THIS IS WHERE I BELONG

Good morning sunshine(s), I am so happy to hear from all of you. I hope you have had a good week!! Yes we are bracing for the storm..the winter has been so unusual and pleasant so far but I am afraid that that will all change this week - SCARY!! :)

First I want to wish Dad a HAPPY BIRTHDAY on Thursday! I hope you know how much I love you. You never waver - you always know what to say and how to say it. You have taught me to love life and learning. To believe in myself and to trust in God. I am grateful for the way that you honor your Priesthood, the way you magnify your calling, the way you love mom and the unfailing support and opportunities you have provided for me, ralph, will, lucy and jake. Thank you for praying for me and for doing your part as a member missionary. You are changing peoples lives. I love you to the moon and back dad. I hope you have the best day. 

So the transfer is drawing to a close and I found out that I get to stay in Amherst!! I am grateful - I really do feel like this is where I belong (for now anyway:)) but Sister Coleman has been transferred to Newfoundland so i am getting a new companion! Her name is Sister Renda, she is from Utah and very sweet. She seems like a hard worker. I think she even went to Utah State - go aggies! She is an amazing violinist and I am looking forward to serving with her. 

We had a really great week. It seems like we are beginning to see some of the fruits of our labors. It is incredible. These are some of the miracles we witnessed. 

1. One night we went knocking and every single person answered their door!!! Not everyone was interested but at least we got to talk to them! We knew that we were meant to be there. 

2. Melinda is a member who has recently started coming back to church and while we were visiting her, her friend Walter showed up (who she had invited to a branch activity the week before - he loved it) and we asked him if he would be interested in learning about the church. He agreed!!! So we are going to teach him this week. 

3. Sister Coleman and I were asked to present a family history workshop to the genealogical society of Amherst. We were to teach them how to use familysearch.org, the features and all that it offers, etc. I am sad to report that before my mission I was completely oblivious to family history and did not do my part. On my mission i have learned more but we are not given much time to do family history so my knowledge is still VERY limited. The meeting that we went to was the most official meeting I have ever attended. People had to call the meeting to order and approve the agenda and "second that approval" - and so on..There were 18 experienced genealogists there and I was to teach them how to use our website!!!!!!!!!!!! That was definitely the most intimidating thing i have ever had to do in my life. Luckily, Sister Coleman knows much more than i do and we were able to do some research in advance. Plus, we prayed really hard and Heavenly Father helped us answer the really hard questions that they asked. It was a good experience. Oh how the mission helps us grow!! It was truly a miracle that we made it through and in the end they were very pleased with our presentation! 

As I have reflected on the past transfer I had this thought - we as humans often have such a limited perspective. We don't see too far ahead of our present circumstances, however, this transfer has taught me that even if we can't see the outcome of our striving to help build and lift and strengthen those around us. Our striving to become better, more useful instruments - GOD CAN. When we are patient, God will reward us. After all, 

"[His] thoughts are not [our] thoughts, neither are [our] ways [His] ways.." The Lord tells us, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) 

That is why it is so important that we move forward with faith, that we do the right things for the right reasons and that we patiently wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled. Because they will be. I am grateful to know that.

Thank you for being the best family in the world. I love you SO much! 

Grace and Jeff Homecoming her Sophmore year 2010

You make me happy.

Love, Sister G 

The Blood Clinic, The Book Of Mormon AND The Bridge

Bridge to Charlottetown, PEI

Hiiiiiiiiii I am so happy to talk to you today. It is positive degrees out which is crazy, eh? But again - I can't complain. This winter has been sooooo up and down, freezing then cold, rain and snow and wind. But ohhh well. We just go with it :)

THE BLOOD CLINIC

On Tuesday we decided to go to the blood clinic to donate blood as a service opportunity plus there are always a lot of great people to talk to while you are donating.. Sadly, my iron was too low so Sister Coleman went ahead alone. Everything went well, we chatted with the friendly workers and ate cookies and drank juice boxes when she was done. No problems - so we left. As soon as we sat down in the car (she was in the drivers seat) she whispered "I feel a little light headed" and then her head fell, I lifted her up and saw her eyes rolled back while she made weird gurgling noises. That was one of the scariest moments of my life. Going against all I had ever known (STAY WITHIN SIGHT AND SOUND OF YOUR COMPANION AT ALL TIMES) I said to my unconscious companion "wait here, I'll be right back" because that is what fell out of my mouth..and I ran back into the clinic for help. I was shaking more than Sister Coleman but everything worked out ok. Sister Coleman rested that afternoon and was ready to work by that evening. 

