Merry Christmas Everybody!
Date
December 21, 2015
Area
Belton Ward
Companion
Elder Saia Sikaleti
Merry Christmas Everybody!
I know it is redundant but, Merry Christmas!
This past week had it's ups and downs. All were pretty extreme
actually haha. I will get into them later. First and foremost, I am
super excited to Skype with y'all on Christmas Day! I wish I could
tell you the exact time but I know for sure it will be sometimes after
5:00 P on your time. I would like you guys to think of some things
that you would like to talk about and questions you would like to ask
as we only have 1 hour and I want to share as much as I can! I don't
want it to be hectic and stressful but fun and exciting. I am not
imagining like a question and answer type thing like a news conference
but just a family conversation while giving everyone a turn to say
their thoughts!
This week we had a mission Christmas devotional which consisted of a
brisket meal, watching "A Christmas Carol," a talk given by President
Ames, Sister Ames and the reading of the True Christmas story (A
compilation of scriptures form the Old Testament, New Testament, and
Book of Mormon that President Ames put together that tells pretty much
everything. It will come in a separate email and I suggest you read it
as a family!). It was a wonderful devotional and it really helped me
relax and take a breather from the stresses that I was having. I got
letters from Mom and Dad that made me cry haha as well as a couple
gifts from President Ames and Sister Ames (pictures later).
I hadn't really been feeling the Christmas spirit lately. I had felt
alone, depressed and stressed out. Frankly, I just wanted to get back
to the spring and summer when it wasn't always overcast and dreary.
But that changed. I could go down a list of things that made my days
and picked up my drooping head and that would take forever. Instead,
unless otherwise requested by one of you, I will just list a few
tender mercies.
Tender Mercy 1: We had an exchange with the Temple 2 elders and I went
to their area. It was the first day in almost 6 months that I didn't
need to plan a single thing for! That was an awesome respite even if
it was only for one day. I also got to lay down some thick doctrine on
a very uncooperative investigator and listen to a string version of a
song by Muse. I did not know that it was Muse until about half way
through.
Tender Mercy 2: The Christmas Devotional. I got letters form back
home, I watched "A Christmas Carol" for the umpteenth time making it
possible to say that I have seen some version of that story every year
since I can remember, I didn't need to plan that day and I got to
relax.
Tender Mercy 3: My relationship with Elder Sikaleti is so much better
than it was at the beginning of our companionship mostly due to I
understand his behaviors a lot more so I am more patient with him.
There are so many more that I could share but it would go into a ton
of detail. Saturday was a big turning point for me. Elder Sikaleti had
a massive headache which he did not tell me about. As a result of this
headache, we didn't go workout, he was really slow at getting up and
getting ready, we didn't do companionship study and it wasn't a good
morning for me at all. I was begging Heavenly Father to have someone
call us or to do something so that I would not need to go through that
any more. I always kept having the though of Joseph Smith in Liberty
jail or any other of the early saints who had to go through so much
not to mention the early Christians. I only had 18 days at that point
until my burden would be relieved but in their cases trial and
tribulation were their lives. I was also reminded that Christ had done
that and much much more. I prayed with all my heart for the comfort
hat the Savior brings and to feel Heavenly Father's and Jesus Christ's
love for me. While a phone call never came. I never felt the immediate
sensation of love or warmth, my burden was relieved later that day
about 11:30 after about 5 hours of the above. Elder Sikaleti told me
that he just had a massive headache and just like that, all of my semi
judgmental and negative thoughts about him and myself - as I was
wondering what I could have done to deserve such a cold shoulder from
my companion after I had tried to do so much for him - they all went
away. I was able to relax and go through out the rest of the weekend
with a feeling of peace and love in my heart.
There is much more to this story and I wish that I could tell you it
all but I it would take soooo long to type it all out. Maybe I will
later.
So much happened last week. Danielle will be getting baptized on
January 9th because her family wanted her baptism to be well attended
which makes sense.
A family in the Ward also brought a friend to church and we went and
taught her. She is an amazing string player (I forgot which instrument
but I am pretty sure it is the cello.) and she goes to Dallas every
weekend to take lessons from a world class instructor. It is crazy!
She seems really awesome! I am so excited to teach her! Her name is
Leah.
We also got a referral for the young single adult elders. He is a 14
year old kid and he says that he wants to be baptized! Super stoked
about that! Man, after 2 months of basically nothing we are finally
getting somewhere with this area!
In closing, I would like to share my testimony with you. I know that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He was sent to this earth to live a
perfect life never thinking a bad thought, never saying a bad word or
comment and never giving in to temptation. I can testify to you that
His life was not easy. He was tested and tried probably harder than
anyone aver has or will be. If he tripped up the entirety of God's
plan would be in vain. I know that the fall of Adam was a nessecary
part of the Plan of Salvation. I know that because of the Atonement of
Jesus Christ we can all live again and be resurrected. I know that
Jesus Christ has felt everything a that we or anyone else has ever
felt. I know that They love us. I know that They care. I know that
this life is the time that we have to learn and grow and come back to
Christ and of course be tried, tempted, go though trials and
afflictions of every kind and I know that death is a part of God's
plan and is a nessecary part of it. I love each and everyone of you
with all my heart. I would anything for you guys that was within my
realm of limited abilities.
