Hope

Hi Mum!

Sounds like you've had a pretty busy/crazy week! You're amazing. I don't know how you do it… :) Please tell everyone that I love them and thank you for their support. I sure do miss everyone, but I know that it will all be there when I get back, and that this work is so important. It's not easy, but salvation wasn't easy either (Elder Holland is so quotable!). 

I've been studying a lot about hope this week--and after hearing about Friday's events, I know a little more of why. Elder Maxwell gave a terrific talk entitled "A Perfect Brightness of Hope" (I think) in the November 94 Ensign--you should all read it because it is so powerful. Then in Relief Society yesterday, part of the lesson was on hope. Such perfect timing. :) Sister Senter shared with us a list of some of her favorite scriptures on hope. She passed around a number of them for us to read to the group, and I had to smile at the one I was given: 1 Timothy 1:7. This has been one of my favorite scriptures for a few months now, and has brought me comfort in multiple ways. And just the fact that that scripture got passed to me really showed me how mindful our Heavenly Father is of us. There are no coincidences. :)

I sincerely hope that we get the chance to share that message of hope and love with people that we meet this week. We just had a zone training meeting last week, where we were instructed to teach more simply--which is hard when you have so much to share, but more effective. If we can really listen to the spirit and discern the needs of those we teach, a short powerful statement about hope or the love of God and gift of His Son will lift them more than a 20-minute speech about the Restoration. Brevity has never really been my strong point, but I'm working on that. :)

Okay, hold on. Nathaniel is getting married? To Rachael?!?!   that's the best thing I've heard in ages. Okay, one of the best things. I am SO excited for them! So perfect. :) And congrats to David and Courtney! And yay for Sharlie! She will be such a great missionary. And I think Knoxville is right next to Browards' mission. Is that right? Awesome. How is he, by the way? And how is TWIG? I can't believe he's home already. Please tell all my choir boys hi for me, and that I love them lots and lots. :) It's crazy to think that they're all coming home now because it seems like they just left!

… I got to play [the flute] again last night! I had the wonderful opportunity to play a duet with Sister Arnesen (on cello) in the Kirtland Temple (!!!) for their community Christmas program. We did the arrangement of the First Noel/Pachelbel's cannon from the Osmond/Todd book/CD--SO grateful to have that book!! :)

Well, I'm about out of time, but I love you all so much. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be a representative of Jesus Christ, especially during this Christmas season. I know that He truly is the light that shines in the darkness (Christmas Cantata, anyone? thanks Coach :) ) and that He is the rock of our salvation. He truly is my rock, and I am so grateful for every chance that I have to be able to help others find and develop that sure foundation. The gospel really does bring such peace and direction to our lives. I don't know how I would live without it. I've seen our message work miracles and help people improve their lives here, and I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. I love you oodles and oodles--Merry Christmas!

Love,

Sister Lyndsay Wygant

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...

Hi Family!

Before you do anything else, go watch this video: http://www.mormonchannel.org/video?v=2008190983001

SO GOOD. They just put this up on lds.org and it is amazing. What a beautiful song. And so cool for the Piano Guys! Love them. Also, speaking of the internet. Go to Facebook and look for the new Historic Kirtland Visitor's Center page! Yup, we're on Facebook now. There are photos and info blurbs about the nativity exhibit and other events at the VC. Check it out and spread the word! :) Could you maybe post the link to my Facebook page? I'd love for everyone to get to see it. :)

Anyway. It's been a GREAT week. Did you all get to watch the First Presidency's Christmas devotional last week? I'm so grateful that we did because I LOVED it. In light of President Uchtdorf's message, we've been trying this week to be better givers and receivers. 2 Corinthians 15:9 comes to mind--"Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift." Short and simple, but so true. Is everything we do showing thanks to God for the gift of His Son? I think that makes our choices a little simpler if we stop to think about that one question. 

Speaking of Christmas programs, I got to play my flute at the Kirtland Stake Christmas Program last night. Here they do a stake-wide Christmas program, and by happy coincidence I met the lady in charge of it when we were at the Thanksgiving Devotional at the Kirtland temple--I was directing the choir (of missionaries and stake members) and she was singing in it. I just happened to start talking with her, and it led to her inviting me to play a solo and play with the choir at this Christmas program. Blessings from keeping my goal to talk to everyone? Double yes. :) It was such a wonderful program, and I'm so grateful I got to play. PLUS I met Annalisa and Cameron Wilde's brother Jeremy--he's in the Kirtland Stake! Small world. :) He told me that Cameron goes to the MTC very soon--crazy! He's going to Jacksonville Florida I think. Awesome. Atta boy. :)

