聖誕快樂!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Singdaan Faailohk! 聖誕快樂!!

First of all, I'm STOKED to talk to you on Christmas! Yippeeeeeeeee! It will be so fun! Everyone else is calling their families on the 26th, but I'm happy I get to talk to you on actual Christmas. What a great present! :)

Mom. I have to tell you how much we all LOVED and DIED over your package. Cutest thing ever! I was feeling pretty bad last week and then I went home from emailing and opened up your package, and it was like the Christmas spirit just flew out of the package and into my heart. Instantly. It was pretty cool :) Everything in there was wrapped up SO CUTE and you made everything so happy! I LOVE those mints, and they made our office smell deliciously like Christmas! It was the best thing ever. I decorated our apartment, I remembered what Christmas is really about, and I felt so much better. Ah, I love you. You are incredible.

This week was so great! Christmas is Christmas, be it China or Utah or Antarctica! It's so happy. Everyone is sooooo happy! Everyone has been giving us SO MANY PRESENTS! It's been fun. We have a good pile going around the Christmas tree you sent, Mom. So fun :)

Okay gosh I'm like already out of time... but that's okay cause I get to talk to you soon! :)

This week:

F thought that Heavenly Father was a demon because he punished her for not coming to church last Sunday (she had a bunch of problems at work). We helped resolve her concern, read the BOM with her, and gave her a Christmas card we had written for her. The next day, she had posted a picture of the card on Facebook {hey, did you know I use Facebook now? :)} and she told us she knows Heavenly Father loves her. CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!

W called us on Friday night freaking out about every problem in the book -- fasting, tithing, drinking tea, going to church for 3 hours, on and on and on. I talked to her for a long time but at the end of the conversation, she said she was going to go back to her old church and never come back to ours. I was so frustrated and sad and overwhelmed and devastated that I just started bawling when I got off the phone. But right when I hit "end", I hit my knees and prayed so hard that Heavenly Father would soften her heart. Right after I got done with my prayer, our elders sent us a scripture text and it was PERFECT for W. I sent it to her, and she showed up at church on Sunday. She walked into Sunday School and Sister Tidwell and I were like grabbing each other like we couldn't believe it. CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!

Sorry I only have time to share two. But those are the miracles that make up my days lately. Every day there are more and more, and I am amazed and humbled by the things my Father is giving me for Christmas. He's already given me the most wonderful opportunity, to be here in China and be learning and growing so much! I love it SO much!

I know that Jesus Christ lives. Sometimes it randomly hits me in the middle of personal study or out in the street or during a lesson. He LIVES. Which means He didn't just come to earth and perform the Atonement and say it was done. He lives, right now, and in our hardest moments, I know He is there. That knowledge gets me through the tough times. I am so incredibly grateful to have the chance to serve Him -- really, truly serve Him, with all that I am and all that I have. It's the most sacred privilege. He was born so that He could save us all. It really is Joy to the World!

Glory to God in the HIGHEST! I love you all! Merry Christmas!

Love,
Sister Gwok (so apparently in British pingyam it's spelled Kwok... but I like Gwok better. And you pronounce it Gwok... soooo. Yeah. and stuff ;)
xoxo