Letter #39

Good Morning!

I hope your Thanksgiving was great and that you ate lots of pie and turkey! Sounds like it was a good time having Kathie and Konnie's family down! That is something that I really missed. Being with the family. We had Thanksgiving at our Bishops and it was just his small family there but it was still nice. You said that you had some of the family write to me but I didn't receive any e-mails from any of them?? Maybe you could try sending them again? That would be great! :D And thank you so much for sending me the treat! It's super delish! Anyways, this past week was pretty good. We were able to see a lot of people and most of our appointments followed through. We had a really great lesson with our investigator Karen. She has a problem with Priesthood Authority and Joseph Smith so we felt prompted to show her the full version of the Restoration from Joseph Smith's mother's point of view. After the movie, she told us that she gained a lot of knowledge and has a lot to think about. We invited her to pray specifically to know if the church is true and she said she would so i'm super anxious to meet with her again this week. I have actually been studying the life of Joseph Smith lately and it astounds me at how much he went through and the sacrifices that he made so that we could have the Book of Mormon and also the Priesthood authority again on the earth. I also think about Emma and the many things that she endured throughout her life. I truly look up to the Saints especially our ancestors and am grateful for their sacrifices. If you could talk to grandma and send me some information on my great great grandfather William Clayton, I would really love that! We also have been working with a less active lady named Maggie and her daughter Rebecca. They are so great! She's part Native American and has tons of neat things from her heritage in her home and she makes these cool little bags called "Blessing Bags". She has lived a pretty hard life but is such a strong women. Her story kind of reminds me of Cinderella but more sad. She has a son in-law who is a Rapper and she told us that he has performed with Tech Nine. Ryan knows who they are! Haha! I think he would really like this guy. Is Ryan and Kelli still living in Hurricane? Anyway, I just want to let you know how truly grateful I am for you and for our whole family. I feel so blessed to be apart of it. I can't express how much love I have for you guys and how much I truly care for each one of you. Everyday when I see families together, I just think of our family and think about how lucky I am to have the BEST family in the world. I also look at other families and it makes me so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary. I love the quote... Missionary: Somebody who leaves there family for a short time so others can be with theirs for eternity. I love that I have the chance everyday to bring others to this wonderful gospel and help them to know of Christs divinity. I love my Savior with all my soul and I am forever grateful to Him for His Atoning Sacrifice. For the joy and peace that this gospel brings into my life. I'm grateful for this holiday season that we have to reflect upon His birth and rejoice in his life. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have hope. He is the way and the only way that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father and to be with our families forever. I thank you for raising me to be the person I am today. I honestly can't express the love that I have for this family and for all that each of you do and have done for me. Thank you. I love you all so much and hope that you have just the best week. I LOVE YOU!!!!

Love,

Lyndsie :)

P.S. Sister Opheim and I have been getting little red dots all over our bodies, mostly our legs. We aren't quite sure what they are but she thinks that it's fleas! I sure hope that's not the case! EEEEEWW!!