THE BOOK OF MORMON 

We have seen great success with the members and less actives over the last few weeks. It seems that everyone is so excited to read the Book of Mormon and their testimonies are growing. One member, Debi joined the church a few years ago and never seemed to make it passed(past?) 1 Nephi - she struggles with the unfamiliar words and has a difficult time understanding the story line so we have begun reading with her a few times a week. She loves it!! She wishes we could come EVERY DAY. It is amazing to see her love for the Book of Mormon grow and the light that enters her eyes as she understands it better and feels the love of God through it's pages. It was exciting for her when she found out that Christopher Columbus is prophesied of by Nephi. There is no denying that the Book of Mormon is true if only more people would READ it with REAL INTENT and PRAY about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Missionary work would EXPLODE. I love the Book of Mormon - I know that through it God speaks to us and can strengthen us in our individual and unique trials.

THE BRIDGE

We got to go on an unexpected exchange this weekend with the Charlottetown sisters!!!! The 10(ish) mile bridge stood beautifully in contrast with the white frozen water underneath. I stayed on the island while Sister C came back and worked in Amherst. It was a wonderful experience. I was in ward again for church yesterday which was very different, it has been a long time since I have seen that many people at church! They were all so friendly. I have grown to love meeting new people and witnessing the difference the gospel has made in the lives of all who live it. The church really is true no matter where you go - what a blessing it is. I worked with Sister Aslett who is from England so I got to listen to her accent all weekend!! AND I got to see Sister Turner again which always makes me SO HAPPY!! 

LAST THOUGHT - I read a talk that my aunt Natalie sent me this week - it was about HOPE (link). President Uchtdorf says - "There may be times when we must make a courageous decision to hope even when everything around us contradicts this hope. Like Father Abraham, we will “against hope [believe] in hope.”  Or, as one writer expressed, “in the depth of winter, [we find] within [us] an invincible summer.” 

What a beautiful thought. "An invincible summer." I believe that HOPE helps us be HAPPY even in the depth of the cold Canadian winter. I believe that God want us to have HOPE in Him and our Savior and to allow that HOPE to change us and propel us forward. I am so thankful to share this message of HOPE with the world. 

Never give up. Never get down. SMILE. Work hard and you will be happy!! Love you with my whole entire heart <3

Love, Sister G 

BE HAPPY

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a happy week - we sure did. 

I learned a valuable lesson on the power of simple and specific prayer.  It was Thursday  and we had been unsuccessful in receiving any referrals for the entire week despite our asking almost everyone we saw. In desperation we prayed that Heavenly Father would allow us the get a referral that afternoon and we bound ourselves to do everything in our power to receive an answer. Our first plans fell through so we moved on to our backups. We went and visited a lady who is so kind, she absolutely loves the missionaries but she is not exactly interested in joining the church. We were not sure why we felt prompted to go and see her but it soon became clear......After a short visit we stood to leave. Before we had even asked, she said "You know, I have someone that I would like for you to visit..." We walked to the car AMAZED. Heavenly Father is so good to us. We couldn't believe how clear the answer came and how quickly. I know that as we promise to do everything in our power - God will provide the miracles. 

Sister Coleman and I have been reading the "Power of the Everyday Missionary" again as a companionship - there are such valuable lessons contained in it. Clayton Christensen writes, "Sharing the Gospel does not require that we have the power of God unto the convincing of men. He gives us this power...He doesn't demand purity. He will help us be pure. For those of us who struggle with sadness, sharing the gospel will give us great joy. He will make us become holy men and women who have great revelations and are borne up from our burdens as on eagles' wings, begetting glory and honor to ourselves and unto the Lord's name." I think those statement are so important for us to realize. God works through the weak and the simple. When we share the Gospel we receive greater blessing than we could have ever imagined. 

