Sister Jessica Allen: Week 5 - MTC Christmas Eve

Hallo!! God Jul!

So I have set time that I get to call you. 3:15pm to 3:45pm, so be ready! I have 30 minutes to talk with you all. I am excited! You asked me what I love about the MTC.. well it hard to explain, but I guess I love it because the only focus is the gospel and learning a language. Everyone is here for one purpose and you feel that support from everyone. I LOVE my district. They have become my family here. I will be soo sad to leave them in two weeks. I LEAVE IN TWO WEEKS, PEOPLE! It is really happening... I am so excited and nervous! It's like I got my mission call all over again. It is feeling more real.
How's home and your Christmas Eve? Thanks for the cookies. I still haven't opened the first triscuits you sent me.. I don't need anymore food. I will probably have to give it away before I go. Thank you though! Geoff said he will take my stuff that I want to send home and bring it to your guys. I don't need anything. We packed good, Mom! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and I will tell you about it on the phone tomorrow. I am happy to hear that you got my package!
Funny things that happened this week..
SÃ¸ster Horner slept talked in norsk the other night. SOO morsom! haha
SÃ¸ster Leland accidentally hugged an Elder during gym. They told her she couldn't be on that elder's team anymore. ha!

So since it is Christmas tomorrow I want to share my testimony of the Savior and how it has grown since I have been here.
I read a talk about Grace yesterday and was so moved by the Love our Savior has for us. Grace is there for us right now! It is the enabling power and love of God. We cannot get through life without it. Instead of focusing on Christ's birth during this time of year, we should focus on His life and what He did for us. If we are not taking advantage of Christ's Atonement than he did it in vain. Think about that... He suffered for all. He suffered for you and me. Christ knows you better than anyone else. We can be made whole through Christ. Yesterday, we had a devotional and I sang in the choir "While Shepard Lately Knelt" and I was so moved by it. I cried when singing these lyrics: (highlighted red is my favorite part)
"Where shepherds lately knelt
and kept the angel's word,
I come in half belief,
a pilgrim strangely stirred,
but there is room and welcome there for me,
but there is room and welcome there for me.
In that unlikely place
I find him as they said:
sweet newborn babe, how frail!
and in a manger bed,
a still, small voice to cry one day for me,
a still, small voice to cry one day for me.
How should I not have known
Isaiah would be there,
his prophecies fulfilled?
With pounding heart I stare:
a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me,
a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me.
Can I, will I forget
how love was born, and burned
its way into my heart
unasked, unforced, unearned,
to die, to live, and not alone for me,
to die, to live, and not alone for me?

How beautiful is that! A Child! He came to earth as a child and did everything for me! Jesus Christ lives! He is our Redeemer and Savior!
Please take advantage of His Atonement.
Merry Christmas!
I love you all!
Love,
SÃ¸ster Allen