December 26, 2011

Happy Boxing Day from Northampton!

This day has been the most weird day ever. I feel worthless and empty. I haven't been able to talk to a single person about the Gospel and I do not like it. We watched three movies today and it was a nice break... but I feel like I wasted sooo much time. The whole zone was together at the Senior Couples house and we had food, movies... and sour skittles (+hot tamales). We watched... Tangled... Megamind... and Madagascar Two. By the end I felt terrible and now I just want to go back to work. It will take a little time to become focused though... because talking with all of you was absolutely, and fantastically brilliant. It was 100x better than I thought it was going to be. For some reason I was worried that I wasn't going to like it. I realized now why I tried to forget about you all... because you are amazing and I would just want to talk with you forever. It was for sure the highlight of my holiday to talk with the whole family. I love you all very much... and only just 24 hours ago... I noticed how much I really do miss you. Mom sent me a email this week that pretty much wrapped up how I felt... "I feel so blessed. You serving an honorable mission, Charles and Emily blessing Jackson, Laura expecting, Corinda due any day (they might induce her on Tuesday), Dad gave a beautiful talk in church today, and I could go on and on. Living the gospel is really the only way to real happiness. SO blessed!!" (I put it in italics because it is harder to read... and mum's handwriting is hard for me to read).

The restored gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ are the only way to receive eternal happiness. The way to God is through Jesus Christ. It was great to be able to focus more on Him and His birth this season. I learned sooo many things and received dozens and dozens of confirmations from the spirit that this is good... and right. Christ gave us the two great commandments... and the second one to fulfill the first was to love others as thyself. Equal. At this time around the world... everyone is fulfilling this commandment... loving other people just as much as they love themselves. No wonder we all feel the spirit so strong... the light of Christ is coming out in all of us. The Christmas Spirit is not an accident or a free gift... it is a direct result of pure happiness because we are all honouring the commandment to love one another. (John 13:34, Mosiah 2:41)

People are so happy because they are giving of themselves. A candle that lights another... loses no light itself. The more we give this next year... the happier we will be. And oh how many ways there are to give... providing for a family, serving a mission, loving your lonely single child at home, and being an example of the believers to all.

Hope all is well in the wonderful land of America. "And Elder said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die." (Alma 17:23) I am going to try to focus as hard as I can until they tell me to go home and fulfill a different mission and find a permanent companion.

You can rest assured that I will be thinking about you this week.

Love,
Elder Krebs

P.s. I'll get back to you on housing. I think I'm going to be rooming with a friend on a mission in Peru... I emailed him... so I'll give you the details when I can.