Goodbye Payette!

Hey Everyone!

I can't believe it but I got transferred I thought for sure that I was staying in Payette. But I have been moved to Caldwell ! A family ward and a YSA ward will be my new home! I loved serving in Payette and will miss the families and people so much. Probably one of the hardest things to do as a missionary is leave the people you've grown to love. We had a really good week though. We went to a Christmas party and invited tons of less active to come and they did! It was the best thing ever. We walked into the party and we found most of all the people that we've invited. A family that we have visited a ton came to the activity and to church it was awesome! We've been spreading the Christmas Video and pass along cards like crazy and people love talking about the spirit of Christmas.  We had our last lesson with our investigator and that was super good. We committed her to come to church on a certain date and she said she would! Since she works on Sundays its super hard for her to come. But she has been reading the book of Mormon diligently and it has been great. She promised us she would keep reading :) We took some of the people we were teaching to Sports night over in Ontario and it was tons of fun. I ended being a goalie while we played soccer, that was an interesting experience but the people we brought loved it. In the beginning they didn't want to play. The boy starting tearing up because he was scared and an elder and I talked to him and we set up a game he liked to play so that he would feel comfortable.  They were also 11 and 9 :) but they were around a bunch of other people who were investigating the church and happen to love to play sports which is why we play!

This week I've been thinking about the Book of Mormon a ton, especially how it is another testament of Jesus Christ.  Sometimes as missionary we tend to become people's therapist but the best medicine or prescription we can give them is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel can free us from the chains of doubt, neglect, despair and confusion. Especially in such a lost world. We can feel the freeing power by "mere wanting to believe" and than acting on our belief in the Savior Jesus Christ. I love the scripture in 2 Nephi 29:7-8. Where one of  the purposes of the Book of Mormon is made manifest. We have this record, this testament as a witness that the lord loves all his children and wants them to have a fullness of his gospel. I know that the Book of Mormon has the power to change lives and as missionary I love that our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. And we can do that as we read the testimonies which have been given of him and the examples of faithful children of god who lived in a world full of opposition and sometimes turmoil and hardships. The Savior and his gospel can bring light into our lives.

Can't believe its almost Christmas have a great week everybody :)

P.S I ran into Sister Smith at Transfers we both are serving in Caldwell this transfer she is Spanish speaking though which changed from her previous areas. We met before we came out in the mission :)

All My Love, 

Sister Cleveland