I have experienced that reality time and time again. I have sat with older, more experienced people who have looked into the eyes of my companion and I and have said, "But you are so young. How do you know all of these things? How can you speak with such conviction?" That is the Spirit of missionary work. It is not us (the young missionaries with little life experience) it is the power of God working through us and it is incredible. 

It was Sunday night and the week was almost over, we still hadn't found a new investigator but we were not ready to give up. We finally found MacDonald road and went out to visit a former investigator that we knew little about. She invited us in and told us about the many questions she had never found answers to. She has faced immense trials in her life, trials that I cannot even imagine yet she has a strong faith in God and her greatest desire is to find peace. She told us that she was unsure of who she was, she wanted to be able to leave her house with her head held high but couldn't because of the terrible things that people said about her - they tore down her confidence. As we answered questions through the Book of Mormon and bore testimony of her divine potential as a daughter of God, tears filled her eyes. She knew that God had sent us. She knew that her prayers were being answered and she was so grateful. It was a beautiful experience. 

I spoke in church yesterday and shared this quote from President Uchtdorf's talk, Living the Gospel Joyful - 

"Yes, God loves you this very day and always.

He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles. He is aware that you reach up to Him in heartfelt and hopeful prayer. He knows of the times you have held onto the fading light and believed—even in the midst of growing darkness. He knows of your sufferings. He knows of your remorse for the times you have fallen short or failed. And still He loves you.

And God knows of your successes; though they may seem small to you, He acknowledges and cherishes each one of them. He loves you for extending yourself to others. He loves you for reaching out and helping others bear their heavy burdens—even when you are struggling with your own."

I am so grateful for the love of God. I am so thankful for the knowledge that I am a daughter of God - that we are all children of God - with a divine nature and destiny. I am thankful that God gives each of us the power to do His work. Let us be anxiously engaged!!

Have the best day ever, I love you!!

Love, Sister G

we are few but we are MIGHTY

Happy January 5th everyone!!! I sure love you. 

We had a harder week but miracles still came every day. I think it is important that we don't dwell on all of the things that went wrong, or all of the areas in which we fell short but rather we focus on the good - look to the future - and choose to be better. That is what I am striving for this week - TO BE SO MUCH BETTER. On January 1 (one year since I embarked on this incredible adventure) we had a deep cleaning day!! We were asked to spend the first three hours of the day cleaning our apartments. We worked hard and made our wood floors SHINE. It was so nice to be in a clean place, an environment that was conducive to the spirit and to see the hard work pay off. 

The temperature has dropped and the snow has finally come. I am reminded, each moment we spend in the bitter cold, of last year in Fredericton when our mouths were so cold that we could no longer form sentences and the lovely wind that pierces to your very center. You can't cry or scream or run away - you just have to laugh and keep going. People don't exactly want to talk so we have to adapt our finding, talk to people in stores or knock on their doors because at least they are a little warmer. We also are trying to work through the members and less actives because that is when we find the people who God has truly prepared. We don't have any investigators right now so we are working hard to contact people and not allowing the cold to slow us down because the Lord's work cannot be stopped - it doesn't matter the temperature. 

I learned a few very valuable lessons this week - most of them yesterday at church. There was a large snow storm and so when we arrived at church there was no one else there.. Soon the Lockheart's came with two other members. There were 6 of us when the meeting started, 4 of those being missionaries and only 1 priesthood holder. I was so grateful for Elder Lockheart and the reverent way he blessed and passed the sacrament to us. It was such a special experience. Three more members trickled in and we had our fast and testimony meeting. The Spirit was strong and pressed upon my heart. I shared the account in Matthew of Christ suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane - this is the story i shared in my farewell talk thought it didn't mean as much to me then as it does now -

Matthew 26:

36 ¶Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

All Christ asked was for His disciples to stay awake and wait for Him as He went to suffer for the sins of the world. But His disciples were tired and they feel asleep so Christ the greatest of all suffered all alone. Christ says in verse 41 " Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." I believe that each of our spirits are so willing to do what God asks but our flesh is weak and we often give in to our flesh. We do what we think is right, rather than what God knows is right for us. The natural man is an enemy to God and I know that as we strive to keep our eyes on the Savior, trust in Him and stand for Him - we will be so much better off. I am also amazed by Christ's humility and His willingness to do all that the Father asked. He suffered the pain of every person who had lived and would yet live on the earth and He asked if there was another way but in the end He submitted His will to the Father's and suffered patiently. We need to turn our lives over to God and accept His will. He knows what's best and He really can make of us much more than we can make of ourselves. Those are lessons I needed to learn this week. 

We conclude with the hymn - "I Need Thee Every Hour" tears were in my eyes as we sang. I was so aware of how much we need Christ. We truly do need him every hour - in joy or pain - and the amazing thing is that He is always there.

This week I will strive to overcome the natural man and do all that God wants me to do. I will have faith in my Savior and remember that we do need Him every hour. 

I love you all. Thank you for those who sent me your favorite scriptures with your testimonies -they encouraged me and inspired me. You are amazing people. 

Love you!!!

Love, Sister Gochnour

2.0.1.5.

I can't believe it is the last week of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I loved seeing your beautiful faces on Christmas 

and am so grateful for my amazing family and friends. 

Thank you for the packages and letters and Christmas cards. I really think I am the luckiest sister missionary in the world. 

This Christmas I was more aware of the countless things we have to be grateful for. 

There are so many in the world who have less - who have no family to spend Christmas with, no money or presents, no traditions, no food, nothing to look forward to and the most heartbreaking thing that they are missing is the Gospel. It would not matter if we had NOTHING else because the Gospel of Jesus Christ really is the most important thing on this earth and the greatest gift we can possess. The gospel can bring us peace and happiness even on the hardest days. 

I got to spend Christmas day making a gingerbread house with Connie, a recent convert who was unexpectedly alone on Christmas. Then Sister Coleman and I got to serve lunch at a community kitchen for people who were going to be alone on Christmas or couldn't afford to make a turkey dinner. Well, Sister Coleman and I actually got put in charge of sorting the garbage but it's all the same :) I was so grateful to be helping out. Then of course the highlight of my day was talking to you - thank you for making me laugh and holding duke up in front of the camera in his Santa suit. Thank you for praying for me and supporting me. Thank you for seeing past my imperfections and loving me no matter what. I love you more than I can say. 

Since the year is coming quickly to a close, this week I began reflecting on all the lessons that I have learned over the past 12 months as a missionary. It seems that I knew nothing before I came on a mission because it seems that everything I now know - was a lesson learned on my mission!!! (That is a little sad but also happy..) I wanted to share some of the greatest lessons with you -

• PEOPLE are what really matter. Every one of us is a child of God. He loves us. We are so important to Him. And He has given us charge over each other here on earth. We cannot take that responsibility lightly. Without charity, we are nothing.
• There is always something to be grateful for.
• Happiness comes not from the things of the world but from the things of God.
• Hope is so much more than a wish. It is an expectation of fulfillment that comes when you have complete trust and faith in God because you understand His character and know that He cannot lie - He always keeps His promises.
• Having an eternal perspective can make the greatest of trials seem to last but a moment.
• Each new day is a great gift from God. It is a fresh start a chance to be better than you have ever been before.
• The Book of Mormon really does have all of the answers, there is power coursing through it's pages.
• Embrace the awkward moments.
• The Atonement is everything. It allows us to overcome two insurmountable barriers - sin and death. Because of Jesus Christ we can all live again with God. 
• God gives us weaknesses to help us be humble but He can also make us stronger than we could ever be on our own.
• God doesn't give us the spirit of fear but of FAITH. 
• The best advice in the world is "FORGET YOURSELF AND GO TO WORK"
• The Spirit is what carries our message to the hearts of the people. The Spirit is what teaches and testifies of truth. The Spirit is what allows us to change our nature and progress eternally. 
• This is not our work, or my work - it is the Lord's work. He is our Master.
• It is so much better to laugh at yourself and move on..
• When we try to see people as Christ sees them, we have a greater ability to love them.
• When our understanding of the Atonement increases, our desire to share it also increases.
• We really can do hard things

THE LIST GOES ON...

