Week 8: Christmastime Is Here! 🎄

Hello, everyone!

I can’t believe that I've landed on another P-Day*! Time does not make sense when you’re on a mission. All and no time has passed. I can feel myself learning and changing so much, and I haven’t even been out in the field two weeks yet! My two-month anniversary is on Monday, though. I’m sure the next 16 months are going to flash before my eyes.

I didn’t think the weather would be eventful here, but it snowed!!! Just in time for December.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I loved making my #GiveThanks posts and pondering all the things I had to be grateful for, and hearing other people find gratitude within their lives was so special. I hope all of us will continue having that spirit of gladness, because it was such a beautiful, warm feeling to experience.

 

We also got fed by the Rosses, who are a wonderful family in the Columbia ward. I felt very welcomed by them, and that moment was probably my favorite one in my first week in Tennessee. It was the real beginning of me feeling Christlike love for the people that I’m serving!

Because of the fast-approaching winter on Monday, we made hot chocolate and watched “The Christ Child” while I fixed a tear on one of my skirts.

And just as soon as Thanksgiving was over, we missionaries got to start focusing on the Light the World initiative! It is so great to be part of such a joyful work after 2020 has been so hard for people. Offering hope to everyone is so important.

The best part of Tennessee (besides our wonderful members of course haha) is still the sunsets. I took this while we were filling up the gas tank on Thanksgiving.

Light is one of my favorite concepts discussed in the scriptures. Light is central to the story of the brother of Jared and his people, the Jaredites, in The Book of Mormon. The Jaredites had been commanded to cross the ocean to arrive in a new land. They prepared these boats for their journey, but the brother of Jared realized that they wouldn’t have a source of light in these barges. So he asked the Lord what to do, and the Lord told him to come up with a solution. In turn, the brother of Jared provided stones that the Lord touched and gave light to. In Ether 6, it says:

3 And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.

 

We’re often asked what the light is in our lives. And people will say things like service, love, and the Gospel. Which are all good things! But when I think of light, I think of part of the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5:

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 

Isn’t Hermana Petersen gorgeous? So lucky to have her as my trainer.

Everyone, we are the light! When we allow ourselves to be touched by God, that light cannot be hid! As this Christmas season begins, I hope you’ll all keep that in mind, and know that your brightness makes a difference to someone.

— Keep being lights!

Hermana Newton

 

* Preparation day is the one day a week designated for non-missionary tasks such as laundry and errands.