Merriest Christmas Ever!!!

Pretty sure I had the Merriest Christmas in my life!!...as of yet...isn't it great how because of the gospel of Jesus Christ there is no cap on our happiness?!
It was a WET and WHITE Christmas, no snow but a baptism on the 20th and the elders had a baptism this past Saturday as well. As far as the WET part of it, it was pouring all of Christmas, loved it. I kept hoping for a sudden arctic wind to bust through and turn it all to snow, but seeing as how that would've caused widespread panic a midst the native South Carolinian, I'm glad that it just stayed as rain.
Anyways....here's my week!!!

Sister Wheelock and I had a great day on exchanges, man I love that girl. Our first lesson was with Glenda and Poncho, Bro smith (we like to pretend that we’re family) joined us as well. He knows poncho from his police force days.

The lesson was amazing, Poncho has been reading and loves it. We asked him if he’d been praying about Joseph Smith and such, and he said he had, but he hadn't received his answer. His wife Glenda pointed out that his interest and desire to read the Book of Mormon and learn more, could be his answer. He agreed, and went on to relate to us the first 5 chapters in the Book of Mormon.

Christmas eve. We spent the morning and lunch with the Haynes, making cookies and having a big turkey lunch.

Later in the afternoon we went to Elena’s for Christmas eve, she had invited Kitt over as well, so that was fun being able to talk with him in a casual setting. Haha, that didn't last long though, after a brief chat about his family, we started talking about the apostasy, and I tried my "hand" at signing about how God had prepared Columbus, America, the pilgrims, the dark ages, the 2 great awakenings, all to lead to the restoration of the Gospel.

We made it home, changed into our Christmas jammies and moved all of our Christmas decorations to the main room where we’d be sleeping. We got permission from President to have a sleepover with the sisters in our apartment complex, so they came over with their blankets, pillows, presents and Christmas decorations. Our room was so lit up, it was grand! It felt so magical. Sis Burbank’s family tradition is to watch Joy to the World each Christmas eve, so we were going to end the night with that but first couldn't get it to work. After we ran to the sisters apartment and got another DVD it would only play it in Spanish…then French…Chinese…and finally after mashing buttons and flipping it on and off it came up in English!! Yes-christmas miracle! Haha, one thing my mission hasn’t broken is my terrible habit of falling asleep during movies, I was trying so hard to stay awake for sister Burbank, but just couldn't do it. Eventually we all drifted to sleep by light of a little Christmas tree in the corner, with visions of baptisms dancing in our headsJ

For the past 25 days Sis Burbank and I have been keeping track of the 25 miracles of Christmas. We taped a big white board up in our main room and would write one at he end of each day, so here they are!!

1. Barry--- a new investigator

2. MLC

3. Lesson with Paula

4. Companionship unity with Stout and Nielson and Cookout!

5. Lori’s on date, and we got a x-mas tree

6. Kebo’s baptism, Sis soctomah’s first baptism!

7. Elena came to Kitt’s with us last minute

8. The Duns invited us to come for Christmas!

9. Lincoln’s lesson (they’re just a big ol miracle on their own)

10. Horrocks had us over for dinner out of NOWHERE!

11. Went to institute with Morgan, and it just so happened to be the very last one of the year

12. Morgan was interviewed for his baptism

13. Sis Barker made cinnamon rolls, a Christmas tradition for sister BurbankJ

14. New family to teach, Kelly and Amber and their 3 girlsJ

15. Sis Wheelock was here (haha, she chose today’s miracle)

16. Elena had pizza with us last minute

17. We found Sister Fagin finally, and people actually laughed at our skit

18. (Sister Stout wrote this one, she’s so sweet) “Sis Smith helped me a lot!!

19. (fromSister Wheelock) “Sister Wheelock wuz here again”

20. MORGAN’S BAPTISM!

21. MORGAN GOT THE HOLY GHOST AND PRIESTHOOD, and his dad came to church

22. Free frosties from Wendy’s

23. Exchanges, Poncho and Bro. Smith’s perfect lesson

24. Got permission from Pres to have a sleepover with Sis Mcneely and Wheelock!

25. He (Christ) is the miracle!!
He really is the miracle though, all of the miracles we were able to see happen were because of Christ. It’s been such a neat experience to write down and record the daily miracles, seeing them come on so many different ways. I’m so grateful for this beautiful Christmas day I’ve had to celebrate my Savior’s birth in a special way. I’m more grateful for my mission that’s helped me to celebrate Christ’s birth the past 18months, and forever helped me to gain a greater appreciation and love for my Savior and EVERTHING that he’s done.

Christmas was great, spent it with members for the most part, and just basked in the love I received from friends and family back home.

love y'all!!

Have a fantabulous new year. We should be looking to change daily, and not just use the new year as an excuse to apply the atonement, but I hope that it motivates us to look back , move on and press forward with a steadfastness in Christ and a perfect brightness of HOPE!

-Sister Smith