"I wonder what it's like to be loved by you"

Sometimes God directs you to knock on the wrong trailer on purpose.

He's that good. He is so aware of his children, and the more I'm here, the more I realize it.

Sometimes I realize it because of what Christ is doing in my own life, other times because of what he is doing in the lives of others.

For example, my companion has become a best friend for life. Someone I wouldn't have met otherwise. Does that mean we occasionally stay up way too late, talking about life, and Jesus, and music? Um maybe ...

Or another example:" having an epic Christmas with a mission party, watching The Fighting Preacher, having a zone breakfast, binge watching The Chosen, 2 invitations to Christmas dinner, and getting tickets from your mom to see Shawn Mendes in concert in September (hence my song lyric title for this week).

But the best part of Christmas was focusing on Christ, and seeing miracles come because of it. People really do need Jesus, and I couldn't have had a better Christmas. God is in the details, just waiting for us to realize it, and then to do something about it!

And so sometimes, you knock on the wrong trailer door.

We were going to this trailer to visit Bob, and I told Sister Larson it was number 247. Now for some brief context, the missionaries found this guy before I even got to this area, so I would have had no clue if we were going to the right trailer or not. We knocked on the door and this guy opened it, and it obviously wasn't Bob. But we got to talking with this guy (come to find out, Jeff) and 5 minutes in he was like "I know who you guys are. I grew up with members of the church." We got to talking and we heard his whole life story and all about his hard times and his current interest in religion. We told him about the Book of Mormon, and by the end he said, "I think I'm going to have to read that book."

We walked away as 2 happy 20 year olds, mouths gaping open at what had just happened.

We got in the car and Sister Larson told me that the whole time I was giving her directions she had the numbers 246 (not 247) going through her head. She was convinced she had the right trailer number and even had a memory of standing at that trailer, talking with Bob, who really was in the next place over. But we knocked on number 247 anyway. And that was just the way it should have been.

So God is good. What does it feel like to be loved by God? I think a lot of things. Sometimes it's having a best friend, sometimes it's feeling peace and joy, sometimes it's realizing how small you are compared to His greatness, sometimes it might even hurt a little, and sometimes it's being led to the wrong trailer. What can I say? He knows what's best. I'm just here trying to do what he asks of me.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Don't forget that Jesus loves you,

Sister Wallace

Pics:

1. My pal Sister Larson

2. Christmas eve present- a beautiful sky

3. Me with a cute puppy who won't look at the camera

4. Fernando y Diana

5. Christmas day selfie

6. One-of-a-kind Christmas morning with the fam