I am so thankful that as we draw closer to God and lose ourselves in His service - we actually find ourselves. We find joy in the little things. We have the strength to carry on. Let's make this year the best year of our lives!!! Trust God and GO TO WORK.

I love you all with my whole heart.

Love, Sister Gochnour

Connie on Christmas Day making Gingerbread houses

Christmas Day we sorted garbage and helped with dinner for those who had no where to go for Christmas!

he is the light, the life and the hope of the world

 I can't believe I get to see your beautiful faces this week - I canNOT wait. 

God has been so good to us this week. I am truly grateful. We have witnessed countless "christmas miracles." 

We found three new investigators, almost all of our plans went through EVERY DAY, 

We fasted with our investigator Jim to help him overcome his anxiety, 

We had a dinner appointments almost every night, the weather is so nice (no, there is not a lot of snow and it is supposed to be +7 degrees and raining on Christmas but to be honest - I can't complain. Being warm makes me happy :)), and 

We have begun setting our new year's resolutions which has never been so much fun. I LOVE SETTING GOALS!! 

Sister Coleman and I have memorized "The Living Christ" and we recite it every morning. What a beautiful testimony to our Savior. I am humbled and grateful to know that God loves us so much that He sent his only begotten son, to die for us, that we might have everlasting life. As I go out every day i strive to remember all that my Savior has done for me and all that He has promised to do for those who believe in Him and "come unto Him." It doesn't matter how many mistakes we have made, or how far from his light we think we are - His love never changes. He is our creator and our protector. He is our advocate with the Father - he will plead our cause before Him. He is our perfect example - "Though sinless He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness." Truly He lives. His church has been restored to the earth. And we are a part of it. Because of Him we can live with our families forever. Because of Him we can progress eternally. Because of Him we can find true joy.

I was reading in the December ensign and loved this - from President Uchtdorf -

"Think of the simple yet dignified way our Heavenly Father chose to honor the birth of His Son. On that holy night, angels appeared not to the rich but to shepherds. The Christ child was born not in a mansion but in a manger. He was wrapped not in silk but in swaddling clothes.

The simplicity of that first Christmas foreshadowed the life of the Savior. Though He had created the earth, walked in realms of majesty and glory, and stood at the right hand of the Father, He came to earth as a helpless child. His life was a model of modest nobility, and He walked among the poor, the sick, the downcast, and the heavy laden.

Though He was a king, He cared neither for the honors nor the riches of men. His life, His words, and His daily activities were monuments of simple yet profound dignity."

Christ came to the earth to do the will of the Father. He was exactly obedient. He never thought of himself, he did not seek for the honors of men.... 

"And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men." (1 nephi 19:9) He loves us so much.

So we must choose to follow Him. To be more like Him. I am so thankful that for 18 months I get to represent Him. "To stand as a living modern witness in word and in deed of the divinity of His great and marvellous latter-day work." 

I love you all. I am so thankful for your love and support and prayers. They truly are being answered. We are witnessing miracles. I love you and miss you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS
Love, Sister G

HE is the GIFT

Dear family, 

It has been an unusually warm week in Amherst..there were two days that I didn't even need my coat! The weather is so unpredictable but we are learning to just appreciate it - sun or snow - because it changes too often to worry about. Oh and we found out that Sister Coleman and I are staying here another transfer so we get to be together over Christmas! YAY. 

On Tuesday, we drove to Moncton for CHRISTMAS ZONE CONFERENCE! The conference that is talked about throughout the entire year. We got to watch "Meet The Mormons" which was great! We had a lovely turkey dinner, a talent show, and a white elephant gift exchange. Then Santa and his elf (the assistants) gave us a yearbook, gift card and letter from the First Presidency. Later President read the Christmas story and we sang 

O Little Town of Bethlehem before heading back home. I love zone conferences because the missionary spirit is so strong. 

