The Best Kinds of Gifts

Hello! 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas! Thanks again to everyone that sent packages! I felt very loved :)

We had another amazing week here in ID! Being a missionary in Idaho at Christmas is seriously the best. The members take such good care of us and make sure we have everything we need for the holidays! You should see our house! It is filled with so many treats and candy that we will never be able to eat all by ourselves!

I've come to learn on my mission that Christmas is not about the material gifts we receive. It is about Jesus Christ and trying to Light the World like he did. The most meaningful and special gifts I received this year were not new clothes, new technology, or even food! They were gifts of seeing people come closer to Christ, gifts of love and family, gifts of eternal significance.

Here are just a few of the magnificent gifts I received this year:

1. Maddy got baptized! Friday night, Maddy was able to be baptized by her uncle and it was really good! She wanted me to speak on the Holy Ghost and I just got to share some of the blessings that come from having that gift. Then she got confirmed on Christmas day! 

2. We met with Mallory a couple days before Christmas and had a good lesson and afterwards, she gave us our Christmas presents, which were bracelets that symbolized "unexpected miracles". She told us that we were her little miracles that helped her come back to Christ and become a better person. Her mom was there also and she thanked us for all we had done for Mallory too. It was just a really rewarding moment to know that we have helped someone return to the gospel! 

3. We are also teaching this in-active couple, Ron and Debie, who are some of my favorite people in the world. We've been meeting them for probably 4 or 5 months now and they have come so far! Debie has never been active in the church and she just barely finished (within the time we've been teaching her) the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price. And shes halfway through the Doctrine and Covenants. We had an awesome lesson with them this week and they did the same thing Mallory did, just thanked us for everything we have done for them and we all just cried. It was so sweet. And then, the grand finale: they came to church on Christmas for the first time in like 20 years!! It was so awesome! 

4. I got to talk to my family! It was so much fun to see them and talk for a little bit! Its crazy to think I'll be able to see them in person in just 7 weeks! 

So things are good here! Still loving my mission so much. I am so very grateful for the miracles I see everyday and the gifts of love and happiness I get all year long.

I love you all so much! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Until next time,

Sister Park