Hello!

Hello everyone!

Hope evryone is doing well. just wanted to let you all know that I got transfrerred to Ashland, Kentucky after staying in Salem, Virginia for two months. Kentucky is quite different. And the weather here is pretty cold since it has been snowing. I have been wearing layers of clothes to keep warm. The people here in Kentucky are so different from back West. The south is so different in general from back West. I feel like aside from learning Portuguese that I am learning another language because of the thick accents. It's a melting pot here of so many different faiths here. I love how religious many people are here in the south. There are so many different religious sects. It reminds me of Joseph Smith and how he was among all those different faiths.

I love how this Gospel is centered on Jesus Christ. H was the one person who atoned for it all and for all of us because He loves us so much. I am grateful for His example and how He knows each of us personally because of the sacrifice He made for us- in Gethsemane and on the cross. He is the Alpha and Omega. When we are going through rough times in life, we can look at the Savior and remember His infinite sacrifice for each of us. He is the one who can warm our hearts during the cold times and can extend His merciful hand to us. He invites us all to come unto Him and to follow Him so that we too may have that joy. And how great is His joy and how great is our joy when we follow His example. The adversary does all he can to try to block or thwart our happiness, but we can overcome trials, burdens, hardships, pain, anguish and temptation through Him because He overcame it all. How great is He! he knows us and wants us to overcome it all too.

I hope you all are starting off with a wonderful new year. May you cherish the joys in life and always look at them. I wish you all a Happy New year!!!!

Love,

Sister Habibpour

Hello!

Hello everyone!

I am so excited for Christmas! This year is totally different for me, besides the fact of being on a mission, I feel like it is more centered on Christ. We are going caroling this week with some ward members and as a zone on December 23rd in downtown Salem. Yesterday we finally got to go to church after two weeks of the power going out and ice storms. We had two wonderful confirmations yesterday for Frank and Kassidy, our two investigators that had recently been baptized. Frank was glowing and was just very different from his usual self. He was so willing to get baptized and do the right thing. Kassidy was so happy too. I am excited for what the future has in store for them and the fact that they are preparing for the temple.

We have focused so much on covenants, how they are essential and about enduring to the end. Keeping our promises to God and living the higher law are really about bringing us happiness.

Mosiah 2:41 states:

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and ahappy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are bblessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out cfaithful to the end they are received into dheaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Heavenly Father only seeks that we be happy throughout this life and the experiences that we gain from this life. We are all on a journey to get back to Him. Life has its challenges and joys. I am so grateful to know that there is another life that awaits us after this life where we can be with our loved-ones again. That is what exaltation is all about. I am also grateful to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father.

I wish you all a joyous holiday. Merry Christmas:)

Sister Habibpour