Merry Christmas! (Feliz Natal!)

This has been a wonderful week! It's been a wintry 70 degrees and sunny :) I found out my companion will be getting transferred to a new area in North Carolina on December 31st. I will miss her a lot, but am excited for her to go touch lives somewhere else! We had our Christmas Zone Conference this week with the Bernhisels in Fayetteville. Half of the mission was there and we were taught by President and Sister Bernhisel. Also, we got to hear musical numbers for Christmas and had a delicious ham and turkey meal with all the works for lunch. We also had our ward Christmas party on Saturday night, and a lot of people came! Several of the people we have been working with came and really enjoyed it. It was great to see everyone come together to enjoy this Christmas season and to remember their Savior, Jesus Christ. I love that I have the opportunity to focus on serving others and helping them to understand their purpose in life and the sacrifice that Christ made for them. It gives me hope to see the power of this sacrifice enabling others to change their lives for good. Christmas is about serving others and recognizing the opportunity we have to become better because of Jesus Christ. I know that the Bible and the Book of Mormon help us to reach our full potential, and if we will read them and apply their teachings into our lives, we will find true happiness.

I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the gospel. I know that life has a purpose and that Heavenly Father provided a Savior for us so that we can grow and become better each day. Everyone, no matter what, has the ability and the choice to change their life around and this is done through faith in Jesus Christ and following His commandments. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon and for the knowledge that I can find answers to my prayers. I know that God loves each of us individually and He has a plan for all of us. He sees our full potential and is always there to help us reach it. Families are central to God's plan for us, and they are very sacred. As we strive to become closer to God, our families are strengthened and enriched. The sorrow and regret of sin can be washed away through repentance and forgiveness can be found through fervent prayer. I invite all to find out for yourself the truth. Whether you are a member of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or not, I invite you to read the Book of Mormon with the intent of finding out if it is true. Have an open mind and sincerely ask God to tell you if it is true. When you find it to be true, your life will be changed and you will be able to find even more happiness. There is nothing lost in searching out the truth for yourself. Only knowledge is to be gained, and I promise that God will answer your prayers. I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and He wants to guide us if we will but ask Him for that direction. 

Com muito amor, 
Sister Dieter

Jacksonville District

A Day in the Life of a Missionary :)