Merry Christmas!

Hello to everyone! Sorry it has been so long since I have written, things have just been very busy around here. Missionary work is hard stuff ya know ;)

Well, MERRY CHRISTMAS to each of you and a HAPPY NEW YEAR as well.

I am still in my area here in Kearns with Sister Cheng, she is from Hong Kong, China and is a fireball missionary. We have seen such great success together here, so many people that are golden and ready to enter into their first covenant of Baptism. This Christmas Season brings for many miracles and softens many hearts. I testify that to be true!

Here's a miracle for ya.... we are teaching this wonderful woman named Veda. My companion and her previous companion found her and she was, well, GOLDEN. She grew up in Yugoslavia and was born into a Muslim family but never practiced the religion. She came to UT 20 years ago and heard of the church and never thought anything negative about it. She began to date an Active Member of the church about a year ago and he introduced it to her even more than what she knew. Last conference she was touched by Elder Bednar's talk to all the nonmembers, she felt like that talk was just for her. Then the Sisters showed up at her house the day of and she knew that was a sign from God. She started taking the lessons, the Sisters invited her to be baptized and she was unsure due to different reasons, she didn't feel prepared yet and like she knew enough and was starting to second guess herself. Sister Cheng's companion went home and then I was transferred into the area, I met her and it was like 2 kindred spirits coming together. I shared my conversion story in the first lesson and her heart was touched. We invited her to be baptized and she said YES, that she would pray about December 27th. Later we find out that my story was just what she needed to hear. It was a story of bravery and courage and she knew she was missing just a little bit of faith and courage. She sent us a text asking us to change her date to DECEMBER 25th instead!!!!!! Miracles!!!!!!  I love her so much. I know that this season really does, like I said, soften the hearts of Father's children. 

We also had the blessing and privilege for our Mission President and his wife to attend a few lessons with us last Thursday evening, the SPIRIT was so strong more so than ever before! I love them so much and am grateful for their calling. They have the strongest testimony I have ever seen! They really helped to solidify our investigators :)

I love this gospel. I am so grateful for the humble gift of the Savior given to us by a loving Father in heaven. If you haven't yet watched He Is the Gift, please do! Check out christmas.mormon.org

Discover The Gift through reading the scriptures. Embrace The Gift through prayer. Share The Gift through bring this joy to your friends and family :)

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sister Garretson

Our zone, last transfer. 

Our two recent converts and their sisters! 

Sister Cheng and I with our investigator Francisco who just was baptized! :) blessings!!

December 1st 2014

Hello to you all!

I don't have anytime to write to you, but I just wanted to send my love and appreciation for all your prayers and love that you have shown to me. We missionaries need all of the prayers that we can get! Also, I know you are praying on behalf of those we are teaching and again, I see the miracles and blessings happening daily in their lives.

It's been a hectic yet SO rewarding of a week. 

We had 2 little girls get baptized this week along with 2 from my last area. And a sister who recently was reactivated in the church from one of my last areas just went through the Temple to receive her Endowment and I was able to go and be a part of that. Being a part of this glorious work is such an honor and I love my Heavenly Father so so much. That's why I get up each and every day! To help Him hasten His work.

In case you may not know, I was transferred AGAIN to Kearns. It's an area FULL of people to find and teach and baptize. They are the more humble people of all the areas I have served in simply because they don't have all that much. My companion is SIster Cheng from Hong King, china. She is a fireball missionary and a powerhouse too! love her so much.

Miracles are happening! I love my mission! I can't believe I only have 6 more months... WHAT! Still so much time :) And I love having the opportunity to speak in Sacrament meetings, yesterday I spoke on President Monson's talk "Be Strong and of a Good Courage." Sharing my conversion story is one of my most powerful tools, along with the Spirit of course. It's a touching story for all to hear. I had a lady come up to me after Sacrament and said, "thank you for your talk, I really needed to hear that because I was having a hard morning." Even if her heart was the only one touched, I did my part.

Love you all! Sorry for the short email... I will add stories next week!

Hugs & Handshakes,

Sister Garretson

Attached are pics from the baptisms!! The first 2 are from my old area and YES my last companion who just went home came back for the baptisms. And the last pic is of the girls in Sister Cheng's and my area.