Merry CHRISTmas!

 Hello!!!! I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful season of CHRISTmas! it is a good one. Great for everyone to be remembering the Savior! Great. CHRISTmas conferece this week was good. had some Great trainings! We watched Luther. A movie made about martin Luther and the reformation. Learned a lot! was good. They had two conferences so the whole mission wasn't there. Most of my friends were in the other one but all is well. Still had friends! In fact I was able to see Elder Geuvara! A missionary in my MTC intake who visa waited in Missouri with me and come here. I have only seen him about twice since the MTC, so it was fun to see him again! ha. I was able to catch the Narrabri Elder and have lunch with them! Elder Orr and Elder Nielson! ha. Loved that! Ghost of companions past I guess. ha. Last Monday we got to work at eh Temple lights! So we were guiding people on tours and talking to them about the pictures and stuff. So that was fun! Got to meet all kinds of People! been a good CHRIST filled week. Hope this week will offer the same! What a great time of year!

   This week I truly realized and kept thinking about how inspired companionships really are! Being with Elder Nathan so been great so far. I have learned a lot, about the work, about him, and about myself as well. I hope he would be able to say the same! I keep finding myself surprised yet unsurprised at the same time a when another similarity we have surfaces. We are very similar, yet our backgrounds and even behaviors are very different. We are able to talk openly and freely. We both have similar areas of testimony that have been tested and strengthened as a result of serving together. he is gaining confidence in ability of following the spirit and giving Priesthood blessings. I remember my first few transfers in the field and the great fear I had of giving blessings... I also remember a senior companion I had begging me to give a blessing. After some persistence on his part, and disregarding my argument that our other companion should so it, I finally gave in and have come to have full confidence in the Lords Priesthood power. I have always been grateful to Elder Phillips for that. I have been humbled a bit these last few weeks and have needed to ask for a couple of blessings. It has been great to see that same confidence in the Lords power build in my companion as it did in me nearly 16 months ago in Maryland heights Missouri. I feel we are unified in our work. I definitely have learned a lot from Elder Nathan and I hope to give him the example he needs at this crucial time of his mission and life. Companions are definitely inspired! So much growth.
   Teaching as Jesus taught. We have been focusing this week on Extending commitments in our "12-week" study. It has been good. It reminds me of trainings I had received all through out my mission and how to more effective invite people to come unto Christ and repent. It has been good. We are now much more focused on extending invitations and commitments. the spirit is definitely stronger as you ask a "Will you..." question. The chance and opportunity for change is so much greater as well! We have been trying to do as the Mater teacher of Nazareth always did, that is inviting others to change. And by so doing coming closer Jesus Christ. It truly is great to be an instrument in the Lords hands and doing as he would do, namely INVITING others to Come unto Christ, and fulfilling our purpose.
   Being taught about faith in the recent zone conference was great! It is something I think was very beneficial to us all and was really needed. if we truly believe all that we teach and learn about in church then we would have that miracles would come naturally! They do really if you think about it. Facing challenges or setting goals in Faith, and continuing on in Faith, is showing the Lord we Truly have a testimony. That is why I LOVE the quote "Come What May & Love It!" from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin. If we are faithful. follow the spirit, and choose the right, we need not fear, for we KNOW that we have done as the Lord desires. When the spirit moves upon us and helps us to change we are filled with so much faith, knowing we can "go and do the things the Lord commands!" It is not until after that the Devil tries to put fear into hearts. he tries to get us to have the opposite of faith so we can be immobilized and not accomplish our goals. We know however that with faith in t Lord 'All things ARE possible!" Having Faith has truly helped us accomplish our goals!

   MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! I Love you all! You are all examples to me and I am grateful that you have been in my life! I pray that you will remember why we  celebrate CHRISTmas this year.

   Love,

     Elder Ford