Book of Mormon Stories :)

Привет!

Hey family! Do you remember when I got to skype you? Wow, how awesome was that!? I was so lucky to see so many of my you, that was definitely a Christmas miracle!  I've been wanting to say thanks to dad for not getting mad at me for squealing so much, so thanks dad! Ha! Rebekah and fam, Lexi and clan, and Sayde, not going to lie, super bummed I didn't get to hear you, so on Mother's Day you all best be ready to skype with me! I am still so grateful for all of your words of encouragement and really just to see your faces and to know that you all are doing so well! Isn't technology awesome? I am so beyond grateful for the fact that I, though millions of miles away, still had the opportunity to see my family on Christmas day?  I don't think I could have asked for anything better for Christmas, talking with my family truly was the best gift ever. I hope you all could feel my love for you, and understand that I know I am unbelievably blessed to have all of you in my life. I thank my Father in Heaven for you constantly, I don't know what I did to deserve a family so incredible as mine, but thank you all of you for being you, for allowing me in your lives and for helping me feel more happiness than understandable.

So this week I had to get registered down here in Illy, you know so I can live here and all that good stuff. As we were getting ready to head to the registration office Sister Parish reminded me that I needed my passport, alright no problem, I always have my passport in my pouch. As we're heading out the door, I check my pouch just to make sure I have everything I need.. only to find no passport. Yeah... oh no. The last time I had it was on the train down here, we had use it to get on the train and then once again as we were on the train to prove who we were. I remember putting my passport up on a ledge so it would be easy for me to grab when they came around, and after checking I put it back on the ledge. All of this is replaying through my head and I go into panic mode, that was two weeks ago! Someone else is living the life of Mariel Lee right now, probably living in America having a jolly good time I was sure of it. I tore apart my stuff looking in every zipper every crease everything, but really I couldn't find it anywhere. After searching literally everywhere I called our elders and asked them what needed to be done. My district leader just said "Well did you pray about it?" Okay elder I checked EVERYWHERE I'm not going to find it, what do I need to do? "PRAY!" So quite humbly I knelt down in prayer, being so aware that Heavenly Father is there and though to Him this was no big deal but, since it was a big deal to me He would listen. Not even two minutes after my prayer I went to go check in my journal to see what I had written on the train that night to see if it would spark some sort of memory, and there in my journal was my passport! Чуда! Seriously guys, it was such a miracle. Heavenly Father loves us so much! And He will give us help with anything we need, I know that for sure.

Later on in the week Sister Parish got really sick, like not able to get out of bed sick. It was hard for me to see her feeling so poopy and I did my best to be just like Mama Lee and help her in any way I could. As she slept and slept I did a lot of organizing around the apartment but I was SO antsy to get out of the house and get to real work! Constantly having a prayer in my heart that she feel better so we could continue our work here. And guess what?!? She's not dead yet! She's actually feeling much better! I'm telling you guys, prayer, it really works.

Yesterday was a lovely Sunday. We had our primary program with the four primary children in our ward and it was so special! You know how much I love those, the spirit that the sweet children bring is always so strong, as they bear testimony in both song and words. And for the second hour of church we watched the Christmas devotional, which was so incredible! If you have not had the opportunity to watch that yet, please do. We finished off church with a traditional New Year/Christmas skit with the branch which was super fun. I find myself loving Ukraine more and more everyday. We ended our festive Sunday with a Ukrainian feast, mmmmm, you know how much I love Ukrainian food. Let's just say yesterday was a good day. Of course we ended it perfectly by meeting with Helen.

Helen is a lady we met on the street last week, at first she really was only interested in English practice but as we continued to talk with her, she realized that God had placed us in her life. Last night we had the opportunity to talk with her about the Restoration of Christ's church, the same church which he, himself organized when he was on the earth. Through time, for reasons not understandable to me people rejected the teachings of Christ and his gospel, eventually his truth was lost. But we know that Heavenly Father loves us so much that He never would let us live in such darkness forever. Thanks to a boy, Joseph Smith, who had a simple question, we have his truth on the earth once more. And because of that we can find real peace and joy in this life. How wonderful is our message? How true is our message?!

I once again finished the Book of Mormon this morning. Family, this book is so true. As I bore testimony last night with Helen, as I bear testimony every day on the street in Ukraine, as I sit hear at this humble Internet cafe and bear testimony right now of the truthfulness of this book, I do so with NO doubt. I know with all that I am that the Book of Mormon truly is the word of God and I know that "a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." just as is written in the Introduction of the Book. As I finished the last few chapters this morning the spirit again testified to me that what I was reading was true, and that it is something that every person needs. Kneeling down in prayer again trying out Moroni's promise,I once again received a resounding yes! Oh how much joy I have found as I get lost in this book every day. As I find answers to questions I've had and questions I did not even know I had until I found the answers. Oh how I love this book.

I know I already have invited all of you to read the Book of Mormon, and I really hope you took my invitation seriously, I know some of you have and receiving your emails with excitement of how much you are loving it gives me such joy! I promise you that as you continue to read and study the Book of Mormon more peace and joy will fill your lives and your homes. I have found so much happiness as I have drawn closer to my Savior thanks to the Book of Mormon, I really can't get enough of it and I can't wait to start over when I get home tonight.

This gospel is so true and this gospel is so wonderful! Take advantage of what we have, and be happy family, BE HAPPY! :)

I love you all so much. I'm so grateful for all that you do for me. I have so many number one fans and you all are the best!

All of my love,

Your sister, Sister Lee