Christmas is Coming ~ November 28, 2011

It's almost Christmas!!!

Hurray!!

Well... ok, it's after Thanksgiving so that means that the Christmas music has been brought out and we are jamming to Christmas music!!  This week we were going to go out and visit with one of our members.  The night before we called to confirm the time of the appointment, but she didn't answer.  We decided that we needed to go out their anyway. (this sounds like it's going to be a really cool story, but it's really not... haha)  When we got out there we realized that the address on our Branch list was wrong.  We basically called the whole ward looking for her right address, but no one knew it.  We walked around where we knew she approximately lived and were just like calling her name, asking people if they knew her, and yes... we even knocked on several random doors asking if she lived there.  We figured we might as well make a good adventure out of the whole ideal! :)  We had found out from some of the members that something hard had happened so she had just turned off her phone.  We never did end up finding her, but I think she felt really loved as when she turned her phone back on I think there were phone calls from almost everyone in the ward.  She gave me several hugs on Sunday. 

We were in the approximate area of our investigator Zara so we decided to stop by.  It had been a week or two as she had never answered our calls or anything.  Her mom was there also and said that we should have just come by sooner!! It's so funny that we used to be so scared of her mom, but she is such a WONDERFUL lady!  We were FREEZING by this point as we had been wandering outside for about 1 1/2-2 hours.  Zara's mom gave us warm socks to wear and had just finished making some soup!  It was really yummy.  As we were eating Zara left without us even knowing... so we were just chilling with her mom.  We gave a little spiritual thought and asked her if she would be ok if Zara decided to be baptized.  She said that it would be Zara's decision.  She then gave us a HUGE surprise (coming from a lady who had apparently been against us meeting with her daughter at first!).  She said that she had found one of our magazines that we had left for Zara and she had read it all and liked parts of it so much that she had even read parts of it twice!  She went to get it, and I was thinking it was one of the General Conference Additions of the Ensign.  She came back carrying the special addition all about the Book of Mormon.  She said that she had really liked the part where they had compared the teachings in the Bible with the Book of Mormon and shown how their teachings compliment each other.  She then said, (and this blew us away) that she sometimes just read the Book of Mormon.  Why not?  There can't be anything bad in it!!! :) :)  It was SO awesome!!  It's true!!  The Book of Mormon is ANOTHER testament of Jesus Christ!!  We met Zara on our way out and she said that that was all news to her that her mom had read the BOM! haha

We had a good Thanksgiving at the Potters.  I got to help make pies and we just kind of lounged around.  We could tell who the real Americans were as we spent almost the whole day in the kitchen... where all the food was!! haha

We got a new investigator this week.  His name is Roman.  He was the young man who was with the girl that I had met on the street when we sang the other week.  It was also really cool as we invited Vitya (Amy's brother) to meet with us on the lesson with him.  Vitya did such a good job!  He is planning on serving a mission and it was really neat to be able to have him be on our lesson and work with us as a missionary!  We try to have him with us on the lessons with Roman as much as possible.  He is a former skinhead, but he seems very humble and wants to learn.  Our last lesson with him this week we finished the plan of salvation and talked about the HOly Ghost and how we all need to gain a witness for ourselves through the spirit.  He said he didn't think that he had ever felt the spirit.  As we talked after the lesson he said that he liked coming to our church because he felt peace in his soul.  We pointed out that this is the spirit.

We went singing on the street again this week and couldn't help but sing Christmas songs.  It's still a little early to start in Russia as they celebrate Christmas in January if they celebrate at all, but we sang anyway!  We're SO excited to be able to start caroling soon!

Last night we went over to Amy, Vitya'sLamanates, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanates deliver themselves up as prisoners of war.")  I shared with them how I had thought of them as I had read that story.  They don't have a father in their home, but their mothers strong example has made Amy and Vitya very strong also!  They love each other and love the Lord and I have never seen such faith in doing what's right!!  We asked them if they read the scriptures and pray together everyday.  Usually the answer from families is no, but these faithful new members said yes.  Amy sometimes leaves for work early so can't be with them, but they read together and pray together at night!! I love them SO much and am SO grateful for the steps of faith that they have made to change their lives and live the gospel as Jesus Christ taught we should live!! And the blessings... they are innumerable and more than we can truly understand!!

I love you all and hope you have a FANTASTIC week!! Thank you SO much for all of your love and support! I really couldn't do it without all of your love and support!!

Love,
Cectpa Cunningham