"Believe" - Joshua 3:5 - December 26, 2022

 Merry Christmas!!!!! 

It was quite an exciting week here in Fairmont, WV! I am so excited to tell you all about it!

We had Zone Conference on Tuesday! It was sooo good! We got up at 5:30 and drove to Sissionville, WV. We arrived early so we could practice the songs we were singing with some of the other missionaries. At 11 am everything started! There were six different "stations" we traveled around to. Each one related back to Jesus Christ's birth in Bethlehem. It was so cool! For the last half of zone conference we had a musical devotional. It was beautiful! There were different Christmas songs that went along with people reading the Christmas story. One of my favorites was when we sang "Mary, Did You Know?" Mary was the mother of the Son of God. Did she comprehend all the magnificent things He would do in His life when she held Him in her arms that night? It was a beautiful performance and I'm so grateful for the Spirit we could feel there. 

Wednesday was good. We did lots of knocking and met some nice people! One of those persons was Mary! She and her friend, Jennie, were getting in her car to go somewhere when we walked by. We said hello and started a conversation! We ended by asking if we could come by again the next day and Mary said yes! Thursday morning arrived and we drove to her house. It. Was. Amazing. We talked with Mary for a bit and then began sharing the Message of the Restoration with her. The Spirit was tangible. Mary was amazed to hear that we have a Prophet on the earth today! She almost started to cry. When we testified of the Book of Mormon and handed her her own copy she again was so happy she didn't know what to say. The setting was perfect and the Spirit was there so we invited Mary to be baptized. She said it was interesting that we should ask because just the other day she was thinking about how she had never been baptized but wanted to be. She gladly accepted! We are going to see Mary again tomorrow!! I can't wait!!

Th rest of Thursday was FULL of lessons! We stopped by lots of ward members and shared Christmas messages with them. It was so wonderful! The while day I felt so happy being out and about. This work is a work of joy!! And it's a wonderful time of year to be spreading that joy. 

Friday was freezing. We woke up to a little snow and lots of wind!! The weather report said it was 1⁰ outside but with the wind chill it felt like -20⁰!!! WHAT?! We had our district council meeting over zoom because President Lindahl asked us not to leave our apartments until further notice came around noon. It was pretty exciting! Sister Nelson and I tried to go visit some other people but slid a little on the ice and decided not to take our chances on the hills and roads of West Virginia, haha! We did walk to a couple people! Saturday was about the same, freezing temperatures and lots of keeping warm inside. It all turned out great, though! The work still moved forward!

Sunday was Christmas Day!! It was wonderful attending church and worshipping Jesus Christ on His birthday! When we go to church half the building was flooded!! A sprinkler pipe had burst! Lots of ward members were helping to clean up the water. What an adventure!! We had a musical Christmas performcae for Sacrament Meeting. The Sister Nelson and I performed with the Relief Society, the youth and the elders! It was so good! We had Christmas Dinner with the Bishop and his family. It was so wonderful! I am so grateful for this beautiful time of year when it seems the while world is truly turning to Christ.

Song of the Week: "Believe" by Josh Groban. This is my favorite Christmas song. If we just believe, everything in our lives will change. It may not be that suddenly we will have everything we've ever wanted but we will gain a new perspective of life. I love the magic of Christmas time. Even though I'm older and a little wiser we can still keep that magic alive by believing. One of my favorite Christmas books is "I Belive in Santa Claus." Santa Claus is a type and shadow of Christ. They both bring gifts, wear red, and come in the night. This week's scripture is Joshua 3:5. When we believe that wonderful things will happen, they will!! When we put that belief in Jesus Christ then anything is possible. I know Jesus Christ lives and that He is my Savior and Redeemer. He was born in a stable more than 2,000 years ago and He will come again.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Talk to y'all next Monday!


Love,
 Sister Sariah Francis






Pictures!!!
Mission Posterity - I trained Sister Morales and she trained Sister Bywater

We went to Montana

Beautiful WV

Frozen WV

Sister Nelson and I all bundled up

Bundled up by the river

Bundled up by the river

Bundled up by the river

A Christmas Gift from my family

Tri-Zone Conference



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