Canberra Zone Week 17

Dear Everyone,

BEST WEEK EVER!!!! :) Christmas is the best, missionary work is the best, and this life is just awesome. I am sorry I do not have long to write today. We are back up in Sydney for Missionary Leadership Conference. I am so excited for this upcoming week though. Starting off a new year will bring so much energy and some new and improved goals that I want to accomplish. Christmas was great- don't have time to go into the details though :( 

We have seen SOOOO many miracles this past week that have made me so much more grateful. The Lord truly is merciful. Have to go, Love you all!

What a wonderful week down here. I greatly enjoyed the Christmas Conference before Christmas and then spending Christmas day here with the families and missionaries that seem almost as if they are my family. This Christmas was a very unique and special Christmas that I know I will not forget. Though there was no hot cocoa and snowmen or caroling in the snow, the true message of Christmas was present and influential in my life. On Christmas eve it was great to have a little "Christmas devotional" as a flat. We sang together, shared our feelings of Christmas, and listened to President Monson's address that he gave at the worldwide Christmas broadcast. Listening to it made me really wish that we would have had the opportunity to see it, but I know the message is still the same being heard or seen. I will also admit, I don't think I have ever been so excited to open a christmas gift as I was on Christmas day to find that I had been sent new socks and some new pants. Both of which I was in desperate need of. My family does know me very well since they also sent some of my favorite goodies and some heart felt letters and cards. I am so grateful to represent the Savior, especially at this special time of year. 

This week as I studied the Christlike attributes, I was grateful to see that over the course of my mission, I have improved in Christlike attributes. I have rated myself several times using the attribute activity, and though I am not yet all 5's... I have improved in many areas. As we continue to work on improving ourselves, we not only become better at doing things like Christ, but we become better at being more like Christ. He wants us to truly change and become better permanently. 


Sorry this week's letter will be shorter, we don't have too much time to write on emails today because of Missionary Leadership Conference, but we will be seeing you shortly.

Sincerely,

Elder Shafer