Week 29 - "We had some good Groceries"

Dear Family!!


Greetings From Slidell, LA. and I hope your holiday Christmas season is going great.


I am sorry that we missed emailing you Monday and Tuesday..We had our Zone Conference on Monday and we were to apply what we learned Tuesday. Hence Preparation day on Wednesday!


Since last week so much has happened. One of the ladies in our ward that had MS died this last week. She was so strong until the end and has a great family. The Wake was on Friday and The funeral service was on Saturday. As sad as it is, it really is great to see plan of salvation in action. There were a lot of nonmembers there and people of different faiths. I loved that we were able to share Gods plan for us of what happens after we die and how there is more after this life. Also one day she will be reunited with her body, a perfect body never to have the illness that she has had in this life effect her. 


We are teaching this other family we found in the area book. Sister LeBaron and I found them two transfers ago and we finally had time to go back and see them. They are amazing! They want us to come and teach the grandma the stop smoking workshop, they are coming to the ward Christmas party and the best of all is they are looking for a church to go to. they have no problem with the book of Mormon and are so excited to have us come over. We have been so excited about them and hope and pray that we can help them progress towards baptism.


We had the great privilege of having a general authority at zone conference. Elder and Sister Cardon came to our conference. It was so great to have them and I learned so much. One thing I love that he shared with us that I wanted to share with you is directly related to Christmas. Any guesses?..No? Well I will tell you..The wise men! Where did they come from and how did they know to follow that star? We learn in the bible  Matthew 2:1-10 that the Wise men came from the east and had followed the star to Jerusalem. ( We say there are three because of the three gifts they brought to the young boy Christ. Really there were many) They from there inquired of King Herod where the child was to be born. The King then called together all of his chief priests and scribes to tell him where the Christ Child is to be born, in Bethlehem.Then he, the king, sent them to Bethlehem.  Thus poses the question..where did they come from? All we know is the East. Another question..How did they know about the star. No where in any of the records the chief priest and scribes have in Jerusalem does it talk about "a star". There is a record though it which it does talk about a star. We read in the book of Mormon in Heleman 14:5-6 when Samuel the Lamanite tells the Nephites of the signs of the saviors birth, that there will a new star appear. These wise men who came from the east only knew of this star and all those who were in Jerusalem were troubled because they did not know of this star yet the records they had told them where Christ was to be born. Long story short.. Those wise men in your nativity are (how ever many you have) 3 additional witnesses to the book of Mormon. And if you do not believe that those wise men are additional witnesses then you need to get them out of your nativity, and we all love those wise men. Just think about it... :) ( I hope this makes sense. I will try to type up a better version with more scriptural references)


Stuffed Mirliton (Chayote squash, known in the Deep South as mirliton or vegetable pears, are steamed and then filled) Is the picture of the food we had that I sent home.  Some people call it Coyote Squash. Beef, okra, and shrimp mixed with seasoning and the squash filling stuff. It was actually pretty good! Though I do not think it was Sister V's favorite. She is happy in the picture though! :)


Sorry there is not more this week. We have a very short p-day. So much to do so little time! I love ya'll so much and hope that you are having a great Christmas season. Remember the wise men!
Love, Sister Urie


Southernism: "We had some good Groceries that night!" means: There was really good food there
Tracting tips: sadly..only one! We pulled up to put air in our tires and there was a penny right next to the tire. Yes, God's hand is in the little things too.
Scripture: Heleman 14:5-6 and Matt. 2:1-10 The wise men.