Monday, December 19, 2016

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Merry Christmas everyone!! It's the best time of the year 🎄🌟 

Wow this season has gone by so fast I can't even believe it!  We have been doing our best to bring in the Christmas Spirit. This week our district put on a little performance (haha) for all our recent converts of when Samuel the Lamanite prophesied about Christ's birth. This is all their first Christmas in the church so we wanted to make it special. We made a huge pot of taco soup and sang carols, it was a lot of fun. 
We have been reading the Christmas story in Luke 2 with as many members as we can and it has become so much more meaningful to me. I think of the wonderful example of the shepherds, who didn't wait but who went with haste to see the precious baby Jesus. Who then went and made known abroad this exciting event, that our Saviour was born! I hope we can all follow the example of these humble shepherds and follow the Saviour & share His light! 

Something that has brought me so much peace this year, especially being away from home is Christmas music. As I listen to the words, it helps me remember why we celebrate. I feel so blessed to be able to serve a mission during the Christmas season. Of course I miss Justin Bieber's Christmas album, driving around with my family looking at Christmas lights, the Hallmark channel, and endless Christmas get togethers with crazy family but this is a Christmas I will never forget. It has helped me realise what really matters and will help me remember that the most memorable Christmas was spent in the service of my Saviour.

One of the songs that have really stuck out to me lately is "He Sent His Son": 

How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?
He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.
How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.
How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.
What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way.
What does he ask? Live like his Son.

We are so blessed to know that we have a Saviour, someone to help us and comfort us through the problems we face. I know that when we are doing all we can to follow Him we can feel that comfort and peace. But it only comes when we really try. 
I hope we can continue to feel His light and spirit even after the season is over. President Monson said, "As we SEEK Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit not just for one fleeting day each year, but as a companion always." 
I hope you all can feel Christ's love as we celebrate Him this season. 
Have a very Merry Christmas!

Love, Sister Stevens 


Before our performance...haha
Presentation we did for the new converts

Sister Pro, my trainer


gifts we made for the members


coach ride home from our South Zones mission tour


Sister Blairs farewell :(


Our flat decorated for Christmas
The ward loves us, so many things from them!  Blessed to be serving in Hull 1


Posterity Pic


Making Taco Soup for the recent convert Christmas presentation
more funeral prep pics

at the funeral with some new converts


Hull 1 District and Hull Zone
we were fruit ninjas


decorating the tree
When we took it out of the box we just laughed
hahaha