Kenzie in Kirtland

Alright.. This week. I'm not even really sure what happened. It been a crazy week. Probably more downs then ups BUT the ups always make up for the downs.. R is so over meeting with us which has been rough. We watched him change so much and the gospel was really helping him but I guess he's not totally ready and committed yet. So we are just focusing on J and finding new gators. We met this one girl tracting and it was awesome. Of course we have to tract the neighborhood with the street "Yorkshire" in it, right?! Well the first lady we knocked on was really not happy that we knocked on her door. Ohhhhh boy. Sometimes people are just not very nice. And it's always annoying when it's the first door. But a few houses later we met C!!! She talked to us for 15 minutes and seemed to have a lot of faith in Jesus Christ and she was interested in the Book of Mormon. We introduced it a little bit and prayed with her and went on our way. We have an appt with her in a few hours so hopefully that works out. She seems really solid. Then we tracted this little side road and met F! We'll see what the Book of Mormon can do for him. He also seemed really interested in reading it :]

It was snowing for a bit a few days ago and we definitely tracted in it. It was so cold and we just laughed the whole time at how ridiculous it was that we were outside walking in the snow for hours. But it was fun. I think that I will definitely be over snow by the time I get home.. And I'm currently the driver so pray for us that I can learn how to drive in the snow super fast. I have a few times so far but it hasn't been bad.

Thanksgiving was awesome. We loved every minute of it! We spent time with the S's and then went to the P's and had a great time there and then we headed off to Kirtland to spend time with the missionaries. We watched Emma and I just love that movie! It was so good! Emma was such an incredible woman. I love being able to learn about her so much at the sites. She went through a lot but she knew that Joseph was called of God to be the prophet and she fully supported him.

Our Nativity display at sites also started. It's so beautiful. I have never appreciated Nativies more in my life then I do now. So many people come in from around the area to see them and they just love it. It's the perfect opportunity to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Man, He really is the center of everything. NONE of this would be possible without Him. We wouldn't be able to change and become better people, we wouldn't be able to be with our families forever, or return to Heavenly Father.. It wouldn't be possible! But Heavenly Father loves us so He sent His Son for us.. Isn't that incredible?! It makes me think of when King Benjamin is talking to the people about how we aren't even as much as the dust of the earth (Mosiah2:25) and yet, Heavenly Father has a perfect love for us. The holiday season is amazing. I know that it's not even December yet but Christmas begins early in Kirtland haha. And we get to dress up in nativity costumes with the little kids that come in :] I'll see if I can get some pictures because it's AWESOME! 

 Oh, another cool story.. We have been going through our former gator pile to find people to teach and we called this lady a few weeks ago but didn't get in touch with her or something.. But we're tracting a few days ago and this man opened the door and says, "My wife isn't home right now.. She should be home in 20, but do you want to come in wait until she gets back?" We were like uhhh... We'll just stay out here :] so we talked to him for a bit and he told us his name and we realized this was the house of the woman we called a few weeks ago!!!! They were taught a few years ago and we're going to try to pick them back up.  

Kay, one last thing. Yesterday was just aboslutely amazing. We had zone conference with a few other zones. We started off in the Kirtland Temple and sang Christmas songs and some people in the mission leadership bore their testimonies. Then we sang more Christmas songs. Then we split up into zones and we all had the opportunity to bear witness of our Savoir in a place where he has shown His face more than 4 times that we know of. Probably a lot more.. So many incredible things happened in the Kirtlnad Temple and of course we got to sing The Spirit of God. But bearing my testimony is something I don't like doing when it's not teaching. I just get all nervous and stuff and don't know what to say so I just avoid it. But I had to yesterday. So I just prayed that my words would be guided by the spirit and I just went for it. It's not very often that I feel my words are guided by the spirit but I really felt that yesterday as I was sharing with others that I know that Christ is my Savoir and that He loves us so much. This is all true.. What an amazing work that we're doing. Not just full time missionaries but everybody who shares their testimonies of the Savoir with others. When it truly comes from the heart the spirit will always be there to bear witness of the truthfulness of your words. I. Love. It.  I love this gospel. I love Heavenly Father's perfect plan for us. HE LOVES US!!!!!!

Sister Maynard.

Ps. Check out Ness. mormon.org/vanessa I love her as well. And check out mormon.org/christmas. There's lots of fun things going on with church media!!!