The Beginning of 2016

Happy New Year!

This has been another amazing week in the White Plains 2nd Ward!

On New Year's Eve, after 5 p.m. we either had to be with members or in
our apartment so Elder Sorensen and I went to a progressive dinner
with the bishop, his family, and three other families in the Ward,
which was a ton of fun, as well as an amazing opportunity to get to
know people a lot better!

New Year's Day, was a designated as a non-proselyting day so we spent
most of the day chilling with our roommates. That evening, we went to
a dinner appointment with one of the families in their Ward, which was
also a ton of fun!

This week, we spent a good amount of time at the Chamberlain's, which
is always a ton of fun!

Yesterday, while at dinner/Family Home Evening with the Barrows (a
family in our Ward), the dad told a story about when his dad was in
South America on a business trip and he couldn't leave his hotel room
because he was waiting for a phone call so he read/studied the Book of
Mormon for four or five days straight because that was all he had with
him. During the fifth night, he finished reading and went over to his
window and rolled beck the curtains to find that the building across
from him was made of glass and was reflecting a ton of light from one
of the rooms in his building. He was confused because no other room in
his hotel had any lights on and the only light he had on was a tiny
reading lamp he was using. He soon realized that in the reflection was
a man, himself even. Upon realizing this, he began to worry because
the light that was coming from his room was enough to possibly be
disturbing/distracting to people who would be out and about or trying
to sleep. But he then heard the Spirit tell him not to worry because
everything was as it should be. Though he never ended up getting the
phone call and returned home empty handed, the experience he had being
able to study the Book of Mormon for that period of time as well as
the experience he had with the light affected him for the rest of his
life. He always used this experience to show that no matter what, God
is in charge and if we trust in Him, he will guide and direct our
lives and assure as that everything will be ok.

I know this to be true as well. I love you all and hope you have an
amazing week! The church is true!

Sincerely,
Elder Sam Williams
Washington DC North Mission
11700 Falls Road
Potomac, MD, 20854