Tanner's Letter Sent on Christmas

December 25, 2011

Comriapsua family!

Hey how´s it going? Tau krom kruasa robah khnom soksabaay tee?? I hope all is well. Happy Christmas!

I just want to first say thanks so much for all of the letters, emails, and the packages that I was blessed to recieve from you. I hope you know that I really do appreciate it- and that it means the world to me to hear from all of you! So um, yeah thanks!!:)

Alright, so Christmas in the MTC is awesome. Today we had a mission wide sacrament meeting with an apostle-Elder David A. Bednar. It was incredible. I was blessed with the opportunity to be apart of the group of elders that were chosen to help and pass the sacrament. With over 2100 people present for the sacrament in one room it was quite the spectacle! All week we have been hearing how much of a treat this Christmas was going to be and how we would be spiritually fed. I was so excited! and really was looking forward to today and especially to go and listen to a prophet teach and testify of Jesus Christ. I had high expectations about today and that I would really be nourished spiritually, but those expectations were greatly surpassed! Elder Bednar gave the most powerful and motivating talk I have ever heard in my life. And I'm not just saying that. Incredible. Really. He taught: "The work is a whole lot more about who you are and what you are than what you say." He taught us about how we need to not learn about Christ, but instead learn OF Christ. He then taught about the character of Christ and how he turned outwards. How often when things aren't going good do we turn inwards-like the natural man-The Cookie Monster as he made an analogy of(and did a way funny impersionation of-he's really funny by the way:) We think about ourselves and how we want others to help us out and to give us their attention. We need to strive to develop Christlike characteristics and reach outwards. He was really blunt and direct-"This mission is not about you. It's about what the Lord wants. It's not about you." It's about serving the Lord and turning outwards and not caring about yourself. The natural man is selfish but Christ is selfless. He taught us that a testimony is not enough or even the end goal. We need to become converted-Conversion is turning away from the natural man and turning outwards. Consistently being true to what you know to be true is conversion. And the only we wcan make those changes and turn outwards is through the Atonement-the Atonement gives us strength. Not only does Christ's grace cleanse us from sin but it also enables us to do good. The Atonement gives us strength beyond our own. When you think you can't do this on your own, you're right! But with the strength of the Lord you can.

I wish that you could have heard it yourself. I can't quite do it justice at all-the Spirit was strong and allowed us to feel the message. Anywho -the turning outward and becoming converted really stuck out to me. I loved it and have a lot to study and ponder now. I hope you know that I do have a testimony of Christ and His Church. I love this gospel. I know that I am in the exact right place and that is very comforting to me. I love our Savior and look forward to continuing to serve Him. Thanks you for all of your love and support. I will do my best to get back to all of you that have writen me, sometime this week. Thanks again! I love you.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Elder Garlic