My dearest loved ones,

Woooaaaahhhh work is exploding here in Blackfoot.  New people, progressing investigators, baptism dates and more!  I am so excited for these people that are prepared to receive the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Lord prepares the hearts of his children, there is no doubt in my mind.  The only thing left after that is the use of their own agency.  Pray that the investigators here will use that agency to follow Jesus Christ!

I love Christmas!!! I love Christmas so much, and the season is here!! We have been spreading the message of "He is the Gift" everywhere and to everyone that we meet.  What a wonderful opportunity to get people in the Christmas spirit by turning their thoughts to the birth of the savior.  There is a wonderful Bible video on lds.org called "Glad Tidings of Great Joy" and it depicts beautifully the blessing and gift that the birth of Jesus Christ is.  I am really getting into the Christmas spirit and can't wait!  I just really hope it snows here on Christmas day because I've never had a white Christmas before.  

Speaking of weather, it's been unusually warm here.  Unusually warm for Idaho December, at least.  For the last few weeks, it's been 50 degrees or so, so it feels more like Texas December.  But then it finally snowed yesterday.  But now it's melting. Weird.

How much I have felt the spirit this week.  There is a new family that just moved in who had met with the Elders in town once before.  We went over to meet them this week, and it is amazing how prepared they are to receive the gospel! I am so impressed with this family.  They've had a lot of struggles in the past, but have been searching for a relationship with God lately, and as they've been seeking, they have felt more peace and happiness in their lives than they ever have before.  We promised them that this peace and happiness would continue to grow as they learn and accept the restored gospel.  I notice that it's with people like them that the spirit is felt the strongest in lessons---because they are both receptive to the spirit and contribute to it.  When we left their house, I was giddy with joy at their desire to find the truth.  

One of our investigators, Lindsay, has a baptismal date, and she is working hard to get there, she is fantastic! We took her to another convert baptism on Saturday just so she could see what it looks like and what goes on.  The guy getting baptized was a big guy, so he didn't get completely submerged the first time, so they had to re-do it.  Although Lindsay is more comfortable now that she has actually witnessed a baptism, now she's a bit nervous that she'll have to re-do it and be embarrassed.  Haha.  But we reassured her that she'd have plenty of time to practice before then. I'm just glad that that's her biggest worry right now :)

Well, Merwwy Chrwistmas  to you all! Love you all and hope that you are in the Christmas mood as much as I am! 

God Bless,

Sister Moreland