Singular, Sacred & Spiritual

December 26, 2022

Good Morning!

We are still witnessing success on campus, the Visitors' Center is literally the most amazing place to hold lessons ever, and Christmas happened! I sought a singular, sacred, spiritual experience this past week and had many. I love my Heavenly Father, and I love His Son, Jesus Christ, too. Both are amazing, I've experienced God's love many times this past week and grown closer to my Savior than I've been in a while. You could say it's been a fantastic week!

Today during our Preparation Day, we held a Zone Christmas Gathering (really just a party) at the Institute building. Elder Koyle and I, plus some other Elders, set up for it and we hung out and played for about 4 hours, and did a white elephant! I ended up with a tin of Danish butter cookies. Those things are delicious. Later we played some games with other Elders and then some pickleball, where a couple of the Sisters came and joined the adventure! I had a lot of fun today, it was pretty refreshing!

We held our Zone Conference this past week! It was a privilege to help, we received a few small gifts from random members in the mission, and from President Staples and his family. It was a joy to be with the Zone for most of the day! We also picked up Elder Hancock and Elder Pedersen, who drive bikes. So we enlisted their help in an early-morning car wash! We made potpourri bags as gifts to the local Stake Presidents. Elder Koyle and I made an extra (with permission) and took it home. It smelled good, so it was actually kind of cool! Overall, the best part about Zone Conference was the comraderie I felt. The increased love I've had for all the missionaries in the St. George Zone has been a huge blessing; its the first of many personal, spiritual experiences I've had.

My district went caroling on Christmas Eve! We ended up at a trailer home lot and caroled to maybe 20 homes. A little over half opened, and some of those were Hispanic, but that didn't matter. The songs we sang weren't halted by mere language. They spoke on a much deeper language, the language of Spirit. I hope we helped a few people receive their own personal, spiritual experiences. I know it was certainly one of mine.

On Christmas Day I attended 4 sacrament meetings for 4 separate wards. They all had musical numbers, or nativity readings, and the sheer variety gave me the opportunity to ponder more on the songs and the story of Christmas, and sing some more carols! My voice was definitely hoarse towards the end. Yet the opportunity to participate in, and partake of, the sacrament was spiritually awakening. That was another one of my personal, spiritual experiences.

Now, this past week I've watched The Christ Child video at least 5 times. It's a video the church produced on the nativity, but it's likely the most authentic one yet because all the actors spoke in Aramaic, plus other cool historical details. So to overcome the language barrier for literally everyone, the actos communicate their feelings through their expressions and tone of voice. It's amazing, literally the best Christmas video ever!

My personal, spiritual experiences came through many prayers, love for the Zone I serve in, watching The Christ Child, caroling on Christmas Eve, and partaking of the sacrament at church. I won't relate the details of those here because they're personal to my own life situation. But I was struck with one thought as I watched the Wise Men when they first met Jesus Christ; "What would I do if I stood in front of my Savior?"

As I've pondered on this question I've come to many personal conclusions, which have aided these spiritual experiences. I testify that Jesus Christ lives, He has redeemed me from sin and death, and that I've come to a much deeper, more personal relationship with Him this past week as I've focused myself on His birth and life. I love Jesus Christ. I can't ever repay him, but I can certainly reflect His light regardless of the time of year.

I'm a much better, more complete person because of my Savior. He can and will do the same for you. If you let him, that difference will change your life more than you can imagine.

This was Christmas 2 of 3 for me. I still have over a year left to go on this missionary roller coaster, but I've had some of the best experiences of my life out here. I'm excited to see what else I can become, because of Him, in 2023!

I so testify and promise these things, and leave them with you, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

- Elder Williams

Mailing Address:

881 South River Road

St. George, Utah 84790

Pictures:

1. Caroling at the Visitors' Center!

2. Myself with the Texas themed Christmas tree!

3. A nativity on the street.

4. Zone Conference sunrise.

5. The potpourri bag.