Soeur Alyssa Trotter: Bonjour!! (Week 5 MTC) Check out plans and MTC Christmas

Date: December 22, 2015
Area: Provo MTC
Companion: Sister Kinder

Bonjour Mes Amis,

This week has been, well, just like all the other weeks. With a few differences of course. Because there is never a boring day in the MTC. Well, there are a few days that come close, but it can't get too boring when you are serving the Lord.

We are all getting into the Christmas Spirit though! We had a Christmas tree and then one day our teacher, we call him the "grinch" now, said that we can't have decorations in the classroom. Haha we still love him but we are keeping the nickname. So now it looks pretty bleak in there again. BUT not all is lost. My mom sent me a tree and me and Soeur Kinder have set up all our presents around it in our residence. Plus, my friends here are all really loud and obnoxious. And they are constantly singing Mary, Did You Know. So it is close to impossible to forget about the holidays haha. I love them though. Usually, after my headache goes away haha.

Other than that though, I love Christmas this year, because we really get to focus on the real meaning. It is all about Christ. My Branch President, President Dowling, asked us what we are going to give to Christ this year, that we haven't given him in the past. So I decided that I am going to give him me. I wouldn't consider myself completely lost in the work yet. I think that will come when I am in the field. But I want to be. I love being a missionary and I want to be so lost in this work, that I don't have time to think about me.

Tomorrow we have to do this thing called Skype TRC. We have to prepare a 30 minute lesson and teach it to someone in France over skype. A real french person. And I wouldn't be so terrified about it, but we have a french girl in the MTC right now and she read my nametag out loud, and it sounded like a different language. It sounded like a giant word. Those french people are so fast! Haha so now I am terrified! We will end up doing okay I think but until then...

Other than that, not a lot has happened. We got our check out plans yesterday and sometime this week we get our flight plans.

I got a package from my girls too. The Young Women. I am so grateful for them and they're thoughtfulness. I am so lucky to have so many people who love me and support me!

I have learned a lot this week. Mostly about prayer. Our district was having a hard time a few days ago. We have all had bad days, but it was strange that they were all on the same day this week. Lesson planning was stressful, we had an English fast and it was really hard. We all forgot French it seemed. And it was just hard to see the big picture compared to other days. But Frere Adams is amazing, and he had us each go into separate rooms and say a prayer. To actually say a long prayer, and then not leave, but to stay, and to listen. I realized how seldom we actually do that. I say my prayers and then climb into bed and fall asleep. But I know that He is there. And if we want Him to answer, we have to give Him the time to. I can't call him up, tell him all of my problems, and then hang up before He can respond. He wants to answer. He wants to help me.

I know that this gospel is true. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't just believe it, I know it. He makes me better every day. I know that it is because of His Atonement that I can be better every day. He was born for me, and He lived His life for me. And He died for me. I am so grateful this Christmas for my life that has been so blessed by the hand of the Lord. I have been so lucky with so many opportunities and so many people who love me.

Missionary work is the greatest.

I am just loving being a servant of the Lord.

Beaucoup d'Amour,

Soeur Trotter

"How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv'n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav'n. No ear may hear his coming; but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still, the dear Christ enters in." O Little Town of Bethlehem