And a Happy New Year!

First of all, I hope y'all had a Merry Christmas! This week has been

go, go, go. We've been working hard and we've seen blessings. We are

learning that one of the most important things to do is to talk to

everyone. Although not everyone we talk to will want to hear more, the

Lord will see our efforts and He will trust us with His children that

are ready. On Thursday the sister training leaders in Searcy came down

to Paragould for the day. As we were walking we ran into a member on

the street that we were planning on visiting. He told us that he was

on his way to a friends house. Without thinking about it I said, "can

we come with you?". He said sure, so we followed him. His friends

ended up being really interested in learning more, so we've started to

teach them. On Christmas Eve we went around visiting people. We

stopped by Kathy's for a lesson. As we were getting out of the car I

had this feeling that I should give a package of ritz crackers we had

in the car to her. I thought to myself, "do I just want to bring these

because I'm hungry?". I started to get out of the car without the

crackers. Again I felt prompted to bring the crackers to Kathy. So, I

picked them up and told Sister Hall, "I'm not sure why, but I feel

like we should give these to Kathy". As she came to open the door you

could see it on her face that she was feeling terrible. I immediately

gave her the crackers and her face lit up. She smiled so big and

started laughing uncontrollably. She let us come in and her mood had

completely changed. It was such a testimony builder that GOD LOVES HIS

CHILDREN. He knows and numbers each one. He uses others to lift them.

We can all be instruments in His hands through service. We starting

teaching a woman named Sandra a couple of weeks ago, and we've really

only seen her a couple of times because she lives so far away. On

Christmas Eve she invited us to come have dinner with her family. They

did a gift exchange and Sandra put together a gift for both Sister

Hall and I. It was so sweet of her. The people here in Paragould have

taken such good care of us missionaries. We see people who have very

little, but still give everything they can to others. Our

investigators Billy and Chasity are still doing really well. They've

started reading the Book of Mormon as a family and praying about

certain things we've taught them. Sister Hall and I were a little

devastated when they didn't make it to church yesterday. They've

become like family to us. When you love someone, you want them to know

the same joy and happiness that you know. When Lehi partook of the

fruit of the tree of life his first response was, "And as I partook of

the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy;

wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it

also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit" (1 Nephi

8:12). Just as the fruit represents the pure love of Christ, my joy

comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ and experiencing that

love as I keep the commandments of God. This week as I pleaded with my

father in heaven to help Billy and Chastity gain a testimony of the

Book of Mormon, I felt something similar to Nephi as he said, "For I

pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by

night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know

that he will hear my cry". Much love until next week friends and

family, and a happy new year!!!

Sister Bailey Guthrie