Gifts (12/8)

It's Christmastime! There are lights up everywhere and I love it! My favorite part is when people decorate the palm trees in their yards... definitely not something I'm used to! We've joined in on the spirit - our Christmas tree is up, we have lights around our front porch... AND even a strand of lights in our car! We wanted to frost the car windows with snow paint, but it seemed like a little much (and we're pretty sure the fleet coordinator would feel the same). Along with our never-ending Christmas music, we are really getting into the holiday spirit!

We had a chance to go see the lights at the Mesa Temple on Friday. (See picture) They are beautiful! We brought an investigator family with six little kids there and they LOVED it, of course!

I also had the sweet opportunity this week to go with Sister Stringham to contact a referral we had received for a deaf lady, Diana. Sister Stringham wasn't called to an ASL mission, but she has studied it since high school, and wants it to be part of her career... so basically she is really good.

When she opened the door Diana tried to tell us that she is deaf, and it was so cool to see her face change as Sister Stringham immediately began signing. She invited us in and of course I couldn't do much, but I was so touched to watch them communicate with each other. I could tell that it meant a lot for Diana to have someone come into her home and speak with her.

I was praying for Sister Stringham the whole time, and after we left she told me she was rusty at first, but as she began to talk about gospel things she was amazed at her fluency. It is just another testimony to me that the Lord will provide spiritual gifts in our times of need in order to bless His children. In this case the gift of... hands?

I guess I take it for granted sometimes that I am able to speak Spanish and communicate with people who would not be able to hear/understand the message of the restoration of the gospel in English. It really is powerful to know that the Lord has blessed me with this talent and invested so much in me so that I can share the gospel with His Spanish speaking children. I have seen over and over again the reality of the gift of tongues, as well as the other gifts of the spirit - the gift of faith, the gift of testimony, of knowing that Jesus is the Christ. I know that these gifts have blessed not only my life, but the lives of many around me.

In this time of gift-giving, take a moment to reflect ont the spiritual gifts our Heavenly Father has given to you, and how you can use them to benefit His children.

Happy Gifting!

Love,

Hermana Richelle Ouellette