merry christmas!!!!

We loved hearing from our missionaries on Christmas!  They are both doing great and seem very happy!  It's great to see their testimonies growing and see them serving the Lord so well!  Philip even said he's gained some weight!!! Yeah!!!

Hey family,
Festival season is fantastic!  We have to be at the visitor center at 4:00 each day and the whole night we're on 15 minute shifts.  So about every 15 minutes we change positions.  These positions vary from ushering, holding doors, clicking in everyone who comes in, talking to people in the back, front, outside.  It's fun.  My favorite exhibit is called Special Witnesses.  It's where the testimonies and recent talks of the Apostles and Prophets are.  Up top, painted on the wall is the picture of Christ ordaining his original apostles.  Then directly under it is a painting of the modern day apostles and prophet.  It is such a testimony that today we have that same authority.  That Christ's church, the same one that Christ established when he was on the earth, is here again!  The spirit fills the visitor center and it is incredible to teach there!  Just yesterday I talked to a family from Vietnam.  The missionaries are going to visit them!  We've got 9 new exhibits, which are awesome!  Miracles happen every night.  On Monday or Tuesday one of the Elders came up to me and told me there was this man who wanted to know more.  The man and a lady came up to me and I asked if he wanted to know more.  He did.  The lady with him is a less active member who wants to come back.  She told him about the church and it's just what he's looking for.  He told me his story and he's been prepared his whole life for the gospel and now's the right time.  The Lord allowed me to be a part of this and I am so grateful for that!

Our 16 year old investigator got baptized!  He is so prepared and it's so neat how much he has changed.  He is so much happier, he likes church, his attitude about life has changed!  He wants to do what's right.  I wish you could see the before and after - it's cool!  It's been so neat to see the Lord's hand in his coming into the church!

I talked to someone who was in Brigham about a week ago and they said Brigham is still there, so that's good.  How is the temple?  Probably amazing!
Love you all!! Love Sister Wankier

The Visitor Center lit up for the Festival of Lights

Favorite past time - roasting marshmallows with Sister Welch!

Hi everyone!  Things are going good here.  We had a baptism on Saturday, but it wasn't an investigator.  It was an 8 year old that lives in the area.  His mother and brother were baptized a few months before I got here.  We had our branch Christmas Party on Friday.  It was pretty fun.  It snowed here a little bit last night, but nothing much.

I gave a talk on Sunday at church.  That's like my 3rd talk so far.  I gave one at the baptism too.  It's weird though, because we only have about 30 people at church, so it will be different in a regular sized ward.

I've been with Elder Wilkins the whole time so far, but he goes home the beginning of January, so I'll be getting a new one.  I am doing well.  I'm doing a lot of studying and learning the gospel.
Love, Philip