To Jacob from Sister Kirkby

Hey fam bam! This year has been one of my best years ever! I've been a missionary for over 6 months and I've learned a ton. As I'm reflecting on the year, I must admit that my service for Jacob has come from being on a mission... I know... what a copout... With Jacob being one of my younger cousins, I was a little stumped on what to do for service. Just as I was stumped when I found out that most of the people we were teaching in my first area ranged from the age of 12-14!

Lilly-12

Conner-13

Michael-14

Sarah-14

John-14

I was not prepared for that! These kids have a lot of drama going on. Lilly and Conner are siblings and their parents are very inactive members who desperately want the missionaries to teach them. Michael, Sarah, and John are all siblings, but they're not blood related. They are all from Bulgaria (speak 0 English) and are now apart of a very active family in the church. Let's just say that there's lots of intense culture shock. It seemed almost instantly that I (w/ my companion) held the "fate" of all these 5 kids. We were to receive the revelation on how to help them obtain testimonies... I didn't know how to do that!!!!! (I still don't know how to do that!!!) My childhood was nothing like theirs! All I knew was that I learned a lot about myself by doing personal progress; I learned how to study the scriptures by going to seminary; I learned of my Savior as I bore my testimony. As I knew and remembered that doing those good things helped me those years, we were able to teach to their needs with the help of the Spirit!

I guess the reason why I'm saying this is because I hope that serving a mission serves more than just those that I meet here in Virginia. I hope that the testimony that I develop here helps you all back home. I know that our family is eternal, I know that my Savior died and lives for me, I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that the prophet Joseph Smith truly is a prophet of God. I have truly come to know that making righteous choices is the way that Heavenly Father is able to give us the blessings we need. I would invite all you youngins to think on how you want to prepare to serve a mission or enter the temple worthily!

I wish you all a merry Christmas! I can't wait to see you all next year!

Love, Sister Kirkby