Christmas is Coming!

Hello family!
Wow, another week has gone by! It's getting closer to Christmas!! Yay!
This week we had I--'s baptism and confirmation. The spirit is so strong at baptisms, it helps me to know that I am doing what's right and and following my Savior. I am so grateful to have been able to help I-- along that path to enter the gate of baptism and be one step closer to returning to live with Heavenly Father, Christ, and her family forever!

On Sunday Sister G------ and I were late getting into class after sacrament meeting because we had some people we needed to talk to. Brother B--- (our ward mission leader) told us later that I-- asked to bear her testimony in class. She told everyone that she had been searching and going to other churches, but always felt like something was missing, but here after being baptized and confirmed she feels that she has found what she was looking for! I know that is because we have the GOSPEL restored and in its FULLNESS. We are a part of the same church that Christ organized when He was on the earth. Just think about that, how amazing is that to know that the priesthood power that Christ has to teach and to heal and to perform all the miracles he did, is the same priesthood power on the earth today!?! I've known that all my life, and yet the thought of it still amazes me and reminds me of how blessed I am!

I love you all! Have a great week!
Love,
Sister Goodwin

Aren't People Just Amazing!

Hello family!

This week was great! We had our last couple of lessons with I--, she had her baptismal interview and is ready to go for the baptism on Saturday!! We are so excited for her and she is getting really excited. It is so great to see the change that has occurred in her life and in her brother's family- they are LDS and I-- is living with them right now. I am not sure how active her brother was before we came to Carson, but he is now and will be the one to baptize her!

We ran into an interesting lady this week while trying to find a less-active. The lady invited us into her apartment and told us about experiences that she's had of seeing visions, and how Christ is a big part of her life. She is also really caring about other people. She told us we could come back and visit with her again, so she is a potential right now. It's funny how you will see someone and picture them being a member of the church and how happy their lives can be. That is what I saw her when we were talking with her and I really hope she will be open about hearing the gospel, because it will make her life better than it is right now.

We also had a good visit with S-----, I can't remember what I've mentioned about her, she is less-active. We don't even have her records in the ward. But we went over yesterday and talked about hope, because part of her family won't talk to her or really have anything to do with her right now (her grown-up daughters) and her family means everything to her. It makes me so sad and I just want to be able to fix everything for her, but I can't. I think she is going through this right now so that she can re-grow her testimony in the gospel and not rely so much on it being centered around her family. She hasn't read the Book of Mormon for a couple years so we left a copy with her (hers is packed away somewhere still) and a chapter in Moroni to read. She said she would and I could just feel her willingness to learning about the gospel again. I really think she is ready to gain that testimony again. I'm not sure how long it will take but I am so excited to see her progress.

Aren't people just amazing! I am so privileged to be a part of these people's lives and the lives of others here in Carson. Here in Nevada! I know that the Lord is watching out for me each day and is giving me strength. I have to remind myself sometimes of how much I have felt the Lord's hand in my life these 4 months so far that I've been on my mission! I am so grateful and so honored to be a personal representative of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. I wear His name because I am doing His work. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of my Savior. I know that He lived and died for each and every one of us! And that is birth is the most important thing we should remember during the Christmas season and also throughout the year.
I love you all! Thanks for your support! Have a great week!!!

Love,
Sister Goodwin

Remember Christ Everyday

 Change the "his" to "her" and it's perfect for Lori

 Lori in the church parking lot...in the pouring rain

Decorating the Zone Leaders car as a prank on P-Day

 Ward Christmas Party

Hello family!!
Can you believe it is December already!! Crazy! We got a ton of rain this last weekend which is very abnormal for Nevada! The church parking lot looked like a swimming pool!
So this week I had a new experience- we went to visit a less active member, and well he wouldn't shake our hands, he cussed us out, and threw us off of his property. Yes, very welcoming as you can see. The rest of the week was better than that! We had 2 lessons with I---, we have taught her pretty much everything and are now preparing for her baptism on the 15th! Yay!

We should have had a lesson with G---- yesterday, but she was with her grandma and her parents didn't know when she would be back. So, we visited with her parents- they really like having missionaries over, but I don't think they would admit it to us. So we shared with them the Christmas story out of the Book of Mormon. If you didn't know it was in there, read 1 Nephi 11.
And we have a new investigator!! Yay! Her name is P----, she is a friend of one of the families in our ward. We went to her apartment and watched the Christmas devotional. We asked her what she thought of it and she mentioned a few things that stuck out to her- about being willing to not only give but to receive also and I can't remember at the moment what else she said. Then we talked about how we can be together with our families forever, and how baptism washes away all our sins, even at her age (in her 60s probably) and she just had a look of such relief on her face when we told her that. And she told us herself that she thinks she is ready to listen! GOLDEN!! I am so excited to get to know her better and teach her the gospel! I am just amazed, my testimony is strengthened as I share with others the things that I have known all my life, that I have taken for granted.

I know that the gospel that I have to share with others is THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST! He is the center of everything that we teach, we would have no hope if it were not for his atoning sacrifice! I am so grateful for this Christmas season that we can remember the birth of our Savior even more and feel the "Christmas spirit." Remember the TRUE meaning of Christmas- remember Christ everyday, for the miracle He is for each and every one of us.
I love you all! Thank you for the support you are to me! Have a great week!
Love,
Sister Goodwin