Due to an emergency transfer we are spending 10 days in a trio. Sister Hughes is from Alaska and is the epitome of warmth, she is genuine and friendly. She has a beautiful voice and is a talented pianist - we have had a great time together. 

I also got a package from Kristin Christensen (THANK YOU SO MUCH - I LOVED IT. It was so thoughtful) and letters that had been piling up at the mission office from Papa and Nana, Sara, Natalie and the 18th Ward!!! They told me that there are 28 missionaries from our ward who are serving. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. I am so thankful for the wisdom, love and support of my amazing family and friends. 

In Papa's letter he posed a significant question for me to ask my investigators and myself - "There may be times when we are called upon to climb Mount Olympus and to sacrifice our Isaacs without a full and prior explanation. Faith is a principle of progress, do they want to progress?" 

We taught a less active this week who is struggling. She wants to keeps the commandments but has been unable to succeed, We asked her, "Do you love Jesus Christ?" She said, " I want to say yes, but the scriptures say - If ye love me, keep my commandments - so I don't know?" We told her that sometimes God asks us to do things that are hard, that we might not fully understand - like Nephi, when he was commanded to kill Laban. But he knew that "...the Lord would provide a way for him to accomplish the things which he commanded them.." When we love Christ we want to keep his commandments because we understand that He knows what is best and He will help us. So we must continually look to Him, move forward with faith and show our love by keeping His commandments. 

As I finished the Book of Mormon this week I reflected on the truthfulness of it. And the joy it can bring into our lives. No one has ever felt sad or frustrated or discouraged or angry when they were reading the Book of Mormon. Sometimes I feel like Ammon, who upon meeting Alma again after their long mission among the Lamanites was so happy that he fainted. (Alma27:16-18) "Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full, yea he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength and he fell again to the earth." Mormon adds, "Now was not this exceeding joy?" THAT IS WHAT THE GOSPEL BRINGS. EXCEEDING JOY. So read the Book of Mormon every day and you will be happier, I promise. 

This week we found a new investigator named Jim. We were going to knock Alma street and Sister Coleman and I said - there has to be someone here. So we knocked and at the end of the street Jim answered his door. He lost his wife to cancer earlier this year and she was his world. His best friend and greatest example. Losing her caused Him to question his faith in God. We told him that we know we were led to him for a reason, that we pray every day to know where we need to be and that his wife is closer than he thinks. She is looking out for him. She wanted us to find him. We went back with the Lockheart's and taught him the Plan of Salvation. He struggled with anxiety and depression so having even four of us there was hard for him and he cancelled the following lesson because we had planned to go again but this time there were 5 of us - that was too much for him. But it is a cool story because at church yesterday we were talking to a member and she asked us if we were teaching Jim Williams. Long story short, they had become friends on facebok, started chatting and talking about the church, Sister Strong has struggled with the same things and they connected immediately. Sister Strong told us the Spirit was so strong as she was prompted to message him so now we can move forward with a real fellowshipper!! We are so excited. Facebook really can be an incredible tool and it is amazing to see the Lord's hand in our work. 

The 12 Days Of Christmas have begun and we printed off the 12 day scripture countdown from LDS.ORG so we are doing that as well. To help keep our thoughts centered on our Savior. 

We are also continuing with a random act of service each day. Yesterday we baked cupcakes and delivered them to members with a copy of the Living Christ. Service brings so many smiles :) 

You may have heard of the #sharethegift initiative but we have beautiful pass along cards that we are handing out to everyone to help them keep Christ in Christmas this year. He truly is the greatest gift we have ever been given. "For God so love the world that he gave His only begotten son..." We are loved. So we must love others. Remember that true happiness cannot be bought at a store, it does not come wrapped in a box with a fancy bow. It comes from loving others and serving them, it comes form the Book of Mormon and a knowledge that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that because of Him we can overcome the world. 

I love you all. President Lockheart always tells us, "DON"T KEEP THE FAITH. SPREAD IT AROUND!!!" 

Have a happy week.

Love, Sister Gochnour