching record that dates back to 2014...and just was never ready! This time, I think she is. :)
Another miracle, speaking of drop by's....there is a sweet single lady in one of our wards that we have been trying to drop by for about 2 months. She never answers her phone...so we have been knocking on her door every time we have been in the area. No answer! BUT last night, the door opened!! Turns out, it has been the wrong house the WHOLE TIME!! She moved! But the miracle is that the lady behind the door is so prepared to hear the gospel! We were able to share a message with her and will be back later this week to share more! :) It's so amazing how God places these miracles in our paths!!
A passage of scripture that stood out to me this week was Ether chapter 2...specifically verse 6!
And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness, and did build barges , in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.
This is before the verses talking about when the brother of Jared is asked to find a way to make light for the barges later in their journey and make them "tight like unto a dish" It never quite occurred to me that before they came to the great waters they needed to cross when the Brother of Jared was conversing with the Lord about what to do and sees Him...that there were little bodies of water to cross. And other barges made! It was a testimony builder to me of our lives today! We have so many trials! Great and small. A lot of bodies of water to cross in our lifetimes! But each one is preparing us for something bigger that Heavenly Father is going to help us through! In verse 16, He says to the Brother of Jared "Go to work, and build, after the manner of barges which ye have hitherto built." He built on the brother of Jared's knowledge and understanding he had already obtained through the other water crossings in his journey. That's what Heavenly Father does with us! Each thing we go through is to lift, build, empower, strengthen and prepare us for the future! He truly has a perfect plan for each and every one of us!!
Wow!! Heavenly Father is SO GOOD to us! I am so grateful for the many miracles that He blesses us with each and every day that teach us to look out and look up! I'm so grateful for my Savior, for all that He did for me and continues to do to help me reach my highest potential! As I grow closer to Him, I recognize more and more each day who I truly am, and how much He truly loves His children!!
Love, Serve, Obey!! Oh! And of course, Merry Christmas!!
Love,
Sister Van Valkenburg
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