My dear family and everyone else I love!
Wow! This week has been a-mazing. So much love! Let me first share some interesting points about the german language I've appreciated....mmk so the word for "atonement" in german is "suhnopher". "Suhnen" being to reconcile, and "opfer" meaning a sacrifice. So the Atonement was a sacrifice made, that we might be reconciled with our Father in Heaven. Cool huh? I love german! Another cool word: Repentance. It's "Umkehren". Which means "to turn around". So! When we repent, we are to TURN AROUND! Not turn slightly to the left or right, but turn all the way around, away from our sins, and return to them no more. Neat huh? And this one is more on the humorous side....the word for tithing is "Zehten", which when spoken sounds like "Satan"....so our investigator? Had a problem with "Zehten"...luckily i knew the word for "money" from my semester of german (which I am SO glad I took by the way...), so My comp and I knew what was upk...but some of the Elders in our district were telling our investigator that "Zehten", or rather, tithing, was a bad thing...bahaha.
Speaking of our investigator! Yes mom, he's pretend. In fact, last Friday, I found out my whole life here at the MTC has been a lie! Ok no really...but our investigator Jordan, revealed himself as our....second teacher!! What the what?? Quite the trick to pull on a bunch of missionaries. But! We committed him to baptism in his last "lesson", and now he is our teacher and we LOVE HIM! He's just so happy all the time! And he's a great teacher. It's nice to have 2 different ones to break up the monotony...anywho! you should ask Mike and Stacy if they know brother McCracken. He says he thinks they are in his ward....
Anywho! I want to take a moment for all of us to appreciate the power of...music! I love music. Our lessons wiht our investigator weren't going so well, so sister Kind and I decided to sing a Christmas hymn with him at the start of our lessons.....amazing!! It brought the spirit in a jiffy. And was just so neat. My district is so musical! I lvoe it! We are so solid when we sing! So we sing hymns a lot. Music is such a powerful tool.:)
So I also had a really neat experience in sacrament meeting this week. Our branch president spoke. Well first off, we write him a letter every Friday reporting on the week and whatnot...so! He got up and said "This subject is a little personal to me, but i really feel inspired that this is what I need to talk about today..." And for the next 10 minutes or so, it was like he was speaking directly to me. I'd addressed some of the worries and concerns of my heart in my letter to him, and he addressed, answered, and cleared them all up beautifully. It was an awesome testament to me that God really does know me, love me, and answers my prayers.
So! Seeing as it's Christmas on SUNDAY!! (Crazy!) I want to share a poem that my roommate received from a friend..you may have heard it but...here it goes..
Symbolism of the Candy Cane.
Turned upside down, the cane makes a "J"
For Jesus who was born on Christmas Day.
Turn it upright liek the good shepherd's staff,
who pleads to the Father on your behalf.
At the top you'll see the saving crook,
used on the sheep He never forsook.
The stripes whipser woftly "by His stripes we are healed'
And the red represents His blood that was spilled.
The whtie gives us hope to become pure as He,
by forsaking our sings, whitea as snow they will be.
The peppermind oil that flavors this treat
is know for it's strong healing properties.
Now each tmie you see the striped candy cane,
Remember, dear child, that He knows your name.
How true that is! I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christ loves us. He knows us. He knows our strengths, He knows our weaknesses. How blessed I feel to be serving a mission this Christmas season. AFterall, what better gift could I give to my Savior that my time? My service? My very soul? And still I will be indebted to Him. And what better gift could I hope to give my fellow man than..well..hope. Hope for this life as they come to a knowledge of the King of kings and Lord of lords whose birth we celebrate this time of year? It's beautiful.
Mmk one more thought! This one comes simply from 1 Nephi 3:7. "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the things which he hath commanded them..." I've read that scripture a million times, but I came across a note I'd written in my scriptures over the summer. Off to the side I wrote "The Lord will stretch us, but never beyond our reach." I LOVE that! What a comfort it has been to me here in the MTC. I have MOST definitely felt stretched..and tugged..and pulled....but! It's lovely to know that I am doing the Lord's work, and He WILL prepare a way for me to accomplish the thigns He has asked of me. Whether that be learning German, being bold enough to share the gospel...anything.
Well! I love you all! I'm so grateful for your support and your prayers! Rest easy that my prayers in German are getting a little better, so I think I'm probably asking for the right things when I pray for you all now! Haha. Merry Christmas!!
Love, Sister Bice
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