Temples, Testimonies, and Turkeys‏

Holiday season already? Bizarre! There's no way I'm ready for it! It hit me just the other day that my 6 month mark is next week! How is that even possible?! It does NOT feel like I've been gone for 6 months! It's gone by so fast! It feels like just yesterday that I entered the MTC! Oh how things have changed! It's been amazing to see how much I've grown in the last 6 months! I read journal entries from the MTC and its a day and night difference! I'm so grateful for the experience of being on a mission! I have learned so many things that wouldn't have been learned any other way!

We set up a little Christmas tree in our apartment, so mom, it's ok that I wasn't there to set up ours this year cause I'm still getting the practice in!:)

So before I talk about the week, let me clarify the doctor's appointment so you don't freak out! I've just had some headaches for the last couple months and the mission nurse just wants me to get it looked at because all of the things we've tried so far haven't worked. It's ok though! It's not a big deal. No need to worry about me!:)

This week has been so wonderful! Wednesday we got to go to the temple! Once a transfer isn't enough, but I'm so grateful that I get to go at all! I feel so bad for all the missionaries who don't get to go at all during their missions! I'm really blessed! It was such a beautiful night! It was snowing and I got some pretty great pictures! Being in the temple is such a wonderful experience! It's always so nice to feel the love that our Heavenly Father has for all His children and to be able to receive revelation for what I can do for His children here in Irondequoit! After we got done at the temple, we went over to the Smith Farm. The only other time I'd been to the Smith Farm at night, in the dark, was during the summer when the Fireflies come out! But let me tell you something! That place is almost just as peaceful as the temple! Walking down Stafford Rd in the snow was magical! No one but the Sisters that serve here will ever really know what this road is and how sacred it is! I've had so many revelatory moments walking up this gravel road after a tour. This road is more than just a road, just like the sacred grove is more than just a patch of trees. It's a sacred place that you never really understand until you serve here!
I remember a moment at the beginning of my mission where I was having a hard time. For the first time in my life I questioned my testimony of Joseph Smith. It was so intimidating having to testify of him daily in these sacred places, and for the first time, I didn't know if I really had that testimony or not. For days I was frustrated. For days I struggled. But one day, I finished up my tour and bore testimony that Joseph Smith really was a prophet and that the things that we talked about really did happen and that God really does answer our prayers. After I sent this family into the Sacred Grove, I started walking back up Stafford Rd. and I prayed as hard as I knew how and pleaded with Heavenly Father to help me to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I begged to have my testimony confirmed. I remember this moment as if it was yesterday! I got to the point in the road where if you look one way, you can see the temple and if you look the other way, you see the sacred grove and looked at the temple. With tears in my eyes, I knelt down and prayed out loud. And I received my answer. I can't even explain the feelings of peace and comfort that overcame me. At that moment I KNEW that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he restored our Savior's church to the earth! I KNEW that my Savior Jesus Christ is the head of this church and that He knows me and is aware of me! That is one of my fondest memories of the last 6 months!

Thanksgiving was great! One of the senior ladies from the ward had us over! It was a lot of fun! We really enjoyed it and we had a great dinner! (Not as good as back home, but good;) ) There is so much to be thankful for!:) Live in thanksgiving daily though! Don't let your gratitude disappear now that Thanksgiving is over!

So the church is doing a "He is the Gift" initiative for Christmas, where we talk about how Christ is the reason for the Christmas season! It's so amazing the effect it's had on our work!:) People LOVE to talk about Christ this time of year! So share your testimony of Christ and invite someone to go to christmas.mormon.org!:)

I love you all! Have a great week!

Lots of love!

Sister Nield