December 27

December 27,

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Christmas here was sooooo awesome. We had a talent show in the morning. One group who performed did a skit where they used Elder Bednar's picture for something, to which Sister Stratton yelled, "BEDNAR IS COMING! BEDNAR IS COMING!" (Meaning for the devotional later that day. We never know who's going to speak until we get there.) "And that's how you start rumors at the MTC," she told me. I gave her a low-five. (Which is discouraged, but probably not as much as high-fives are.) But then Elder Bednar really did speak at the devotional. It was the most awesome devotional I have ever personally been to. Which reminds me, I was going to tell you all that he spoke about but I left my notes in my room. Maybe later. It was cool because he passed out a bunch of cell phones at the beginning and had us send him questions to his iPad. The devotionals stream to all the MTCs over the world, so missionaries from other countries could ask him questions too. I remember being so impressed that he could answer everyone so well without knowing beforehand on which topic he would speak. It just shows that he was receiving inspiration as he spoke to us and that he is an apostle called of the Lord. He has a really good sense of humor, too. 

Then we went to lunch, and the food was extra good that day. We went back to the auditorium and a jazz band performed a bunch of Christmas songs. They were really, really good. And it's not like I even had to try to enjoy it, I just did. We had sack dinner and then came back again to watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance on tv. They gave everybody a big bag of kettle corn. 

The night before, on Christmas Eve, we had a devotional which wasn't that great but had a good message. We had previously heard that we would have an hour for email on Christmas, but we found out at that devotional that it would only be twenty minutes, and some people were upset about that. We watched The Nativity and Mr. Krueger's Christmas. Me and Sister Stratton were sitting in the computer lab at one point listening to (Christian) music and Sister Lefler got a package from her sister with a big headband in it. She was like, "I don't know how I'm supposed to wear this," and we told her she looked like a gangster in it, so she proceeded to do the most hilarious on-the-spot Christmas rap I have ever before heard. I wish I could remember some of the lyrics, but just know that I really appreciated it. She performed professionally in variety shows and theater stuff so she's a pretty talented dancer, singer, actress, etc. My companions are really awesome; we're laughing all the time. 

This week I did work with two elders in the TRCs. (Remember, that's when we go and practice Bulgarian with people who are usually already members. We give them a spiritual thought and pray with them and stuff.) I had thought I would be alone again but only one volunteer showed up, so we had to try and condense our time. I had prepared something on the atonement and the two elders had prepared something on prayer. When it was time to start I looked over at them and they were looking at me expectantly. So, I gave my part and then found a good transition point for them to talk about prayer. They accidentally had him read the wrong scripture and were laughing a lot and stuff, so at the very end I said to the volunteer (in Bulgarian), "I'm sorry that my companions are so funny." (I didn't know the word for 'stupid'.)

"Why?"

"There was no Spirit."

"They had it."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Good," I said. 

"Are you saying bad things about us?" one of the elders asked me. The only word they had understood of the entire exchange was the word for 'good'. I didn't respond while the volunteer was in the room, but when he left I told him, "I just told him I'd follow up with him next lesson to see if he'd prayed and he was like ok and I was like good." The elder said to me, "You're so much better at this than I am!" Meaning better at Bulgarian. Ha ha.

Last night when me, Sisters Stratton and Lefler were at the vending machine we ran into two sisters from my mission! Adriatic South. They were both going to Albania and Kosovo and are leaving Tuesday. That was the first time I'd ever talked to someone from my mission, and I don't know if I'll see them again once I'm out in the field. It was really cool though, and a blessing.

I've really been praying a lot more and I'm seeing the hand of the Lord in my life. I feel really at peace a lot of the time. I learn so much from reading the scriptures and I can see that Heavenly Father directs me to what I need to know. Scripture study is powerful. I know that God blesses us when we do it and when we savor His word. The Book of Mormon is true, the Bible is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

 

I love you and I miss you.

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