GO AND DO IT...

Happy December,

The following is something I shared with my mission president about  the things I have learned over the past year... the true meaning of Christmas and a better way to share the Holiday spirit.  Light the world... 

There is one message I really love and I think it goes well with this year's initiative. It is from the talk of Elder Bednar last Christmas Devotional. He talks about the signs of the Saviors birth in the Americas. The believers prayed for, pleaded for the literal light of "no darkness" to save their lives, as they were set to be killed if the prophesy wasn't fulfilled.The Nephites had great cause to rejoice because... "it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, … and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given." The Nephites were saved by the literal light of day shining continually, but every man was saved because the Light of the world, our Savior Jesus Christ was born to eternally save every single one of us. This was a day of rejoicing not just for the Nephites, but this was a day of rejoicing for every man who had lived, was living and all those who would live as their Redeemer had come into the world to take on our sins and pave the way for us to overcome spiritual and physical death. Jesus Christ is the Light who saves us all. Last year as I spent my first Christmas here in on the mission, this was a message I needed because for the first time I truly understood and internalized the meaning of Christmas. The true meaning of Christmas is to reintroduce the Light of our Savior Jesus Christ into the lives of those around us and into our own lives. Over 2000 years ago we rejoiced with the angels of heaven, and everyday as missionaries we have the opportunity to bring that Light back to them, to introduce them to the gospel and the way for them to receive salvation they are searching for in the darkness. I have seen the light enter people's lives and eyes as they accept the gospel, as they pray and receive an answer, as they feel the spirit, as they dress in white, as they pass the sacrament for the first time, or are assigned their first calling. We "Light the World" everyday by doing His work. Everyday we have cause to rejoice as we celebrate the Light that entered into the world to save us 2000 plus years ago and that continues to save every one of us every single day since.  

I don't have any of those fancy social media sites or anything right now- but you guys do. I encourage all of you to take an active part this season in "Lighting the World" a downloadable advent calendar  starting December 1st (link below).  See what a difference it will make in your celebration this year of our Savior's Birth. 

I love you guys!