Preaching in Pennsylvania: It's All Up To You!!

Family dearest,

Wow. This week was amazing!! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! Oh my
goodness, my mission is the opportunity of a lifetime. I can't even
begin to describe what it feels like to bear the calling of a
full-time missionary. This week, as I have opened my eyes, I have seen
what blessings come from being a missionary, and I have seen so many
miracles. IT WAS AMAZING. God is so good. SO GOOD. (Be prepared for a
long email)

On Thursday, we had Zone Conference. We drove a few hours to State
College to meet everyone there. Oh my goodness--it was incredible. We
were there all day, but it was a day full of the Spirit. I realized
what an incredible blessing it is to be surrounded by so much
goodness--I especially feel that way when I am around other
missionaries and President and Sister Johnson. One of the highlights
was the 2015 mission video. Made me cry!! (What's new, though?) They
depicted perfectly what it feels like to serve a mission. And it gave
me a renewed determination to serve with my whole heart. We sang "Away
in a Manger" as a district, and Sister Talbot and I sang "Mary's
Lullaby". It was so great!! I LOVE sharing music--especially Christmas
music with other people. It is a gift straight from heaven. One moment
during the conference about gave me a heart-attack!! I was chosen
with a few other missionaries to give a 3-minute talk on "How the
birth of Christ changed everything for me". Let me tell ya, it's scary
getting called out like that with no warning, but all was well. I want
to share with you a few of the things I shared with everyone:

Because of the birth of Christ, my life was forever changed. The
history of the world would never be the same, and that change is so
permanent that nothing could ever reverse it. The Savior was born and
carried out the Atonement. For that matchless and miraculous gift, I
am eternally grateful. And as it states in Isaiah 53:5, "with his
stripes, [I've been] healed." He was born so I can be healed. He was
born so I can be forgiven. He was born so I would be fully understood.
He was born so I could be shown an example of unconditional love, and
be loved unconditionally. He was born so I could be given second
chances over and over again. He was born, He lived, and He died for
me, for everyone. And He lives today. Because He loves me, He came
here. And because I love Him, I am serving a mission right now in my
life. I know the Savior lives and He walks with me every day.

The entire conference was a miracle that I felt was sent straight for
me. Everything I heard and felt was desperately needed, and only my
Father in Heaven would have known. I walked away from that conference
changed for the better.

This week, I made a commitment to the Lord to see and acknowledge the
tender mercies and miracles that happened each and every day. Let me
tell you, it was the most amazing experience. Tender mercies were
pouring from heaven left and right. I'll tell you about a few of them.

Friday's are our days to plan for the upcoming week, so we expected
last Friday to be pretty mellow, because we thought we knew we
wouldn't be going anywhere. Before our companionship study, we saw we
had a missed call. Lo and behold, it was an (801) area code. What? We
listened to the message, and it was a lady named Wendy and she said, "I
hope this is the number for the missionaries for The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. Please call me back when you can." We
immediately called her back, and she told us the following: Her friend
and her husband are here in Pennsylvania to adopt a brand
new baby girl. The baby is in the
NICU. They both have been inactive for many years, but
the Mom called her friend Wendy to ask about arranging for a priesthood
blessing--she didn't know how to make that happen. Wendy said she
would take care of it, so she somehow found our number (still don't
know how) and called us. After telling her we would arrange for a
blessing, we called the Lewisburg Elders (Elder Hansen & Elder
Haroldsen--he's here since Elder Stallings went home), and they
dropped everything to come to the hospital to give the baby a blessing.
The Dad found us at the information desk (definitely a tender mercy) and
led us to the NICU. We met them and they are all so sweet and
their baby is just beautiful. The Elder's gave her a blessing, and the
Spirit was so strong. I know the Mom and Dad felt it, and as the Mom
walked us to the door, I gave her a big hug and said "We love you."
She was emotional and so grateful. I can't really describe
how it felt to go through that, to be there right when they needed us,
to truly be instruments in the Lord's hands. I felt like I had known
these sweet people my whole life--the entire process--what tender mercy
after tender mercy--one big miracle.

Saturday morning we went to the Lewisburg ward's Christmas breakfast.
The Elder's brought their investigator Sherry, and her daughter Skyla,
and Sherry's mom Bridgette. Sherri is so prepared--we can tell she
is ripe and ready for he gospel. All of us missionaries gave her a
tour of the church, which she loved. Her daughter is just little, but
she knows who Jesus is and was just adorable. Being with her, helping
answer her questions, helping her feel at home--that was a miracle
straight from the Lord. The Elders tracked into her for a reason and
it was amazing to be a part of that. Her mom is looking for a church
as well, so we are going to start teaching her (she lives in
Danville).

Sunday evening, we had our own Crèche festival (we called it a
Nativity fireside) . It was wonderful and it felt like a mini version
of the one in Heber we would go to every year. It made me so happy!!
There was so much work that went into it and it was so stressful, but
it all came together beautifully--it was a miracle.

I have come to some conclusions this week. I have realized that my
outlook as I got through my mission is up to me. How good my mission
is all up to me. It's up to me to see the Lord's tender mercies and
miracles every day. It's up to me to be grateful in every situation.
It's up to me to seek understanding to strengthen my testimony. It's
up to me to learn to rely on the Lord completely. I was better before
my mission with seeking out the tender mercies and making note of
them. Now I have needed to do that more than ever. It expands and
enriches your vision and your perspective like nothing else does. Will
you seek out the miracles in your own life and thank the Lord for
them? I promise you it will bless your life in more ways than one.
It's all up to you.

Real fast: ponderized Doctrine & Covenants 19:23-24 this week.
23 Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my
Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.
24 I am Jesus Christ; I came by the will of the Father, and I do his will.

When we are submissive to the Lord's Spirit, learning of Him and being
filled by His words, we have true peace. "No Savior, no peace. Know
the Savior, and you will know true peace."

Have a wonderful week and treasure this time of year!!
LOVE YOU ALL SOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!

Forever yours,
Sister Bartlett

PS: We caught 5 more mice since last Monday. Total: 9!!! And I think
they're all gone. Woohoo!! Haha just thought you'd like to know!!

The Nativity Fireside!