December 31
Hello Family,
Oh how wonderful it was so see your faces and hear your voices on Christmas! I was so happy. I am glad that we got it all working. The hour went by so fast and I didn't want it to end, but I know that I will be able to see all of your faces again really soon. You all look good and look like you are doing well. I was happy to hear how every one is doing and the many things that you are all doing these days. I love you all so very much.
Mom, its okay, you don't have to worry about sending me a package anytime soon or to send my memory card. I still have a whole memory card to fill up and us, so no worries and I know you just spent a lot sending my Christmas packages. Thank you for that and thank you all for sending your packages to me. I was able to get them all. For the missing one, I called the office on Friday and they said that it was in the office so I should be getting it today for sure. I was so worried and I am glad that it didn't get lost. Whenever you do send a package though, maybe some new running shoes? Size 7.I know I probably ask to much, but I want you all to know that I appreciate everything you do and send.
Grandma thank you for the toffee I enjoyed it and shared it with some other missionaries and they also loved it. I also really liked the hat you showed me that you made and I can't wait to wear it next Christmas. It was really fun to see you and Bob too.
Christmas turned out to be a great day and full of joy and happiness. I am happy to be out here. Yes, times are hard and difficult and sometimes I think that I cannot make it, but then I remember what the Savior did for me and that I can cast my burdens on him and he will give me strength to overcome my challenges. Dad, your testimony a little while ago has helped me a lot when you said that he makes up all the difference for us when we fall short. This has helped me so much on my mission and it is so true. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and all of the many blessings that I have been blessed with. I have been given so much and I am forever grateful for everything that I have been given.
This week has been really good. It went by super fast. We had some miracles happen to us. We were talking with a member about missionary work and how we can help him and if there is anything that we could do to help him with the scouts. He had mentioned the Wyrzykowski's(less active/part member family we visited about a month ago) have been to scouts before, but haven't been for a long time. Brother VanSlooten said that a could of weeks ago they showed up to scouts out of the blue. The Wyrzkowski's showed up just a week or two after we had stopped by to visit them. We told Brother VanSlooten that we visited with them and he said that our visit must have did something that made them decide to come to scouts. I remember that day when I felt prompted to see them and Sister Davidson wasn't sure if we should. We decided that we would just go and see if they were home and Brother Wyrzkowski was home. I am so glad that we followed that prompting and that the spirit was able to be there and touch this him. I love the spirit and I am glad for the promptings that I get.
Another miracle that happened was on Friday. We were walking down the street and Sister Davidson suggested that we go and walk through the parking lot of Trader Joe's, so we did. There were lots of shopping carts out and I had this thought that we needed to grab the carts and put them in the cart return place. As we were doing this, one of the workers came and saw and thanked us for doing this. He is a young kid about 23 years old. We talked to him for about 20 mins. He told us that we didn't believe in religion, but thinks that there might be a God. He told us a story where he knows that someone was with him in a very scary accident that he was in that could have ended badly. He is grateful for this life and is wondering if there is a purpose for him on this earth. We bore testimony about how there is a God and that He does have a plan for each and one of us and that He is aware of all of our needs. He seemed really interested and said that he wanted to come to church on Sunday. He lives in Sunland so we gave his information to those Elders. This was a cool experience for me. If I never had that thought to help with the carts, we would never had meet up with him and to help him. I am so glad for this amazing experience and have grown from it. I know that the spirit is always there to help us and knows exactly where we need to be and what to be doing.
We also went and did some knocking this past week. We both felt like we needed to do that. We knocked it to a family. The dad knows LDS people and said that he grown up with a friend who was LDS. He was very nice and talked with us a little bit. We got to know how religion plays in his life. He is Christain and is very comfortable where he is at right now. We bore testimony of what we believe and asked if he would be interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and his teachings, but he said "not right now, but thank you anyways." It was great to hear that he had friends who have shared the gospel to him in the past.
I have noticed that every person that we feel prompted to talk to has known members in their lifetime and know about the church. A lot of them really like our standards and the way we live, but are just comfortable of where they are at right now. We do invite people to know more and tell them that we only add more to what they believe, but they still do have their choice to listen or not. Sometimes it makes me sad, but I can't get down in those moments. I need to keep going strong and find someone else that the Lord is preparing for me to teach and who is ready.
We also were able to give a tour to a kid that came to church on Sunday. He is a college student and they have been asked to do something that would make them feel uncomfortable and to write about it. He thought that he would try another religion because that can be uncomfortable. He chose our choose not only for the assignment, but because he is semi interested himself to know more. The tour went really well and we invited him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. We were able to explain about the Book of Mormon as well. He is a neat kid and I hope that he will pursue his interest in the LDS church.
These are some of the highlights of my week. I know that I am here for a reason and that I have been placed in La Canada. I have seen so many great things happen here and so many more great things are going to be happening. I am so grateful for this gospel and I know that it is true. I know that this is the only way to have happiness in our lives. I know that without a shadow of a doubt that my Heavenly Fathers hears and answers my prayers. He knows how to help me in the hard times and is always there to comfort me when I feel lonely. I know that I have a purpose on this earth. I am so grateful to have been able to make the dicsion to come to earth, to gain a body and to be placed in the family that I have been blessed with. It is with the great parents that I have and their teaching to be where I am in life right now. I could not be happier. I love what I am doing right now in my life.
I love you all so much and I hope that you all have a wonderful week.
Love Sister Ackley
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