Apple Sauce

Okay guys, hi, so I'm sitting here thinking, "okayy Heavenly Father, what am I supposed to write home today? ..hmmm?" and then I thought, "if only you could know the stati (statuses) of your family and friends...for if you knew, then you could estimate at what capacity you could share the week's events, and more importantly, the week's learnings."

It's crazy how fast our mind thinks. Like right now, just as I'm typing you, I'm thinking of like three different things to add after it and woh this is weird and now I'll just finally cut the chase.

Could you all PLEASE please please email me back this week and share the following?:

1. Do you feel promptings from the Holy Ghost? How often?

2. What do those promptings typically feel like?

3. How do you KNOW they are promptings from the Lord, and not from the adversary?

4. How often do you act on them?

5. How often do you look back to see the blessings and goodness verses nothingness that occurs?

6. What miracles have you seen, and how has your testimony grown?

7. How is following promptings of the Spirit helping you with your relationship with Christ and his vision for you and your life (earthly and post-mortum)?

Okay, cool, so once I learn those things, I can share even MORE probably. Well, at least I will be able to understand where you all are at, because it really matters to me. Like a lot :) #WeBeAgents

Hahaha, alright, so now for some temporal world goodstuff!! Christmas was absolutely riveting!! We had a very spiritual experience with many sister missionaries in our zone. Sister Smith (whom we live with) helped us make a large breakfast (similar to the one my grandparents and parents make. YES!), and then we had a renovated nativity scene, focusing primarily on any sort of woman that might have been present at Christ's birth. It was incredible!

THEN we emailed our families (SUPER YES)!! I missed my cousins, but WOW it was amazing to be with you six (and the g-ma-pa). Bear turning 18, blossoming like a large lily. Chlo-bot in such an adorable relationship, painting money-makers. Meken Ben staying busy, loving the dating scene, and pinpointing academia. Parentals, wow, always inspired, creating a most beautiful home and involved in courageous, seriously cool work. MEGA YESSS!

Highlights for the week:

-Kayleigh Wright was baptized! She is nine, but super elect. Her non-member family have also been working toward baptism, we felt prompted to help her be baptized super last minute because, just as her confirmation blessing said, she is to be a shining light on the path to righteousness for her family.

-Caroling Christmas night!! Also, there were some adjustments to the zone's leadership, and some past friends have come in to help us serve. WOW I am excited, and loved caroling with like thirty elders and just us sisters. One sweet family cried a whole bunch, from Mexico, and said they'd never received such a gift. Sometimes I wish Americans were as pleased by simple acts as many other cultures are...haha

-Lavonne screamed for at LEAST a few long seconds when she found out she has a ride to the Salt Lake Temple in April. She will be quitting smoking asap (she is a lesser-active member we get to work with :D)

-Sawyer is still opening up emotionally, removing the mechanic mindset, and considering going to school in Utah as he continues preparing for batpism. Don't know why he would give up admission to Harvard to attend the University of Utah, but I'm certain there's no better place! (i may be JUST a tad biased... haaha)

-Hermana Wheadon and I are the happiest clams on the sea. I have never experienced this level of efficient work and open communication with a companion before. It is blissful and hard working on a totally new, and refining level that i just LOVE.

I hope you all had an AMAZING Christmas! I really do hope to hear from you and your comments on feeling the Holy Ghost. I love you I love you I LOVE YOU! (elf style)

Best,

Sister Murphalurph

Happy Christmas, Harry!

[PREFACE: I was punching this morning, feeling hard core, refining the posture and the punch throws and the step-one-twos, and as I was dancing up and down to "stay alive" my mind unexpectedly paused peacefully, and I tuned in to comprehend. There it was, right inside me, leaping in my heart, it was the Spirit. The world was violent and rambunctious around me, a cacophony of dubstep and yet glowing within was the Holy Ghost.]

The door stretched open and we scrambled inward, toward the sisters sitting attentively as Sawyer spoke. The WSU Engineer Hall was spacious and filled with numberless tables and chairs, his refined English echoing around. We apologized, sat, and I focused on the table's smooth surface and breathed, in, out, in and out, calming my rapid pulse, meditating in preparation for a most meaningful meeting.

He was weary and worn from a 12 hour day of college and work, his eyes flittering exhaustedly. He apologized, and we small talked. Soon we asked, "so why? what changed from yesterday to today? what happened?" He proceeded to explain he had slept a mere 4 hours within the past 48 hours, studying desperately to know if this church is true. His passion was eminent, as was his disappointment. "Do you honestly believe that John Taylor was a prophet? How could you possibly support such a man full of himself?" Sawyer was attacking us. After enduring a dark and harrowing rant we finally interrupted, "We have just one important point to bring to you in answer to your questions and accusations. In all that you have studied and searched of the Book of Mormon and prophetic books have you yet sought for the testament of Christ within their pages?"

He stopped. He pondered. He set his hand on the book of Mormon as it sat on the table, pensive. Minutes of silence passed by, and he uttered, passionately, "No. You have pointed out my flaw, you have called me out perfectly. Let us put everything that has happened in the past until now aside. I will start as if it were the first time we ever met and I will listen to exactly what YOU want to teach. Teach me more. I will be baptized in January, and I will do whatever you ask of me. We will try this now, a new, and better way."

