ONE DAY MORE!

It's my last day in the MTC!!!!!!!!!!!! SO crazy. the time has FLOWN by and i'm really going to miss it here and all the friends i've made. we talk about how this is like the garden of eden, it's pretty perfect but there's only so much we can learn, only so far we can progress here & it's time to learn & grow more out in the real world. it's time to leave the nest and try out our eagle's wings :) hopefully some natural instincts will kick in soon and we'll be able to fly haha. & if we're true & faithful to what we've learned here, we'll get more & more out in the field & for the rest of our lives :)

SPEAKING OF WHICH I have new address!
Sister Cecelia Proffit
Milwaukee Wisconsin Mission
5651 Broad Steet Ste 1
Greendale WI 53129-1889


Mom - I can read conference talks but I LOVE when you send me quotes since I can't get on the computer very often. and i don't know if i'll be able to out in the field so please send me more!! :) we get to use the computers on p-day & sunday. but just lds.org, mormon.org, & the missionary website haha.

also the gyms are fun here! there's a small gym with machines & weights & tvs to watch mormon messages & church movies on hahaha. i watched the martyrdom of joseph smith like a dozen times..... kinda depressing haha. but the machines are really nice, and there's a big gym with volleyball basketball weight machines elipticals bikes & a track & stuff. so it's fun.

POP QUIZ: true or false when we are baptized we take upon ourselves the name of Christ.



FALSE. we show we are WILLING to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. :)

I learned things here that I can't believe I didn't know sooner!! So I will tell you so that you know :)

The GOSPEL = the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST = ACCESS TO THE ATONEMENT. faith repentance baptism holy ghost enduring to the end. that's how we access the atonement. WHY DID NO ONE EVER TELL ME THIS. it's ALL OVER the scriptures too, especially the Book of Mormon but also the Bible. 2 Ne 31, 3 Ne 11, 3 Ne 27. check it. those are the main ones but it's EVERYWHERE. look for it in Mosiah 4:9-12.

the RESTORATION is about JESUS CHRIST restoring His Gospel - His WAY for us to more FULLY ACCESS HIS ATONEMENT. that's why it's so important!!! it's Jesus' way for us to take COMPLETE & FULLY advantage of His Atoning Sacrifice. He restored doctrines, principles, authority, ordinances, & covenants - all about helping US come unto HIM. that's is the purpose of missionary work!!! we INVITE OTHERS to COME UNTO CHRIST by helping them to receive HIS restored GOSPEL. it's just the 4th article of faith!! it's that simple! why did no one ever tell me this!!! to access the Atonement of Christ, have faith, repent, be baptized & keep those covenants, live with the Holy Ghost, rinse wash & repeat forever!! it's that simple!!! incredible.

the question was raised in class the other day - are we living as if the Atonement never happened?? or are we taking advantage of it EVERY SINGLE DAY. are we repenting every day, or do we just rely on the Atonement when we really need it? think about what life would be like if the Atonement never happened -- and then NEVER take it for granted and use it every. day. (nacho libre voice)

"crying repentance" just means inviting others to ACT & keep commitments. we aren't here to convince people of anything, we just invite them to act in faith & ask God for themselves. check D&C 18:11-14, 19:16

also, if you plan on serving a mission, READ PREACH MY GOSPEL BEFORE YOU GET HERE. they teach us here the 8 fundamentals - teach people not lessons, revelation through church attendance, revelation through the holy ghost, revelation through the book of mormon, revelation through prayer, we invite they commit we follow up, how to begin teaching, and something else i can't remember hahaha. anyways, with revelation through the book of mormon we've been doing something really cool that i think you should try :) we come up with questions, things we want to know, and then we start reading the book of mormon as a class, out loud in a circle one verse at a time, and if we have a thought we share it and we all gain revelation together :) it's awesome to see how this works with ANY chapter of the book of mormon because it IS THE WORD OF GOD.

i've been thinking about Elder Bendar's counsel to "BECOME a missionary long before you GO on a mission" (btw we just watched a video of his devotional, only Elder Holland has come in person.) :) and i'm realizing that being a missionary isn't about having "missionary experiences" it's about INVITING OTHERS TO COME UNTO CHRIST - all others, in all ways. ALL WAYS ALL THE TIME. it's a way of life, not something that you do. develop attributes, not skills. we represent Jesus Christ. read "my mission commission" by elder mcconkie. so good. Luke 4:18 - the Savior's purpose is MY purpose now.

serving a mission is not like school where you can just get by without studying because it's not about KNOWING stuff it's about showing FAITH and receiving revelation and that takes WORK, every day. we study not to know stuff, but to show our faith & access the blessings of heaven. & you can't skimp on that.

also there will be about 500 new missionaries every week starting in january!! and maybe 25, 30 new missions!! that's all just speculation but it's kind of incredible :) also i saw Elder Ferguson a LOT this week cause of all the departure stuff, so that was fun. we took a picture, i'll send it later :)

Nathan! Watch out for Elder Simmons & Elder Pfister in Ft Worth. We took a picture with them haha since we sat next to them so often & i was always so excited about them going to your mission. :) i'll send that too.

Elder Holland said that this is HIS work (God's) and we do it HIS way, or it doesn't get done. That is a fact.

Also a Christmas thought - be like the star of Bethlehem & lead people to Christ. :)

So grateful for all of your prayers :) I'm very weak & inadequate, and I'm praying every day to rely more on Jesus Christ & be more humble. it's incredibly, incredibly humbling work. Ether 12:27 - as I come closer to Christ, He shows me my weakness. but His Grace is sufficient if I humble myself, so please pray that I'll be able to do that & rely more on Him every day :) and pray for the people of Wisconsin, that their hearts will be softened & that they'll be open to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We're leaving at 4am tomorrow!!!!! so we'll get to the airport around 5am, then we have to be ready to board around 6:45 so I'll call probably around 4:30 your time............ is that okay??? I hope so!! I really want to talk to all of you!!!! Nathan I want to call you too :) so answer your phones!!!!

I love you all so so much :) :) I'm so happy to be a missionary every day, even though it's hard & humbling & hard, it's also great & wonderful & great and honestly GOD'S WORK and I love being a part of it. love love love :) we've had hard lessons & great lessons & they're all lessons that i'm grateful for :)

"It is true that we are in many ways ordinary and imperfect, but we have a perfect Master who wrought a perfect Atonement, and we have call upon His grace & His priesthood." - D. Todd Christofferson

"Missionaries... are young in the ways of the world. But they are blessed with gifts - such as the power of the Holy Spirit, the love of God, and testimonies of the truth - that make them powerful ambassadors of the Lord... Missionaries strive to follow Jesus Christ, in both word and deed." Russell M. Nelson

GRAMMA PROFFIT et all THANK YOU so much for the cookies!!! i loved them, and i loved all the letters & pictures!!!! love you all so much :) :) I loved that quote from Uncle Robert - "The best adventures you'll ever have are the ones that happen in your own soul." can't wait for this adventure!!

& thanks to everyone else who's sent me letters!!! i'm working on replying to all of them but it's been a crazy busy week :)


love you all so so so so much & i'll try to send pictures later today :) :)
i thought of you during the Christmas devotional last night - so good. miss you guys :) i like how singing Christmas carols reminds us of how it felt when we shouted for Joy that Jesus would be our Savior :)

xoxoxoxoxxooxoxoxox families are forever :)


SISTER PROFFIT