HELLO!!! FROM THE MTC!!!

Dear Fam,

So, it's my first day being able to email you all. I've written several letters which I've sent off by now, but this is my first official email!! AND it's Christmas Eve!! So, Merry Christmas! I love the MTC so much! I've been a bit tired because they jam pack your scheduls, so I haven't really had time to be homesick. I didn't read any of the notes you slipped into my luggage until today (yep, I saved them for Christmas) but I have been reading all of the DearElders and I have loved every one of them!! Too bad the site will be down for a week, so I'm going to miss the daily letters from you all.

 

My companion, Sister Lopez and I, ran into one of the TRC investigators on campus on our way to check on a scheduled TRC and we ended up talking to him for a bit and the next thing we knew, we had an appointment scheduled for today! The investigator, Nick, has been in the military for 9 years and is a Staff Seargent Green Beret (Boret, Barat, Bereau?). He knew a lot about a ton of different religions, so we had a very interesting conversation with him and his wife. At the end of our discussion we were talking about what the beliefs are for different religions and Sister Lopez felt impressed to share Article of Faith #11 with him. He had actually had the Articles of Faith shared with him multiple times, but he had never been given a copy. We didn't have one with us, so we promised to bring one by and after the discussion we ran over to the bookstore to get an Articles of Faith card. We searched EVERYWHERE for those cards, but the only ones that they had were in different languages! It was so frustrating! Finally, we stopped in front of a bookshelf and said a quick prayer. We were so worried because our investigator had been given many Book of Mormons, pamphlets, and pass along cards, but he had never been given the Articles of Faith! After we prayed, we looked up and right in front of us were three bookmarks with the Articles of Faith on them. It was a miracle. God knew that our investigator needed those articles of faith.

 I know that when we pray, with complete faith in God, he will answer our prayers. I know that Christ is the best example for us to follow and that it's through him and his atonement that we can return to live with him and Heavenly Father again. I love you all SO VERY MUCH and despite the fact that I'm not able to be with you for Christmas, my heart is with you and I'm happy knowing that I am doing the Lord's work to bring God's children closer to Christ and to help them attain salvation. Don't forget to light a candle for me and to make hot cocoa when you listen to the "Candle in the Window", and give everyone my love. Oh, and wish me luck! The MTC choir is performing for a General authority tonight and we're performing again tomorrow. We're doing an arrangement of "Far, Far Away on Judea's Plain" and a song called "Where Shepherds Lately Knelt". 

I've been able to see Andrew twice since I've arrived and both times he's been very considerate, asking how I've been doing. Having him here has been such a blessing. I'll send pictures as soon as I figure out how to put them on the MTC computer without putting them on all of the computers on the server. I figure I'd get into trouble if I did that. Well, I'll tell you more next week and I'll continue hand-writing letters! (Speaking of, can I get Karen and Nate's mailing address? They gave me some super cute pictures and notes).

Love,

Sister Stephanie Lee