"Snow in the Philippines!"
Dear Family and Friends:
Maligayan Pasko, lahat!
Best Christmas Scripture Ever: John 3:16. Read it with your families! :)
This week was kind of like all the other weeks. Nothing specifically happened culture or routine wise. But I did have a few experiences that were noteworthy. :)
So for the subject of this email. I did get hit in the face with a snowball on Christmas. And it was all my fault. See, in the cafeteria, they have a big bin full of ice, like snow cone ice. And then they put their bowls of fruit on top of it to keep it cool. So just to experience a little snow, I grabbed a handful and was carrying it around with me. I needed some white on my Christmas.
As my kasama and I were walking back to the classroom, we passed elders Daley and Mackey who are in my district. We just say our normal hellos and are talking. Then I get this idea that I will be nice and give Elder Daley, another Utah kid, some snow for his Christmas away from home. So I hand him my snowball.
Now I know that everyone has this image in their head of what a missionary should look and act like. Of course it's dignified and put together and Christlike. But I have now gained a testimony that these elders, even though they are missionaries, can still be boys sometimes. And I should have known better than to hand one of these 18-year-old boys a handful of snow. He didn't even hesitate.
It took a few minutes to clean all the ice from my face. It felt just like home. :)
Anyways, earlier this week I had this awesome revelation for all you missionary moms out there. I finished the Book of Mormon about two days ago, So I just flipped back to the beginning that same day and started reading it all over again. And when you come to about the 4th or 5th chapter in 1 Nephi, it talks about how Nephi and his brothers were commanded to go and get the plates from Laban. Now they were called of the Lord. He pretty much knows what He's doing all the time. Everytime. Of course He was going to protect these brothers as they obeyed His commandments and instructions. And yet Sariah worried anyway.
We all know about how Sariah complains and murmurs to Lehi and talks about how she thinks she will never see her sons again and weeping and worrying and fussing. But God delivers her sons back to her, unharmed and having accomplished the things which He commanded them to do.
So missionary moms, what are you worried about?? Your children have been called of God to bring back the souls that have been prepared for them to teach and invite to partake of the Atonement and Exaltation. And your children were obedient and accepted that call, having faith that they will be delivered. There is no reason to worry or murmur or fuss over them. Sure, it will definitely not be easy. It will be super hard, from the little nuisances to the huge trials. But one of those trials should never be that a missionary is constantly worried about his mom worrying about him. That's just one extra burden for your missionaries. And I know that I have never been on the mom end before, so I don't know exactly how it feels to send your child away for 2 years. But from a missionary standpoint, moms could definitely make it a lot easier for their missionaries. Just ask the elders in my district. ;)
Now I'm not chastizing my own mom in this, because she has never shown an ounce of worry about me. She has told me how confident she is in my ability to endure. That she knows the Lord will protect me. And I know that I will never have to hide any experiences that happen to me from my mother because she has that faith that everything will be taken care of. And maybe she does worry sometimes, but as long as I don't know that, she is doing a perfect job. :)
I'm sorry if that sounded like a lecture to a bunch of older and more experienced women, but I had the strong prompting that I needed to share it. God loves you and your family, especially when you send a missionary out. Read D&C 100. :)
I hope you all had an awesome Christmas. Take advantage of the years that you get to spend with your family. I love my family so much and I am so grateful to them for always being there to help me throughout my life.
I also want to mention my brother Noah. This year he went to my parents, on his own, and asked if he could give up his gifts and things he would receive for Christmas in order to help pay for my mission. He's 12. I just love him so much. What a great example to all of us:)
Thank you for all of your prayers and love!
~Sister Allyson Lefebvre
Maligayan Pasko, lahat!
Best Christmas Scripture Ever: John 3:16. Read it with your families! :)
This week was kind of like all the other weeks. Nothing specifically happened culture or routine wise. But I did have a few experiences that were noteworthy. :)
So for the subject of this email. I did get hit in the face with a snowball on Christmas. And it was all my fault. See, in the cafeteria, they have a big bin full of ice, like snow cone ice. And then they put their bowls of fruit on top of it to keep it cool. So just to experience a little snow, I grabbed a handful and was carrying it around with me. I needed some white on my Christmas.
As my kasama and I were walking back to the classroom, we passed elders Daley and Mackey who are in my district. We just say our normal hellos and are talking. Then I get this idea that I will be nice and give Elder Daley, another Utah kid, some snow for his Christmas away from home. So I hand him my snowball.
Now I know that everyone has this image in their head of what a missionary should look and act like. Of course it's dignified and put together and Christlike. But I have now gained a testimony that these elders, even though they are missionaries, can still be boys sometimes. And I should have known better than to hand one of these 18-year-old boys a handful of snow. He didn't even hesitate.
It took a few minutes to clean all the ice from my face. It felt just like home. :)
Anyways, earlier this week I had this awesome revelation for all you missionary moms out there. I finished the Book of Mormon about two days ago, So I just flipped back to the beginning that same day and started reading it all over again. And when you come to about the 4th or 5th chapter in 1 Nephi, it talks about how Nephi and his brothers were commanded to go and get the plates from Laban. Now they were called of the Lord. He pretty much knows what He's doing all the time. Everytime. Of course He was going to protect these brothers as they obeyed His commandments and instructions. And yet Sariah worried anyway.
We all know about how Sariah complains and murmurs to Lehi and talks about how she thinks she will never see her sons again and weeping and worrying and fussing. But God delivers her sons back to her, unharmed and having accomplished the things which He commanded them to do.
So missionary moms, what are you worried about?? Your children have been called of God to bring back the souls that have been prepared for them to teach and invite to partake of the Atonement and Exaltation. And your children were obedient and accepted that call, having faith that they will be delivered. There is no reason to worry or murmur or fuss over them. Sure, it will definitely not be easy. It will be super hard, from the little nuisances to the huge trials. But one of those trials should never be that a missionary is constantly worried about his mom worrying about him. That's just one extra burden for your missionaries. And I know that I have never been on the mom end before, so I don't know exactly how it feels to send your child away for 2 years. But from a missionary standpoint, moms could definitely make it a lot easier for their missionaries. Just ask the elders in my district. ;)
Now I'm not chastizing my own mom in this, because she has never shown an ounce of worry about me. She has told me how confident she is in my ability to endure. That she knows the Lord will protect me. And I know that I will never have to hide any experiences that happen to me from my mother because she has that faith that everything will be taken care of. And maybe she does worry sometimes, but as long as I don't know that, she is doing a perfect job. :)
I'm sorry if that sounded like a lecture to a bunch of older and more experienced women, but I had the strong prompting that I needed to share it. God loves you and your family, especially when you send a missionary out. Read D&C 100. :)
I hope you all had an awesome Christmas. Take advantage of the years that you get to spend with your family. I love my family so much and I am so grateful to them for always being there to help me throughout my life.
I also want to mention my brother Noah. This year he went to my parents, on his own, and asked if he could give up his gifts and things he would receive for Christmas in order to help pay for my mission. He's 12. I just love him so much. What a great example to all of us:)
Thank you for all of your prayers and love!
~Sister Allyson Lefebvre