Christmas Came Early :)

Hej hej hej!!

 

 

To cut right to the chase, I fly out tomorrow! As you can imagine a dutiful missionary would be, I am frantically packing today. I am so nervous, but SO excited, I've been waiting for 6 months and it's finally here!

 

 

My family has a few family traditions, mostly with food, and this week we were able to celebrate pretty much all of them! Every Christmas Eve my mom makes mashed potatoes and chicken noodle soup, and you pour the soup over the potatoes.... it is absolutely incredible and you must try it. 

 

 

I also got to go to a haunted car wash this week. Let me tell ya, there is nothing scarier than your brother trying to open your car door so the scary clown dude can come sit next to you. I am looking forward to 18 months of not worrying about that! 

 

 

Our awesome MTC teacher, brother Hamilton, had us listen to the talk "The First Great Commandment." 

 

 

"My beloved brothers and sisters, I am not certain just what our experience will be on Judgment Day, but I will be very surprised if at some point in that conversation, God does not ask us exactly what Christ asked Peter: “Did you love me?” 

I think He will want to know if in our very mortal, very inadequate, and sometimes childish grasp of things, did we at least understand one commandment, the first and greatest commandment of them all—“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.”

And if at such a moment we can stammer out, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee,” then He may remind us that the crowning characteristic of love is always loyalty."

 

 

After listening to that talk, I know that I want everything I do to be a reflection of how I feel about God and his Son Jesus Christ. It is ALL for them. 

 

 

Anyways, I gotta throw everything I own into a suitcase! The next time you hear from me I might have already tried pickled herring.

 

 

Med kärlek, 

Syster Helquist

 

 

P.S. 

MAJOR SHOUTOUT TO SADIE WHO GOT CALLED TO SERVE IN ROSEVILLE CALIFORNIA! She has and will continue to change the world with the light and love she has :) I love you Sadie! 

 

 

PHOTOS: 

1. I got to hike with the wonderful JOELLE RAY this morning! 

2. Taken after the scary car wash was done

3. A cutout of my face my parents are bringing to every family event until I'm home... it's unsettling haha

4. Reggie and I :) 

5. Sister Roskelley got to come back for a few classes! It was the best

6. Last MTC class :')