November 21 - Lumberton, North Carolina

Greetings from good ol' Lumberton! I hope you all had another great week!! We received transfer news this weekend.......drum roll........Sister Smith and I will be staying in Lumberton another transfer! I am actually really excited to be staying because we get to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas together!!! Also, the work we have been doing the last couple weeks has been incredible and it would have been really hard to leave some of our amazing investigators!! We also found out that they are taking the elders out of Lumberton. From now on it will be us and the Brown's. That also means that most likely we will be full time car......no more biking!!!!! It's truly a Christmas miracle!!! We are also apparently moving into the elders apartment which is new and really nice!

Well, this week has been really incredible!! We have been working so hard and have been seeing some really amazing miracles take place here in Lumberton!! In the last couple of weeks, Elder Brown referred us to a woman that they helped during the storm. Her name is Lisa and she is amazing!! She is the kindest and most loving person! We have been teaching her for about two weeks now and she is finding it all truly fascinating! Every time we meet with her, I feel the spirit so strongly! Saturday night we gave her a tour of  the church and she loved it. On Sunday, she came to Sacrament Meeting!! This week, we had 4 investigators at church!!! I have never had that many investigators come to church! Miracles are truly happening all over Lumberton!!

This week, I just wanted to bare my testimony with all of you. I am truly grateful for this time that I have to be serving the Lord. It has been the most amazing experience I have ever had in my life! My testimony has grown and I can say that I have truly become converted to the Lord! I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's church once again restored to the earth. I know that this is the one true church and that Heavenly Father desires for all of His children to be worthy members of His church! I am so grateful for the many blessings that my Heavenly Father has given me! The greatest blessing He has given me was to be born into the gospel! Christ's church is not a part of me, it is who I am! I am so grateful for the principles, doctrines, and standards that have shaped me into the person I am today! I know that The Book of Mormon is the word of God! I truly know that it is the only book that can bring us closest to our Heavenly Father! I know that the Joseph Smith was truly a prophet and called to restore Christ's Church!! I know these things to be true with all of my heart!!!

I love you all so much!!! Thank you for all of your prayers and words of encouragement! I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving!! I love you!!!

Love,
Sister Paynter

#1: Sister Smith and I

#2: We made Fajitas in honor of Sister Smith's family tradition of having enchiladas the Sunday before Thanksgiving....Fajitas were the closest thing we had to enchiladas

#3: We celebrated Sister Smith's Birthday today by getting 4 for $4 at Wendy's...they are her favorite

#4: Us, the Elders, and the Brown's at Family Home Evening with the Burmese People