A Savior Is Born

Hola familia!

(PS sorry I haven't mailed until now--we were helping Jeanie move all this morning.)

I hope you had a good week!! It was a good week here in the Sunbury area. we taught a lot of people, and had good experiences. Good things are happening here!!

As I'm sure you know, the Church released the new Christmas initiative: "A Savior is Born". We have been sharing it with EVERYONE!! Man, it sure makes missionary work easier. If you haven't seen it already, consider this your call to repentance and GO WATCH IT. Seriously. It's so good and I can't get enough of it.

On Saturday, Sister Talbot and I went OYM-ing. (Can I just say real fast--I LOVE Sister Talbot. She has taught me so much and continues to teach me each and every day. I am terrified for the day that I have to fly on my own without my "mom", but I am SO infinitely grateful to have her as my companion and trainer now. ️) We stuck pass-along cards in doors, and I even went up to two people sitting on their porch and started talking to them! AHH I WAS TERRIFIED. But guess what?! I DID IT!! It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and despite the guy's interesting questions, I survived. WOOHOO!! Sister Bartlett is improving!! Yay for progress!!!

So, in light of "A Savior is Born" and the Christmas season, there is a wonderful article in the Ensign called "Be at Peace" by Elder D. Todd Christoffersen. In it, he says, "I hope you will take time this Christmas season to sit for a few quiet moments and let the Savior’s Spirit warm you and reassure you of the worthiness of your service, of your offering, of your life." The other morning during personal study, I did just that. I imagined sitting by His side on that miraculous night (Similar to Mr. Krueger's Christmas ️), and it was nothing short of a beautiful experience. As I thought about Him in that state, these words came to my mind from Him: "Because I love you, I am here." The tears began flowing. It was so powerful, because I was able to turn around and say to Him, "Because I love You, I am here." It is so difficult to describe in words what I felt, but I hope that each of you will take time during this Christmas season to let the Savior's Spirit warm you. I felt warmed from head to toe, and He reassured me of my worthiness, service, offering, and my life as a missionary.

I have to tell you this too. I FEEL SO BLESSED. For one, there are SO many people we have to go and see each week. I really came straight to the CK out here. Our schedule is just jam packed with people to find and people to teach--it's amazing. We haven't even met all he less-actives in our ward yet! And I am coming to know not every area is like that. Counting my blessings now. Also. Being out here, seeing the lives people live, seeing the living conditions people are in make me SO grateful for a clean, well-kept organized house that I grew up in (even though you didn't feel that way all the time, Mom--trust me, it was ). Not to mention a home where both of my parents are active and strong in the church. What an amazing blessing that I surely took for granted. Working and serving in some of these areas is humbling and make me truly appreciate what I have.

This week I have been ponderizing 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Like Ether 12:27, verse 9 uses the phrase "my grace is sufficient". Sufficient is defined as "enough; adequate". I find it interesting the Savior uses that words to describe His grace. To me, His grace is MORE THAN enough, it is MORE THAN adequate. His grace is what carries me from day to day, and enables me to endure. It is there whether or not I feel I deserve it. It reminds me of what Brad Wilcox has said in "The Continuous Atonement": "Christ doesn't just make up the difference, He makes ALL the difference." His strength is made perfect in our weakness, and it is for that reason that when we are weak, we are made strong.

I thought I would save the humorous news for last...we...have...MICE. YES MICE IN OUR APARTMENT. #GROSS Sister Talbot spotted one first on our stove (after we discovered little tiny brown things that looked like droppings...though we hoped that's not what it was). We screamed and called our ward mission leader, Brother Fordham. He had sticky mouse traps, so we decided to use those. By 11:00 that night (yes, we've lost sleep over these creatures), we had caught 3 of them. I couldn't look at them--with those beady eyes...I couldn't do it Sister Talbot picked them up, and threw them away...we didn't have the heart to kill them. We know there is one more because we heard in in our dresser one morning #MAJORGROSS (it got to my almonds, Mom....so I had to throw them away soooo sorry!!) we have set killing mouse traps but it has stolen the cheese off one of them twice, the little diabolical devil. The last thing we need is a smart mouse!! We are just waiting for one to go off and to kill it...stay tuned.

Remember who you are and that I love you very much!!

All my love,
Sister Bartlett xoxo


                                                         Last day with Elder Stallings!
                                         
                                          


   
                                                     The Mouse Saga #MAJORGROSS