Spiritual ones

Hey mom! Yeah Christmas was super fun, i loved talking to all of you. I feel like Christmas was pretty cool. It was definitely one of my most spiritual ones. But I'm super excited to be there with all of you next christmas. I was looking at a picture of the family and was just thinking about how awesome you all are. I love talking about you and everyone to other comps. Haha but really, i had a good Christmas. The Lord really is so sweet. It was pretty hard on my greenie though. He's doing okay now though. I hope what you said about baby yoda isn't true😂 haha this Christmas I've really been focusing on the people involved with Christ's birth. Especially mary. Can you imagine raising a perfect son? I've been trying to put Christ in my studies more. And focus on his life. I love him, and his healing power. 

A real feeling and energy

Hi mom! I read a talk yesterday and it made me think of you! Ill send it after this email, it talked about how motherhood is the most divine calling. You are a queen!! I hope that this Christmas is fun, even though im not there haha. For us i think it will be pretty fun. We are sleeping over at the other elders house and having a Suriname missionary party tomorrow! Its been a good week, ive found something interesting, ive noticed such a power in service recently, not just doing missionary work to hand out books and tracts, but a real feeling and energy that comes. Making someones weight lighter by representing the Savior. I think Christmas is so great because of that. Last night we went caroling as missionaries and it was really powerful. Thank you for your influence of service. I remember caroling and not wanting to, but now that i look back, you helped me learn about that wonderful power that comes from service. I love you mom Mary Christmas! 💙

focus on what you have

Hi mom! We had a good week this last week, I'm so happy to hear about A baby, what's her name? That's wonderful to hear about h blessing. Families are so special and wonderful, especially when priesthood power and revelation are involved. I'm excited to see the future for this family. You are making such an influence on the lives of people around you through the gospel. Thanks for your counsel mom. I've found that as soon as i just start giving all credit to the Lord, more success and spiritual experiences happen. This past week we were on our way to a lesson with a member who had been alittle inactive. We passed a old man and a girl in a wheel chair. I felt that i should talk to them but kept biking but then the spirit said to turn around and so we went back. We started talking to the old man and everyone calls him "oppa" i noticed the girl in the wheel chair had a beautiful light with her, but she seemed sad. While we talked to oppa, the less active walked up and started testifying of the book of mormon with us and talked about how the girl in the wheel chair would have been a happy beautiful girl but because of her mom, she had ruined her hands and feet when she was little. I sat down next to the girl and talked to her while my comp talked to oppa. I said Hi! Im elder seffker! She said her name was rochel. I asked her what she liked to do for fun and she said she couldn't write, and so i said okay, well i can write/draw for you! She told me to draw a flower, and some more things. She said that she was 21 and that she liked listening to music and flowers. I made her laugh really hard acouple times (im a comedic genius i guess 💁‍♂️ haha) i asked her if there was anything we could do for her and she said she wanted to walk (i think she has constantly been told that because of her mom she can't do anything/be happy) the spirit told me to tell her that she should stop focusing on what she can't do, and focus on what she can do. I asked can you see? Yes. Can you hear? Yes. Can you be happy? Yeah. Can you be sad? Yes sometimes i get made and sad. That means you have a heart that works, you can feel. I told her that she had a beautiful smile. And i promised her, that one day she would walk, and then run, and then dance. And its through Jesus Christ. Discipleship is not having a bunch if baptisms. Discipleship is doing what the Savior would do and following the Spirit. Our goal should not be trying to build ourselves up and get credit. Our goal should be helping people feel the glory and love of God. He is great. He is merciful. His plan is perfect and all that is unfair is made right through Christ and the atonement. I love you mom

-love Scott

Missions are forever

Hi mom, yeah thanksgiving we didn't really do anything, to celebrate, but on saturday we all got together as a district and ate a bunch of chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes haha, it was a good time. We just had a district conference. A seventy came and spoke. It was cool, we talked about the light of Christ and the light the world thing. To be honest i was super tired and worn out by the end. The meetings went too long because of translation. The members didn't realize they needed to shorten their talks because of translation, so i was just worn out at the end of the day. I was alittle inpatient when we got to the apartment and for some reason less enthusiastic about the work because the conference was just soooooo long. But one thing that I've found about my mission, is as soon as i actually get out there and stop talking about change, but making it happen, i have so much more energy and enthusiasm. I'm alittle concerned/worried because the numbers are low in my area because I'm trying to balance getting all my studies in for my greenie, 1 hour of contacting, and all these conferences. My zone leader i think is concerned too, i don't blame him, but i remember that my success as a missionary is not determined by the numbers. Its determined by my willingness. I've got to focus less on the numbers and more on what is actually going on in peoples lives. There is a brother we are teaching who is in a wheel chair and has been to church for the past 5 weeks. He's going to be baptized on the 14th. At the conference i saw all of the members i taught and helped. The first baptism on my mission, scott, gave a talk on the stake/district conference. He talked about the youth program. I still remember teaching him how to give a talk when i was being trained. I felt like alma when he brags about the Lord. I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to see God change people and make them so different. Missions are forever, they don't end at the 2 year mark. Every member is a missionary. We can invite people to come and see in normal amd natural ways. I love you Mom i hope you all have a wonderful christmas season. We're coming up on your birthday, you've been a wonderful mother. I listened to the primary song "i know my Heavenly Father loves me" the song you'd always sing to me when i was little. Tears came to my eyes. Thank you for teaching my that my Heavenly Father loves me. That has carried me to my mission and throughout my life. The Love that you exercised for your father in heaven shined to your children, your influence has changed lives. I love you mom

Elder Seffker