It's the most wonderful time of the year

December 3rd letter~
We have spent a lot of time in Kirtland this past week.. But I just love being at sites so much!!!! Not only in Kirtland but the Johnson Farm as well. We went there a few days ago because one of the senior couples is moving to Kirtland this week. We stopped by and had them bear their testimonies in the revelation room. It's so incredible to sit in those sacred rooms and just think about all of the things that took place there. I can't wait for the WHOLE WORLD to visit the historic sites in Ohio. On Friday we were in Kirtland and they had a local HS Choir come in and do a little concert. I miss choir so much :[ I'm never in the audience and it was wierd!!! But it was the Kirtland ward's night at sites so I got to see all of the people I love in that ward. It was awesome :] So many cool things have happened since I've been there. Lot's of people going on missions :D

We have been tracting a lot and doing a lot of follow ups with people we meet. Hopefully something amazing will come of that :] And it's been awesome because the weather has been perfect!!!!!! Oh my gosh I love Ohio weather because it's just gray and foggy and mid 50's.. Perfect!!!! We met this really cute couple yesterday tracting. The old man was sitting outside while his wife was loading up the car. We talked about Supernatural because their dog's name was Castiel. We talked to them about the Book of Mormon and they were way open to reading it. They said they didn't claim a religion but believe that Christ is our Savior. They also said they had been meeting with JW for a few years. They go over every week and read from the Bible. Sooooo.. haha we'll see. There are a lot of JW here and EVERYBODY thinks that's who we are. But we aren't.

Didn't you LOVE the Christmas Devotional?! We watched it with the S's and it was so good!!!! I have been thinking a lot about gifts recently and thinking about the gifts that Heavenly Father has given me. When Pres. Uctdorf was talking about not only being a good giver but a good receiver it kind of just tied together all of the thoughts I've been having lately. I mean, we give gifts because we love people. Heavenly Father loves us so He gives us gifts. We need to use those/bless others and not take them for granted. But I do sometimes. But there's this one gift that I have been given that I just can't seem to figure out how to develop it.. It's so strange! I really just have no idea. But I am really grateful for the gifts I have been given. Now on a more temporal level, people give us gifts all the time through like physical gifts and like compliments.. Just the two I've been focused on. And recently I have developed this habit of being all weird about it. But that's really ungrateful to be all wierd! I don't know. Just something that's been on my mind. Gifts are awesome and they are definitely a way of showing love--See The 5 Love Languages ;]

Sorry my thoughts are a little jumbled. I hope all is well. Ohio is great. I love it.

Sister Maynard. 

December 10th letter~

Hello Everybody.

This has been kind of a strange week. We have been meeting a lot of people and teaching lessons but then nothing happens and they don't progress. We met this one guy who was way solid. He let us teach him all about the Book of Mormon and asked if he could have a copy and said we could come back the next day. So we did and he wasn't home :[ But we're going to try again because he really seemed interested.

We have been praying/fasting a lot to find the elect. Are any of these people we're meeting the elect? I don't know.. I don't really know how to know without teaching them until the end. I really hope that they are. I'm ready to start seeing success. It's frustrating to not have any idea the impact I'm having here. But I know that Heavenly Father is going to do what He wants with my efforts here. We're working hard to find people and we will. Maybe we already have.. Again, I don't know. I just feel kind of lost as to what to do next.

We had a zone meeting a few days ago and it was a little over my head but amazing some of the things they were teaching us. Somebody from Salt Lake came out and trained all of our leaders on a new technique or something. Okay, it was a lot over my head and I don't really understand it. BUT I know it will work when I finally figure it out. They also introduced something that H has been doing in her mission where you ask to leave a blessing on people's homes. They didn't go over it too much but I'm excited to learn. We are going to see some really big results when we start using these things in our missionary work.

Christmas is coming :] Still no snow here so it's been awesome. It feels like Christmas at home but people here actually want a white Christmas and I don't get it. But it's supposed to be snowing here soon. Here is a link to a video that you may or may not have seen before. It's from last year but still amazing!

Love you,

Sister Maynard.