We're still working with Judi to help her quit smoking, and with Fiona to help her feel comfortable coming back to church. Both seem impossible goals at some times--but I've decided that I just need to be a bit more stubborn about not giving up on people. And patient too. We can't expect people to change overnight--but we can love them and teach them and be the example for them that shines a bright enough light into their lives to dispel the darkness of doubt, fear, and even addictions. That's all we can do sometimes--just love them and continue to encourage them and teach them by example. Smiley face. We have indeed offered a priesthood blessing to Judi--several times--but she hasn't accepted the offer yet. Which is a little discouraging, but I think she just doesn't quite understand what it means. We'll have to focus on that in a lesson soon, perhaps. But keep praying for her, if you would. All your prayers help and are so appreciated!

We still don't have any snow--we have rain though! Ha. And how fun that you got to see Kirt and Julie! Please tell them hi for me, and that I love them. They are so sweet. :) And thanks for forwarding Jenith's comment too! What a great story. 

Well, I'd better get going. We're off to make Christmas cards! (Really excited!!!) Thanks for the MMHS address--that's perfect! Love you all! 

PS a favorite quote from church yesterday: "Man will never fall to the top of the mountain." --we have to climb. :)
Also, some favorite scriptures from this week: D&C 98:1-3, D&C 6:34-36, and Romans 8:38-39 (the whole chapter, really.) Read them! I love the scriptures. :)

Love,
Sister Wygant

Happy December!

Hi Mama!

Happy December! We don't have snow here either...and it rained yesterday. In December? mmm. :) It's nice to not freeze every time we go outside though. We'll have to get some good tracting time in before the weather changes again. :) 

Mission conference really was amazing. I forget if I shared this last week or not, but one of my favorite stories was shared by President Stacey--one of President Vellinga's counselors. He told us of an experience driving through Cleveland and getting lost trying to avoid a traffic jam. His son had served in Cleveland at one time, and as he was driving through one neighborhood, he had this impression come to his mind: "This is the place that was made sacred by your son's sweat and tears." How beautiful and special. At the time that he shared that experience, I thought of the Kirtland temple, and how it is the place that the Kirtland saints made sacred through their sweat and tears--but also of my own area, and how I want the same to be said of me someday. That means I have to keep working hard and being diligent--and that's what I'm here for :) We've been challenged to find someone during this Christmas season who needs Christ in their heart--and to help them put Him there. I can't imagine a better Christmas gift to give to someone! One of the new resources we've been using is a new addition to mormon.org:mormon.org/Christmas. It's all about Christmas, as you might have guessed. :) You should all check it out and share it with friends--there's music and Christmas videos and more. It's great. 

Thanks for the Atonement/Peter Pan analogy. I love it. :) And it's so true. I think sometimes I forget that I just need to slow down, simplify, and have faith. Sometimes I feel like I'm at "the age of not believing" (name THAT one!! :) ) and that I don't have faith that anything we try will work--and the thing is, it won't unless we have faith. "Whatever you think you can or cannot do, you are right." I studied a talk from Conference this morning--by Marcus B. Nash. It's so good--read it! :) He talks about faith leading us to hope. When we nurture even the smallest particle of faith, we make room in our hearts for Christ to fill us with hope. We also have this quote on our fridge: "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." I like that a lot.

I'm so glad that the concert went well and that you got to see all those people-and I can't believe Spencer gets home so soon! Crazy. Seems like he just left! And Stephanie Osborn definitely just left--where did the time go? For me as well--last week I passed 3 months in the mission field. What? When did that happen? As I looked back over the past 3 months, I hope that I've been productive enough and learned everything that I could. I definitely want to make the next three months even better though. Onward and upward! :) I'm also sooo grateful for that time with Coach. We did our Messiah benefit concert yesterday and Saturday, and I was reminded of just how blessed I was to have those experiences. I love music and singing anytime--but those years with Coach were especially incredible and amazing.

Judi is doing well. Keep praying for her! She is seeing the blessings and changes the gospel has already brought to her life, and that is so neat to see. She knows that she needs to make other changes in her life and is working towards that. Keep praying that she will be able to quit smoking, if you would. This week we will be praying and working with her to pick a date that she will quit by. I've never quit smoking before, so I don't know exactly what to suggest/do for her--but I know that the Lord knows exactly what she needs, and that as we approach Him in prayer with faith, we will be able to know how to help.

I hope you feel better soon. :( Hopefully Purrcy will assist you and sleep with you. :) Give him some extra snuggles for me! Know that I love you and am praying for you frequently. Thanks for the wonderful updates! Love you all!

Love,

Sister Wygant