Week 9 - A Merry Little Christmas (et une bonne année)

As of the moment I'm writing this, I have three days before I leave the MTC. Bright and early, Monday morning, I'll be out on my way to get on a plane to LA, and then to Tahiti. I can hardly wait! It's all we talk about anymore - the palm trees, the humidity, the ocean... Sooo excited!

Merry Christmas, by the way. Christmas at the MTC was as good as Thanksgiving. Christmas Eve, we watched a live nativity put on by the MTC President's family, which meant there were tons of tiny kids dressed up as sheep, a Samuel standing on a chair and dodging crumpled up tinfoil balls, and a Christmas Star (or a granddaughter dressed in a sparkly tshirt shining a flashlight into the eyes of every single crowd member). Needless to say, it was incredibly adorable. I loved singing the Christmas songs from the children's songbook, because for whatever reason, it reminded me so much of home.

The highlight of Christmas Eve were those 3D glasses that you look through at Christmas lights, and when you look through them they turn all the lights into snowflakes. When you have six pairs of those glasses, of course you start by sharing them with people you know, and then random Elders and Sisters walk by and ask to try them, and soon enough the glasses are on the eyes of complete strangers who all have the same excitement you have about the Christmas lights. There was a lot of joy in my heart as I watched people grin and pass the glasses, and they would ask "whose are these?? who brought these??" And I'd just smile to myself.

Also, thank you to everyone who sent treats and gifts to me while I’ve been at the MTC. I owe you all a lot. Here’s a picture of our tiny Christmas tree corner on Christmas Eve:

We were well taken care of on Christmas day. Elder Bednar came and taught us about revelation and how to recognize it. He shared that, when you receive answers to questions, it’s almost always without knowing how, what, or why beforehand. This led me to understand my mission a little more. It’s really hard for me to go into meetings not knowing exactly how to say every sentence, or even what I want to talk about; but God gives me that opportunity so that I can look to Him for guidance and lean upon Him.

For that devotional, we got to sing Where Shepherds Lately Knelt. This song reminds me of the power of my personal conversion to this gospel, and the purpose of our joy and work. Go and listen to it to wrap up your Christmas season. AMAZING. It's one of my new favorites.

We had steak for lunch, which was cool, and then Skype calls. So good to see my family again! I miss all of you and wish with my whole heart that I could call each of you and see your faces.

We watched It's A Wonderful Life, which everyone loved, and then went to the room to have our Secret Santa gift exchange (I wrote a wonderful poem for Elder Ermatinger about the one time at dinner that he kept stealing grapes from off my plate). Then, Elder Roberts put on a puppet show of How The Grinch Stole Christmas (which was probably exactly like the new movie) and... yep! The room was so full of Christmas cheer, and love for each other. We're a family! I love my district. I can't believe I have to leave them on Monday.

(This is all of us after all the festivities, wearing the Santa hats Sœur Allen’s mom made for us)

To cap off the day, David Archuleta himself gave us a very personal concert. He sang some incredible songs - I've never been the hugest fan of his music, but this especially was amazing. He has an incredible voice, the Church means so much to him, and he told us stories about his mission that brought the Spirit so strongly. (I really liked My Little Prayer, his version of White Christmas, and Come Come Ye Saints. He's so good. Also Glorious was really good. AGH)

If I'm being honest, the days since have felt a little bit hungover. Christmas was incredible, but seeing your family and having so much fun and feeling the Spirit so strongly all in the same day left us emotionally and spiritually drained.

Looking toward Monday, we have so much today! We get a bulk of our packing done today, and then it's just a matter of classes tomorrow... And then we're finished. My time at the MTC has been a lot of things, but I honestly didn't think it would ever be over. Next time I write, I'll be typing from the best island in the South Pacific!

Merry Christmas, and to all a good night :)

Sœur Sperry