Mississippi Jackson: "We found a Transformer in the Scouts' closet." "Outstanding!"

Merry morning, dear friends! How was Christmas? Magical? I hope so.

I have a four-line poem that perfectly describes our Christmas. Ready? Okay:

'Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house,
The A/C was blowing,
Because we live in the South.

We had a rather eventful week. In a way. Let me begin by telling you a classic sister missionary tale.

Sister May and I were out trying to be diligent missionaries. We didn't let daylight savings hinder our work, and we were out knocking on doors even though I could liken the evening hours to "thick darkness [gathering] around me" (Joseph Smith History 1:15).

We were trying to see a family in the ward, and Sister May decided to park. Little did she know that Satan had recently been at a storm drain and as she turned the wheel to swing the car beside the curb, our poor car slammed right into some loose hardware jutting out from the lip of the drain.

Our little Corolla came to a startling halt. I paused the merriment of Gentri's Christmas tunes as Sister May re-positioned the car away from the curb. We hopped outside to check, and found that a gaping hole had been ripped into our poor tire.

Oops.

Thus began a chain of phone calls to members who lived nearby. It seemed the people in the neighborhood surrounding us were so enthralled with their Christmas movies that they didn't have any time to look out the window and see Mormon missionaries awkwardly kicking at the sidewalk as we kept dialing number after number.

But, no worries, all you mothers reading. Brother Yarrington -- also known as The Best -- came to our rescue with his daughter. He helped us attach a spare, and the following day we gave our car to Firestone to help with the damage. I'll have y'all know it's a running joke in the mission office that whatever car I touch seems to have trouble. I was hoping Brownlee would be a different story.

I was wrong.

What's amazing is that in that Firestone, we ended up talking to a woman there who just so happened to be a less-active in another ward! What!

The Lord has a reason for everything, including flat tires. (Sorry, Elder Edwards.)

I've been pondering upon the season and what the future has in store. Missionary work still rolls on, even when the world is taking a break. The work must still be done. The Lord stops for no holiday.

For the whole of 2016, I have been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the same gospel that was taught by our Savior in the New Testament, with all of the same ordinances and principles He taught the Apostles to preach. I know where this gospel came from, and I know it has been restored to us in the latter-days after centuries of being lost. I know it is found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I know this isn't just another church. It isn't just another philosophy. This is the truth. I know it. I have felt it. I have prayed about it. I have earnestly sought my Heavenly Father's guidance with this. Because, yes, that is a bold statement. And it is not that everyone else is wrong and we are right because that's not correct. We are no better than any other church. There are pieces of the gospel scattered across the earth -- so where are all of the pieces gathered today? Where is the fullness of Christ's gospel?

Jesus Christ offered the Sadducees and the Pharisees more. He offered the sinners something new. He taught something higher. He did not take away from what they already knew; He came to fulfill, not destroy.

That is precisely what we are doing.

We have come to proclaim glad tidings of great joy! Yes, you have a Savior who died for you! And we have a gospel that tells you how you can utilize that sacrifice to its fullest. We want to offer more to God's children, not take away what they know! The gospel of Jesus Christ makes bad men good -- but it most definitely makes good men better.

There is more out there for us, brothers and sisters. If you have not found it, seek for it. Ask, and you shall receive. Heavenly Father is waiting to pour blessings onto you if you just let Him.

Remember who you are. Remember what life you can have in Jesus Christ.

The New Year begins on Sunday. We are making goals for our work and ourselves. What goals will you make this year? What will you do differently? What more will you add to yourself?

Have a happy New Year.

Godspeed!

Sincerely,

Sister Rose