I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas week and enjoy the break
from school! I am looking forward to Skyping with you guys on Friday!
Love, your missionary brother and son, Elder Jefferies
This past week had it's ups and downs. All were pretty extreme
actually haha. I will get into them later. First and foremost, I am
super excited to Skype with y'all on Christmas Day! I wish I could
tell you the exact time but I know for sure it will be sometimes after
5:00 P on your time. I would like you guys to think of some things
that you would like to talk about and questions you would like to ask
as we only have 1 hour and I want to share as much as I can! I don't
want it to be hectic and stressful but fun and exciting. I am not
imagining like a question and answer type thing like a news conference
but just a family conversation while giving everyone a turn to say
their thoughts!
This week we had a mission Christmas devotional which consisted of a
brisket meal, watching "A Christmas Carol," a talk given by President
Ames, Sister Ames and the reading of the True Christmas story (A
compilation of scriptures form the Old Testament, New Testament, and
Book of Mormon that President Ames put together that tells pretty much
everything. It will come in a separate email and I suggest you read it
as a family!). It was a wonderful devotional and it really helped me
relax and take a breather from the stresses that I was having. I got
letters from Mom and Dad that made me cry haha as well as a couple
gifts from President Ames and Sister Ames (pictures later).
I hadn't really been feeling the Christmas spirit lately. I had felt
alone, depressed and stressed out. Frankly, I just wanted to get back
to the spring and summer when it wasn't always overcast and dreary.
But that changed. I could go down a list of things that made my days
and picked up my drooping head and that would take forever. Instead,
unless otherwise requested by one of you, I will just list a few
tender mercies.
Tender Mercy 1: We had an exchange with the Temple 2 elders and I went
to their area. It was the first day in almost 6 months that I didn't
need to plan a single thing for! That was an awesome respite even if
it was only for one day. I also got to lay down some thick doctrine on
a very uncooperative investigator and listen to a string version of a
song by Muse. I did not know that it was Muse until about half way
through.
Tender Mercy 2: The Christmas Devotional. I got letters form back
home, I watched "A Christmas Carol" for the umpteenth time making it
possible to say that I have seen some version of that story every year
since I can remember, I didn't need to plan that day and I got to
relax.
Tender Mercy 3: My relationship with Elder Sikaleti is so much better
than it was at the beginning of our companionship mostly due to I
understand his behaviors a lot more so I am more patient with him.
There are so many more that I could share but it would go into a ton
of detail. Saturday was a big turning point for me. Elder Sikaleti had
a massive headache which he did not tell me about. As a result of this
headache, we didn't go workout, he was really slow at getting up and
getting ready, we didn't do companionship study and it wasn't a good
morning for me at all. I was begging Heavenly Father to have someone
call us or to do something so that I would not need to go through that
any more. I always kept having the though of Joseph Smith in Liberty
jail or any other of the early saints who had to go through so much
not to mention the early Christians. I only had 18 days at that point
until my burden would be relieved but in their cases trial and
tribulation were their lives. I was also reminded that Christ had done
that and much much more. I prayed with all my heart for the comfort
hat the Savior brings and to feel Heavenly Father's and Jesus Christ's
love for me. While a phone call never came. I never felt the immediate
sensation of love or warmth, my burden was relieved later that day
about 11:30 after about 5 hours of the above. Elder Sikaleti told me
that he just had a massive headache and just like that, all of my semi
judgmental and negative thoughts about him and myself - as I was
wondering what I could have done to deserve such a cold shoulder from
my companion after I had tried to do so much for him - they all went
away. I was able to relax and go through out the rest of the weekend
with a feeling of peace and love in my heart.
There is much more to this story and I wish that I could tell you it
all but I it would take soooo long to type it all out. Maybe I will
later.
So much happened last week. Danielle will be getting baptized on
January 9th because her family wanted her baptism to be well attended
which makes sense.
A family in the Ward also brought a friend to church and we went and
taught her. She is an amazing string player (I forgot which instrument
but I am pretty sure it is the cello.) and she goes to Dallas every
weekend to take lessons from a world class instructor. It is crazy!
She seems really awesome! I am so excited to teach her! Her name is
Leah.
We also got a referral for the young single adult elders. He is a 14
year old kid and he says that he wants to be baptized! Super stoked
about that! Man, after 2 months of basically nothing we are finally
getting somewhere with this area!
In closing, I would like to share my testimony with you. I know that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He was sent to this earth to live a
perfect life never thinking a bad thought, never saying a bad word or
comment and never giving in to temptation. I can testify to you that
His life was not easy. He was tested and tried probably harder than
anyone aver has or will be. If he tripped up the entirety of God's
plan would be in vain. I know that the fall of Adam was a nessecary
part of the Plan of Salvation. I know that because of the Atonement of
Jesus Christ we can all live again and be resurrected. I know that
Jesus Christ has felt everything a that we or anyone else has ever
felt. I know that They love us. I know that They care. I know that
this life is the time that we have to learn and grow and come back to
Christ and of course be tried, tempted, go though trials and
afflictions of every kind and I know that death is a part of God's
plan and is a nessecary part of it. I love each and everyone of you
with all my heart. I would anything for you guys that was within my
realm of limited abilities.
I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas week and enjoy the break
from school! I am looking forward to Skyping with you guys on Friday!
Love, your missionary brother and son, Elder Jefferies
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