Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Note from Elder Soper on Christmas Day...

Hey family,

They gave us 20 minutes of email time today just to send a quick Christmas letter. Today has been really good. I opened those gifts today and thank you so much for sending that to me. I will talk more about that tomorrow on P-day, becasuse they really wanted us to focus this letter on talking about Christ.

It hasn't really felt like Christmas in the traditional sense or how it feels back home, but it has felt like Christ-mas. Last night we had a nativity program thing and they had a bunch of musical numbers and an actual nativity thing. I am really disappointed I wasn't asked to be the donkey, but I got over it. But it was the spirit that filled the room that made it so special. There wasn't really any specific thing that made me feel it. But knowing that Christ is the reason that I and all of these missionaries are here. That event that happened on Christmas, caused the event that happened last night. We as missionaries are all here to serve Christ and be an example of Christ and it was cool looking back and seeing all 2000 missionaries in the gym and thinking how awesome that all of these people and more are here to do that.

This morning we, as a district, read over the birth of Christ and we just talked about how the three wise men actually traveled for years to come see Christ. They recognized how important he was and they took a couple years, maybe the same time that we as missionaries take, to come see Christ and give him gifts. I am taking these two years and giving it as a gift to Christ as well. He has blessed us so much and now I can help share those blessings with others.

We had a devotional and Russel M. Nelson came to speak to us. That was really cool and I kept looking at the big screens and forgeting that he was actually in the room. It just seemed so much like conference. Elder Black and I were able to sing in the choir and that really helped me to feel the spirit. Becasue what better way to spread christmas cheer than to sing loud for all to hear. But Elder Nelson gave a great talk and I don't have my notebook, so I will tell more tomorrow. But I have learned more and more that this mission is not about me, this is the Lord's work. We are representatives of Jesus Christ and he loves everyone! We are able to extend that love to others.

Christ gave us the greatest gift of all, and that is the atonement. He loved us so much and he paid the price for our sins. We have the ability to be forgiven of our sins, all we need to do is choose to accept it. He did this because he loves us, and it is hard to logically comprehend that someone loves us so much, but it is easy to feel it.

I hope you guys are having an awesome Christmas! I am thinking and praying for you guys. I love you so much and I will write you again tomorrow and tell you more about my experiences. Merry Christmas and a Happy day.

Your son,

Elder Devin Soper


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