Merry Christmas!

It's snowing right now! It's magical! Everything is white and beautiful! It honestly is the craziest thing to me that snow is normal for other people. I just find it so thrilling. Sister Schmuhl thinks I'm crazy, as does the population of Quebec when I am spinning in circles in the church parking lot and they are walking as quickly as they can from their cars to the Uniprix across the street.

I am so stoked for Christmas, I LOVE Christmas! We're eating with pretty much every family in the ward this week so that's frightening -- I've actually made progress on losing some of the weight I gained over the last 6 months but by the time my family sees my on Friday I will have gained it all back. So that's a bummer. But hey! Family! I'm so excited to see you! :D

Our ward Christmas party was the last Friday, it was amazing. Terrebonne knows how to party. It's funny how without a lot of other examples around of wards and their parties, the Mormon culture is not as clearly defined and a ward gathering turns into a very real dance party. I have never had such a hard time keeping a mission rule as I did on Friday night keeping the no-dancing rule. It was really hard. Especially with members trying to pull us on to the dance floor saying "Don't worry! We won't tell anyone!" hahaha. Listening to Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber and Queen and Abba was kind of a little bit torturous. But, at the end of the day, it also reinforced my testimony of why we don't listen to normal music as missionaries. It was pretty hard for both of us to concentrate during planning that night and going to sleep I could still hear "Shake it Off" playing in my head. If I try really hard, I still can.

It's been pretty hard to meet with people, which is understandable because everyone is busy for the holidays, but it makes things tough. However, the people who have let us in have been very clearly softened by the spirit of Christmas that is in everything right now. I have been especially impressed by the testimonies of Christ shared with us by non-members. I love feeling unified to people of other faiths by our similar desires to follow the example of Christ.

We have our mission-wide Christmas devotional tomorrow and in preparation for that, we have been asked by President to read and study the gospel of John in the New Testament. In doing so over the last couple of weeks, I have come to realize that I need to spend more time studying the New Testament. I know the stories of the life of Christ and have heard them my whole life, but reading the actual text is very different and I've realized what details are traditionally left out and which ones are in fact fabricated. My testimony of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ has been strengthened daily in studying John's testimony. It really happened. Christ really is the Son of God and He really suffered for our sins, sadnesses, and pains because He LOVES us. So much. Just after finishing John's testimony the other day, I turned to where I currently am in the Book of Mormon and one of the first things I read was 2 Ne 9:21. All of the Book of Mormon testifies of the Atonement of Christ

2 Nephi 9:21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.

All of the Book of Mormon testifies of the Atonement of Christ but it has never been so powerful to me as it was immediately after reading the closest thing we have to a first hand account of the Atonement. I have so much love for Jesus Christ. He is my brother and He is your brother and He is the reason we celebrate Christmas.


I love you all! Merry Christmas!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥Soeur Lonas