I hope you're all looking forward to the holidays, because I know I am!
I don't have any huge events to report and a lot of our friends are out of town/busy for the holidays sooooo here's a compilation of the small regular happenings of my life this week!
- We've been trying to get more member meals at the request of president!
- We had some success this week with a total of 2!! (That's our highest count)
- There was a small music devotional put on by the YSA yesterday at the church building, which I LOVED. Nothing brings the Spirit faster than music for me.
- We play volleyball each week with a large group of our members and their friends, which usually ends up being majority Polynesians. Who are really good at VB. And I am not. Get the picture? Regardless, I try to play each week and I should be better by the end of my mission
- We did even more caroling this week! (All the verses😬)
- We had a great lesson with our friend Christopher! He's a little forgetful (which may be why he's referred himself to us so many times), BUT he's really keen to learn more! He'll join us for the big Christmas Eve musical we have coming up. He is really well-learned in the Bible and has so many good questions about the Church!! Pray for Christopher!
- I did a quick half day exchange with Sister Templeman which was so good! We went to KFC (where I've discovered my new fav order #wickedwings😋) and had a grand ol' time
- We mowed a members lawn and she gave me yummy biscuits and sparkling water, I felt so posh.
- The four woman flat has instituted "The Mega Bed" for the festivities of this week. Basically we smooshed all our mattresses into the living room and we watch CHURCH movies (don't freak out guys) on Sister Templeman's projector and have a sleepover all week.
I love my personal study time. I cherish it. I often think throughout my day "All I have to do right now is make it to personal study" (shoutout atml-Adjusting to Missionary Life). But it hasn't always been that way. It wasn't until about 3 weeks before my mission that I started reading the scriptures daily. And even then, it was a chore.
Then I got to the MTC and an hour seemed like way too long to focus on the scriptures. I didn't know how missionaries did it, much less enjoyed it. I made it to Arcadia, and my personal study material was a mandated 30 minutes in Preach My Gospel, 30 minutes in the Book of Mormon.
I first thought it was too restrictive, how was I going to get something from it with them telling me what to read? However, I learned to love my personal studies. I stopped snoozing through them as much the further I got in my mission. It became a time for the Lord to give me revelation. It helped me realize I wanted to continue reading daily after the mission. Now I'm in Australia, and I read from all the standard works everyday. It has become something I love. And I understand more what it really means to feast on the Word of God.
So, I guess the point I'm trying to get across is we don't have to love reading the scriptures. At least not right now. Getting something from them takes effort, something that seems daunting in our busy lives. I know it certainly won't be easy for me without a carved out time for it each day when I'm home. But as we spend more time with the scriptures, much like our families or companions, you learn to love them and to know them.
I promise God speaks to us today through the words of prophets old. And whatever you seek in your life--peace, answers, a relationship with your Savior-- can be cultivated and found in daily scripture study. I know that there is power in the scriptures and the fact that they've been preserved, translated, and have made it into our hands today is nothing short of a miracle.
So use God's miracle!!
It's up to you to let it into your heart. Read (even a little bit) of your scriptures every day! And you too will learn to love it.
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy time with family and celebrating our Savior this week!
Love you all heaps.
Sister Kristen Kline