Prettige Kerst!

Mijn geliefde familie en vrienden,

So this is Christmas! I can´t believe how fast it´s come! But first, some highlights from this week:

• Transfers went pretty smoothly, all things considered! And luckily we slipped very quickly into a comfortable companionship, it´s always nice when you already know the person you´re getting.
• It´s actually been unseasonably warm this week, merry Christmas to me!
• On Thursday we made Christmas cards with an investigator, and then she gave one of the ones we had made to us, haha.
• Last Sunday I was asked to play the piano for a musical number, and I guess they liked it because they asked me to do another one on Saturday night for the ward Christmas dinner. Yay for blessings, because they definitely shouldn´t have gone so well for how much practice time I had!
• As mentioned, the ward Christmas dinner was on Saturday and it was super fun! Heel gezellig,(very cozy?) as the Dutch would say. :)
• During church yesterday I ended up translating for all 3 hours. My brain hurt a little by the end, but I could do it which made me super happy! Except it´s so hard now to translate into English - I hear the Dutch, think about it in English, and then my mouth keeps wanting to use the Dutch words when I try to speak. Super vervalent, man.

Sorry it´s a quick one today! But I get to chat it up with you this week anyway - if you´re lucky enough to be in my family, that is. :) But in all seriousness, we really are all brothers and sisters in one giant family, with a perfect and perfectly loving Father at its head. And this week, we have the opportunity to celebrate the coming of our Older Brother, who loves us enough to give everything for us. I won´t say much, there are so many wonderful words of prophets both modern and canonized to read on the subject - but may I encourage you all to take many small moments this week and just let yourself feel the joy and peace and love of Christmas! I love the last verse of "O Little Town of Bethlehem:"

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav'n.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.

Is there room in our hearts for Him this Christmas? For if there is, He will surely come.  I love you all! Merry Christmas!

-Zr Jensen