Hello all you wonderful people! Merry Christmas!
I want to tell you this week about a Christmas miracle that happened this weekend with the Saunders--
This whole last week the Marla and her three little boys, Nathan, Eric, and Elijah have been sick. They went home after church last week and something hit them like a ton of bricks. I was frustrated because we had to cancel all our appointments with them last week-- I felt like the adversary was trying to keep this family from the waters of baptism through physical sickness. Friday when they were all sort of on the mend, we went over there with Bishop Andrews to review everything we had taught so far. We spent quite some time talking about the priesthood and how it is the power and authority God gives to man to act in His name. Bishop talked about how being a priesthood holder has strongly blessed his family and the privilege it is to be able to bestow blessings upon his children. We reaffirmed with them that they still have a desire to be baptized this Friday and they said yes-- of course! Marla told us about how the day we knocked on her door (less than a month ago) she was looking for an excuse to quit smoking and we gave her one! She quit smoking and they quit drinking coffee (unbeknownst to us) without us having to ask! We knew the coffee was in the home, but we had no idea she smoked. She went from a pack a day to none and she hasn't smoked for a week now!She also began crying as she talked about the difference the gospel of Jesus Christ has made in their family. She and Lee are working through marriage difficulties, they are both more patient with the boys, and those little boys are learning how to be reverent. The spirit was palpable as she spoke-- The gospel truly does bless families! After the lesson, we made plans to meet Saturday at 2:30 and left.
2:30 Saturday comes and we knock on their door. Marla's sister Carla answered the door and told us they had to take the baby, Eli, to the ER. He had a fever of 102 and was having a hard time breathing. She told us which hospital they were at and we headed over to meet them there. When we got there, the poor little guy could hardly move, and was covered in red splotches. We reminded them about the priesthood we were talking about the night before and asked them if they would like Eli to receive a priesthood blessing. They jumped on that, and within minutes, we were on the phone with Bishop and we had arranged for him and his first counselor, Brother Miller, to meet us at the Saunders' home after the ER at about 4:30, just before the ward Christmas party. The doctor came and wrote a prescription and said he had bronchitis, a viral infection, and an ear infection and sent them home. When Bishop Andrew and Brother Miller came, they explained a little more about priesthood blessings and Lee asked if they could bless the other boys too (they were getting worse at this point, not better). Of course the answer was yes. After the blessings, the boys slept, Eli was visibly breathing better and his fever broke, we taught a short lesson on the Word of Wisdom and The Sabbath day, left and went to the Christmas party.
Sunday morning, this cute little family, all dressed up, came to church, and not one of those boys were sick. Marla and Lee were so quick to point out that it was the Lord who made it all happen and because they are all feeling better, we are able to catch up in teaching them! Truly, it is a Christmas miracle performed by the power of the Priesthood-- and this miracle will be completed when Lee and Marla are baptized at 1:00 Friday December 24th. The gospel is true and so incredibly wonderful! I can just see them being sealed together as a family in a year, and in 15, 14, and 13 years, thole little boys won't be so little anymore. They'll be big and they'll be serving missions of their own... then they'll be married in the temple, and I'll be there all along the way :)
Please keep them in your prayers this week as they continue to prepare to be baptized! We're having Family Home Evening with them tonight to teach them how to do it-- I'm so pumped... I LOVE FHE!
This time of year is wonderful and filled with blessings and miracles. Enjoy it. Celebrate Christ's birth. He truly lives and loves us. I am so grateful for this wonderful truth! Hosanna!
Merry Christmas!
I'll TALK to you guys in FIVE days-- probably around 1230/100 Ohio time-- Can't wait :)
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