God Jul og Godt Nytt år! Merry Christmas!

December 28, 2017

God Jul og Godt Nytt år! Merry Christmas!

I hope that everyone has had a great Christmas! I feel so grateful that I am able to be in the MTC at this time of year because I really feel like I can focus on the Savior. This past Christmas was one of the most memorable Christmases I have ever had.

On Christmas Day, Sister Rawson and I woke up early and opened our Christmas presents. I feel so spoiled!!! Big shout out to everyone who reached out to me this Christmas and made me feel special! Next, the MTC put on a really cheesy version of the Christmas Carol. It was still very entertaining, and I am thankful that they went so much out of their way to do that for us. Then, the highlight of my day, I got to talk with my family! I was having technological problems at first, but everything ended up being okay. My favorite Christmas present was getting to hear my family's voices! Next, the MTC fed us steak! It was AMAZING! I am so grateful for all of the Cafeteria workers that sacrificed a part of their Christmas day to feed us. After lunch, we had choir practice and a devotional. Elder Neil L. Anderson and his wife spoke to us during the devotional and they are so cute! They made EVERY missionary a Christmas card! I had the privilege of shaking his hand as he was leaving the building (my second favorite Christmas present). While he was talking to us, I felt the spirit so strongly. He truly is called of God. To end the day, David Archuleta came and sang to us as well. He shared many stories from his mission and made me that much more excited to get out in the mission field and testify of Christ. For his Christmas present to us, he had every missionary (there are a LOT of us) line up and shake his hand. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty amazing to shake the hand of someone that I obsessed over as a little girl watching American Idol. He is an amazing singer, but what makes him even more amazing is his testimony of the Gospel.

This past week, Sister Rawson and I had the challenge of teaching an "investigator" the Law of Chastity. She lives with her boyfriend and she expressed to us that it would be very hard for her to keep that law because it would mean that she would have to move out and she didn't have anywhere to go. I felt impressed to share with her 1 Nephi 3:7 with her. Yes, that is the "I will go and I will do" scripture that we are all very familiar with, but instead this time, I focused on the last half of that verse that often gets overlooked. It says, " for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them". When we read that scripture, the spirit was so strong. I bore my testimony to her that when we try our very best to keep the commandments and take a leap of faith, the Lord will prepare a way for us. A couple of times ago in class, we were talking about how Jesus Christ, when he visited the Americas, commanded us that we should be perfect even as he and his father in heaven is perfect. (Nephi 12:48) We are also commanded to become like Christ, be more Christ-like. Those are commandments that Heavenly father has given to everyone. Meaning EVERYONE has the capability, the potential of being Christ-like, of becoming perfect. AND, that no matter who they are, what they have been through, or what they have done, Heavenly Father will prepare a way for them to fulfill that commandment if they try their best to do and to trust in his plan and use the Atonement and the repentance process to change their hearts . I realize now that that is a big part of having Charity. If I have that perspective that every single person on this earth has that potential, the ability to see them and treat them as God would have me will come so much easier.

Some of my favorite things from this past week:

The Provo Temple is closed, so for P-day last Thursday we got to clean it! I don't think I have ever enjoyed cleaning more!
We learned the Norske Bursdagssang (Norwegian Birthday song)! It is adorable and HAS ACTIONS! If you get a chance, look it up.
This past Sunday, we had cute children re-enact the Nativity for us! It was so cute!
FUN FACT: This is my last email in America! I only have 3 days left until I leave for Norway! See you on the other side, haha!

Again, I hope that you all have had a great Christmas! I hope that you also have a great New Year! Try and center some of your New Year's Resolutions on how you can strengthen your relationship with Christ and Heavenly Father, and become more Christ-like. I love you all!

God Jul og Godt Nytt År!

Love,

Søster Starkie