Sunday, January 10, 2016

December 20th, 2015: Merry Christmas Everyone!

 Merry Christmas everyone!!! So I just realized that I get to open presents 18 hours ahead of everyone!!! ;) It's so weird to think just how far away from home I am. The world really is so small when you think about it. I'm almost on the exact other side of the world and you would never know. It's amazing all of the miracles that we take for granted. Miracles like storing images and sending words and sounds through metal and plastic flash drives. Not only sending through that but sending through the air through the internet. It's amazing how many miracles and how many amazing things that we have at our fingertips at all times. Being on an Island were the people here have little to nothing it really does make you appreciate things, especially miracles. The biggest miracle of all is the Atonement of our Brother Jesus Christ. People had been waiting for His birth for thousands of years. Finally one beautiful night the Savior of each and every one of us was born. He was born in the most humble of circumstances. He came into the world, not as the King that He was but as a Servant for our Father. Before I came on my mission I didn't really comprehend, something I'm still working on, how amazing Jesus Christ was. In the Great Council in Heaven He was the one that came forth and said, I will perform the sacrifice for all sin. I will be the one to go through the most painful, most excruciating experience ever. Not for My glory and not so that I can become a God but so that my Brothers and Sisters can become gods. I can only imagine how happy our Heavenly Father was when one of us stepped forward to save the rest of us. There is a reason why people looked forward to the birth of Christ so much. There's a reason why prophets prophesied from the beginning about Christ. Because the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the center of our plan here on Earth. When Jesus was born, in a little hut, on the outskirts of town, He started the most important work ever. He started the Atonement. I never really thought about this but the Atonement started much earlier than the Garden of Gethsemane. It started at His birth. Jesus had to be perfect or else the Atonement would not be complete. The Atonement started with the Birth of Christ. For thousands of years people had been looking forward to this day. They had been looking forward for the time when they could be forgiven. This Christmas I would love everyone to ask for forgiveness. If there is anyone that you feel like you have wronged or even people that you feel like you don't have the best relationship with. I would love, and I know our Father in Heaven would love for you to sit down and talk to them, call them on the phone, or write a letter. Tell them you're sorry, tell them that you want to start over again and build a better relationship. Then act upon what you say. The Christmas season is one of giving. THE GREATEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE IS LOVE! I know it sound cliché but it is true. Even if you don't have much money or if you don't know what to give someone, give them your time. Give them something that you can't feel or touch, but something that will last forever. A memory with you that will last for eternities. I know that when people give of themselves they are truly in the service of God. I love you all and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve the people on Pohnpei. There is no place I would rather be than in the service of my Father in Heaven. I hope you all realize the gift that our Father in Heaven gave us. The gift of His Only Begotten Son, the one person who could lead us back to Heaven. A gift that is the center of everything. I love my Savior with all my heart. I love my Father in Heaven for His sacrifice of sending His Son. I am so thankful for the love that they give to us every day. I love you all and I know that we have so many people not only our Father and Jesus in Heaven that are cheering us on. I know that if we pray sincerely we will feel their love. I love you, and I know God loves you. I say
these things in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, the person for which we celebrate, rejoice, and share our love, Amen.

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