My heart leaped, and the Spirit swarmed surrounding.

Later that week after a couple more visits he later texted to Sister Wheadon and I, "Thank you for your lessons...I feel the Spirit speaking thru u...I have no words to describe your love. It's so genuine and it overwhelmingly fills my soul."

Keep in mind, my dear friends, that the things I share now with you are very sacred, very precious to me. Normally these are the experiences I refrain from sharing with you all in a letter such as this, and I do not seek for my own approval and accolades. However, I feel a push and a need to share these things with you, I feel the Spirit now as I type, an assurance that one of you out there, just maybe one of you reading, this message is for YOU.

Please do not spoil nor trod on the things I have shared. Sawyer has an eloquent mind and a tender heart, he is truly broken and contrite thanks to the rebuke and comfort of the Spirit of the Lord, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. This is so real, so inexplicably real. Becoming a vessel in His hands has been.... words cannot describe..

Christmas is coming. The light of the Savior is filling every doorway stand and glowing grass figurines. The baby Jesus is everywhere, an God-inspired action to the world to remind us constantly that He Is The Gift. And this gospel, the glorious truth that sets us free, it too is The Gift. Discover it. Embrace it. Share it. That you might do this is my cry and plea to the Father, sincerely, for the joy it gives me, that it fills in every fiber of my and my companion's beings as we anxiously engage in His Hastening work, is the greatest gift of all.

I love you all, wow I love you. I am sorry I have no time to send or write much to you.... but please know, that Christ loves you. He loves you so much. He is mindful of everything you do, and desires your salvation as he beckons you to follow Him.

This is my testimony and desire, knowing completely that Christ is our Savior.

I love you I love you, Happy Christmas :)

Sister Murphy

Alma 36:3 (texted to us from Sawyer)

SNAPAROO: Hermana Wheadon, Sister Haren, Sister Barlocker, Sister Murphatron, ugly sweater zone specialized training party and recording a beautiful song (I played piano... obriously..)

Damos damos damos!‏

Hola amigos, hows it going?? Just a painfully rigid morning in Wichitarr today! Got up, threw a few punches and crunchitized my tummy fat, turned up the Boye and threw on a large sweater, and shouted IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

Hahaha, that last part may have been a lie, but wow I really wish I WOULD have shouted that. Doin it doin it everyday now, starting NOW!

IT'S CHRISTMAAAAAS!! I'm just really enjoying the holiday cheer :) Did I ever tell you of that one doorstep approach to this one cute brunette girl and not only did she listen to the whole first lesson in the doorway but she also gave us each a fresh hot coacoa? See now THAT is a Christmas spirit :) I want to be like that, and like "Buddy the elf, what's your favorite color?" "What's a Christmas gram, I want one!!!" to everyone we meet!

Last night we had soup at the Bishops house, and he picked up one of our new investigators Sushrutha (sushi for short) from India. Well NO, he didn't like fly out to India to pick him up, you silly! He is just at WSU here and wanted to learn more about our doctrine! He says ever since some particularly traumatizing and interesting home life stories he converted from Islam to believing in Christ. Since then he has researched and attended dozens of churches to learn which was right. We got so excited, last night Bishop testified that he doesn't really need to look further, because he found it. He found the priesthood. It reminds me of something Elder Covey said some years back, "Anyone who is keeping the commandments, regardless of what denomination or belief system they are one, will eventually be led to the covenant gospel." And we get to be the lucky missionaries to help him at his monumental turning point :)

Sue was baptized on Saturday!! She has had it so rough the past couple of weeks, it was such a gift to see her eyes wet with tears from the powerful bright Holy Ghost that entered her heart this weekend. She's all a-glow now, truly on fire!! Also, a particular fam we were led to and have been working with includes four gorgeous girls ranging from 9-16. All of them are desperate to be baptized. In fact, just as we were explaining the Priesthood they said of their own accord, "so when can WE get baptized??" despite having been baptized into another church, they just KNEW this is all true and right and they must be a part of it! Sorry I have so many run-on sentences today... hahaha. The family is just a goldmine of referrals, a boyfriend and soon their have accepted a baptismal date also. The other family we have been working with is finally being passed to the right church ward today, and we are happy they too are greatly anticipating baptism on the 24th this month.

Basically Bel Aire ward is on fire. Our zone sisters also are on fire, the zone training was exceptionally revelatory, and the work is hastening!!

I've got the Pine Minister brightly beaming now, and like an Airwick plugin he shoots clouds of wintergreen smell near our noses during our morning studies. I'm grateful my mother (and father, and Heavenly Father), have taught me to thoroughly enjoy the little things :) The holidays are just chock-full of small happy notes!!

I hope, of course, that you are all merrily dashing through the season, and giving at every opportunity!! These miracles I KNOW are because of the Savior, and wow what a great month of constant giving and giving back.

Love you all dearly!!

Best,

Hermana Murphatron