December 10-Many Mighty Christmas Miracles

Hello! I don't know what has gotten into me recently but I think this has been the happiest week of my mission! I am really feeling the Christmas spirit! Here are the reasons why this week was so amazing...

1. On Tuesday Elder Farrer was on exchanges so it was just Elder Whitchurch and I. We originally had an appointment to visit with the mission nurse in Live Oak, but it fell through so we stopped by members instead. We visited one family and the son answered the door and he invited us in. We met his super cool non-member girlfriend and we drank hot coco and got to know them. Then out of the blue the boyfriend said "So should we have the elders practice one of their lessons on you? Lesson 1 or 2?" it was awesome that he was so bold. We started teaching the restoration to her. It was one of the most powerful lessons on my mission. I felt like I was saying exactly what the spirit wanted me to teach. By the end she was crying and telling us how much she wants to know the truth and that she is afraid to commit. She ahs read the Book of Mormon and taken all the lessons a while back but she felt like this was the right time now. It was awesome because the boyfriend was asking her some super deep questions of the soul and pushing her a lot. We came back a few days later and asked how she was and she told us the real reason she was holding back. She is afraid to commit because her parents are hard core Catholics that don't like the idea of her joining our church. She knows our church is true, she just doesn't want break her parents hearts.

2. on Friday we went to stop by a referral we got from the Spanish sisters. We knocked on the door but no one answered. On our way back to the car we met a man who turned out to be the father of the family we went to stop by. He invited us in and we got to teach them the Restoration. They are from Brazil and are super humble. We asked if they could feel the spirit and the father replied "yes I can feel it" then we told him that the spirit testifies of truth and asked if he believed and he said " I believe that it could all be true, anything is possible through God". We were so impressed with them and their faith. At the end we asked the 10 year old boy to read Moroni 10:3-5 and we asked if they would read and pray about it and the young boy answered so humbly "Yes. I want to do that". We have an appointment to visit them tonight.

3. Earlier on Friday we went with some sisters to meet a lady is on her very last leg of life. Our original plan was to teach the Plan of salvation and re-commit her to baptism (she was originally set on date by one of the sisters who came with us, and talked out of baptism by her daughter who said she was to sick). This lady has the most pure heart of anyone I have ever met, though she doesn't have much time left in her life, she faces it with a grin on her face. When we met with her, we decided that our original plan was not the best. Instead we sang Silent Night to her. When we sang the spirit was so strong! afterwords we went on a short walk with her in her wheel chair, and she kept complimenting us in the way we look and and talk and sing. Afterwords we all testified of the divinity of Jesus Christ, and I Felt like we did exactly what we were supposed to do. It made me think about what Alma tells us our baptismal promise is "Comfort those that stand in need of comfort". I know that she wont be able to be baptized in this life, but I know that heavenly father knows her pure heart and knows he has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and believes in this church. I am so grateful for this mission and to come closer to Jesus Christ by doing what he himself would do.

Though these miracles were amazing, I don't contribute them to the full reason I have felt so much joy this week. My Joy has come from Keeping the commandments which includes serving others and striving to come closer to Christ, that is what it's all about. I read this scripture this week that really helped me understand my glad feelings...

Mosiah 2:21 

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

I love this gospel and the light that it can provide to others. I love Bearing others burdens. I love mourning with those that mourn. I Love Comforting those that need comfort. And above all, I love standing as a witness of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!

Love,

Elder Judd