Week #16

HELLOOOO to all my family and friends,

This was a great week. The Christmas season is thee greatest time of year. I hope you are enjoying the Light the World campaign. It truly is so amazing. We have seen so many miracles and the happiness that it brings when we strive to be more like the Savior.

This weekend we attended Night in Bethlehem. It is a live nativity that is put on by the Odessa stake. They go all out. The church owns a good chunk of land out there, which everyone is hoping a temple gets built there. Anyways the stake sets up a Bethlehem village. They have characters dressed up and acting. They have booths that you can walk around and interact with all the characters. There is a station where you can dress up clothes from that time era and take a picture. We took Rose with us Saturday evening. It was such a spiritual experience. She loved all the booths. Then there is a trumpet played and these big wooden doors are opened. You walk into a field and sit on benches and then the nativity is performed. Rose kept telling us how strong she felt the spirit. It was an incredible experience. She brought her friend and the whole time she was saying wow I'm just so happy! Sunday evening we took Ligia. She has been struggling lately and has a lot on her plate. When she watched the nativity she simply said "I got an answer to my prayer." That's all she told us. I realized that she was able to feel the enabling power of the atonement. When we focus on Jesus Christ and his gospel we truly can get though any trial that is put in our path. Sister Bowen and I always say that Satan is secretly building the kingdom of god. When we are faced with a temptation the only option we have is to turn to the Lord. He helps us to overcome them and strengthens us. Without opposition there would be no opportunity for us to grow.

Our lessons with Rose are going really well. She is progressing and keeping all of her commitments. When we first met her she told us that she would never give up coffee. We taught her the word of wisdom and she committed to give it up. We got a text on Wednesday that said "second day with out coffee I can do this!" Wow she is an incredible daughter of god. The lord has definitely taught me that he is preparing hearts all over the world. She is still on tract and getting baptized in Christmas!!

I don't have a lot of time today but I hope that all of you have a very. Merry CHRISTmas this year. Please remember the Savior this season as we have the opportunity to celebrate his birth. He is the reason that all of us can make it back to our Father in Heaven. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I love being his missionary and being apart of this sacred work!!

Love,

Sister Graham