Hello!

Hello! Hope everyone’s weeks were good!! I am THRILLED right now because we have good weather still today. Last week it decided to snow a little bit and I was scared that would mean that winter was officially here. I just knocked on wood so I don’t jinx it, but we are still holding strong here in the Midwest! Hallelujah. In contrasting news….we are setting up for Christmas today at the TC! Gingerbread starts on Saturday, so the Christmas tree and all the decorations go up this afternoon. I love it. Marisa would absolutely HATE serving here because we get into the Spirit of Christmas wayyyy too early for her taste.

Did I tell you that our bishop here has asked me to play the organ for church? I can’t remember if I did, but it made me REALLY grateful that Dad had called me to be a ward organist all those years ago, and that Mom had forced me to learn the piano when I was such a brat about it as a kid. As I was sitting at the organ, thinking about all that gratitude yesterday (as I butchered “High on a Mountain Top.” I seriously can never play that song) it reminded me of Brad Wilcox’s analogy that he uses in the talk “His Grace is Sufficient.” Jen….tell him how grateful I have been for that talk on my mission. It has applied to about a thousand different situations beautifully. If any of you haven’t read it, here is a link to it: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966

I just wanted to share the part that I was thinking about yesterday with you!

Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher. How many know what I am talking about? Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.

If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.

In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say, “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19), “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask (“Gosh! None of the other Christians have to pay tithing! None of the other Christians have to go on missions, serve in callings, and do temple work!”), maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us.

This week has been full of learning and growing experiences. There are things that I have been through on my mission that I know Heavenly Father needed me to experience because I could not have learned my lesson any other way. He truly does know how to help us become who He needs us to be. Some of you may know that I have been a little sick lately so I had an endoscopy done. That night, with answers finally in hand, I asked Heavenly Father what He would have me do in order to change- to learn what He would have me learn in that moment. I just had this overwhelming feeling that He knows me and loves me, and that as I turn my will over to Him, that I will be able to have complete joy in this life. I love my Father in Heaven and I am so grateful to Him for providing my Savior to be here with me every step of my way. How cool is it that He has let me serve Him and His children!?!?

I love you all so much. I am so grateful for you and for all you do for me in my life!

Love you!
Sister Farns