EMAIL: Mon, December 3, 2012  10:45 AM

Subject:  Miracles in Rowlett

Howdy Y'all!

Can you believe it is December already? It was 82 degrees yesterday here in Texas. What a winter! I hope all is well for all y'all. I love the Christmas season - what a great time to bring souls to Christ! I hope y'all were able to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional because it was amazing. I love our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, and I know that he is an authorized representative of our Savior and Heavenly Father. How great that we have a prophet in our day. What a blessing and great example of our Heavenly Father's love for His children.

This last week has been amazing. Rowlett has some of the best new investigators and will be having at least 3 baptisms in December. Sister Hansen and I have been so blessed. One is named Hanna (wrote of her in last weeks email)- she learned about the gospel from the Elwood family in our ward. We just taught the first lesson, but she has already been attending seminary, reading the scriptures, going to mutual, and has been to church the last 4 Sundays. Hanna has had a hard life but she knows this church is increasing her faith and knowledge of the Savior. She loved the Christmas devotional last night and is so excited to keep meeting with the missionaries.

Sister Hansen and I have a 9 year-old girl named Sarah that is going to be baptized on the 15th of December. She is so excited to learn. One day she asked us how many more lesson we had. We told her about 5 more lessons and asked why she wanted to know. Sarah said that she just wants to be baptized. Sarah is amazing. We are just praying for her mom, Sister O'Neal. She has been less-active and it is a struggle to come back to church. They also have a difficult situation at home. We pray and hope that all works. Sarah wants the gospel so badly in her life, and I know it will bless her and her family.

Another miracle is Cherish. She was a media referral. Sister Hansen and I haven't had the best luck with media referrals, so I might have been skeptical when it said Cherish wanted to be baptized and taught. We finally contacted her 2 days ago and she wanted to meet with us the next day. Turns outs, Cherish was in Ghana for a study abroad. One class asked her to attend a religious meeting, so she chose our church, was talked to by the missionaries, and started investigating the church. She was taught all of the lessons in Ghana and went to church the last 3 weeks she was there. She came home and wanted to be baptized. Cherish already has a strong testimony of the truthfulness of the church and wants so badly to share that with others. She recognizes the hand of the Lord in her life and all of the events and questions that have led up to her knowing that this is the fullness of the gospel. Sister Hansen and I invited Cherish to be baptized on the 29th of December and she looked so sad. We asked her what was wrong... She said she was hoping to be baptized in the next few days. Cherish will be baptized on the 15th of December! What a miracle and a tender mercy of the Lord to find such a prepared soul!

Rowlett is an amazing place. I love the people! I love the members! I love our investigators. The news of the week is transfer calls. Sister Hansen is going to be staying in Rowlett and her new companion will actually be her MTC companion. Sister Hansen is going to be the senior companion- she will do a great job and she is so ready to take over the Rowlett area. My transfer news is surprising, but I know that it is exactly what the Lord wants. I am going to be heading to the Wylie/Sachse area. This area is currently an Elder area, so my companion and I are going to be opening it up for Sisters. It should be an adventure. My companion is Sister Overy. She is actually the second oldest sister missionary in the mission, and I am the 4th oldest sister. It should be amazing to work with such an experienced sister once again. Sister Overy has a great voice, so I am super excited to go caroling/tracting for the holidays.

Unfortunately- I do not have the address for this area since we are opening it for Sisters. Y'all can still send me mail at the mission office and I should have an address next week. I am very excited to be going to this area. It is a little bit scary because I don't know what happened in this area that they would need two experienced sisters to come in. I also don't know if I will be in an apartment or living with members. But I do know that Wylie/Sachse is where the Lord has called me to serve. I am excited for this opportunity and trust that I can help open an area for sisters. I am torn to leave Rowlett- I spent 1/3 of my mission here. I am going to miss everybody so badly. It has been a disaster to try and say goodbye to everyone that I love in Rowlett. The worst was bidding farewell to my Harper Family yesterday (but Rene promised me they would be sealed in the temple next year!) I have made so many eternal friends here and am grateful for each of these relationships. The great news is that Wylie is the area directly north of Rowlett. It is in a different stake and in a different district, so I won't see Sister Hansen too often. But it is close enough that I can come back to Rowlett for all of the baptisms and see everyone again! What a tender mercy!

I love the Lord! I love being a missionary! I love my Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement! This gospel is amazing!! I love all y'all so much. Thanks for all of the love and support.

Love Always, Sister Peck

p.s. have y'all checked out the new site www.mormon.org/Christmas It is pretty awesome with free Mormon Tabernacle Choir music, free DVD's, and so much more. What a great thing to share with neighbors and friends during the Christmas Season. I invite all y'all to check it out and share it with those you care about! Love y'all