December 29, 2008 Email

Well hello!
Wow that was so great to talk to you on Christmas! And it made it even better to here from all the cousins and grandma and grandmpa too! Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Were going to be trying alot of new things. So i was telling you how are ward mission leader is kind of hard to communicate with because hes chinese....well i had an epiphany yesterday during ward correlation. We were trying to help him express his many great ideas in a way that people would listen and be enthused and it worked really remarkably...and i had the thought that i should change my major to communications....? Not that i have time to think about it much now but i really feel that the training im getting out here is preparing me for the future....well obviously ....but i was just thinking about everything ive learned from president about persuasion and helpping people find truth and plus all the english classes ive taught here.... i just want to help people express themselves and help people understand each other...a peacemaker.... and anyway it will help in all aspects of my life. So mom is there a communications program at Dixie? well anyway it could help me be a more qualified motivational speaker as well! HA HA! Well back to the mission...sorry bout the tangent. The soup kitchen at the Catholic church on Christmas was such an amazing experience. We went there not intending to proselite of course... and we served dinner and then sat with some homeless and widdows.....it was an incredible expereince....i had 5 people at the table with me asking all kinds of questions about the church! I couldnt believe it....they were interested in our beliefs and such. I felt like i was in an interview. It was the topic of discussion. One lady was so excited to know that i went on a date with donnie osmonds son! HA HA! and we talked about the new temple and everything else! And they started telling me all the people that they know that were mormons. and this really cute 18 year olg girl from the catholic church sat next to me and had the most sincere questions about the purpose of life and Christ....she was telling me how she has a religion course at her catholic high school but they dont use the bible to teach it....they just talk.....and so she was really wnating to learn about the bible....so i taught her a bunch and taught her her relationship to God....That He is her Father in Heaven and she is a daughter of God....she was really toched and the spirit bore witness that it was true. we talked about meeting again....i gave her information about the Ecuador orphanage program becase she was telling me about her desire to reach out and do some kind of mission.....and she plays soccer so we had a connection. she was a really neat girl and at a cross road in her life.....She was telling me how her freinds are pullling her one way but she wants to have that relationship with God....she knows she cant have both right now....so it was so neat that God placed us at the same table so i could share with her the reasons to stay on Gods side and stay strong against temptations. So her and the lady on the other side of me who was a widow from Ireland expressed their desire to meet agian! Who wuold have thought that would happen! At a catholic church! The Lord is so aware of each of us! This is His true church and People are drawn to the light the gospel gives us....if they are searching for that light! So let your light so shine! And pray to be placed in places where the Lord can help others through you! The gospel so so true! The Lord is my Light! He is my strength! I love you all!
Love sister flake