MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Christmas is HERE! I am so excited. I just love the Christmas season! Ever since my mission, the Christmas Spirit has taken on a little different feeling for me. Being away from home, away from my family for the first time at during this time of year, made it a little easier to focus on the true meaning of Chrismas.

I only had one Christmas in the mission field. I was in the area of South Milwaukee, which, oddly enough, is just south of the main city of Milwaukee (about 10-15 minutes from downtown). I had been in the area for about 2 1/2 months - just long enough to form some amazing friendships with many of the people there.
My companion and I with Bro Greasby

We had one family that was investigating - a single mother of two children, one of them with some special needs. He had Cerebral Palsy and was unable to walk without assistance (either crutches or a wheelchair) and he could speak but most of the time his words were not understandable. The mother worked two jobs just to make ends meet, but when it came down to it, she still had nothing.

The Sunday before Christmas, she came to church and cried through all three hours. I had seen her be touched by the spirit and become emotional before, but this seemed different. I pulled her aside and asked her what was making her so emotional. She told me that her car had broken down and she had to use the money she'd saved all year for presents for her boys to pay for the repairs. My heart ached for her. Over the next couple of days, my companion and I rounded up all the presents we could, as well as food and money for this family that was planning on having nothing under the tree and nothing on the table on Christmas. The ward was more than willing to donate, and we were overwhelmed by the response of the amazing members of the West Allis 2nd ward.

On Christmas Eve, we made our way over to their house with the boxes of presents, food, and an envelope of money for her and her boys. When she opened the door and saw us there, she fell to her knees and began to cry - tears of sheer joy. We placed the food on the table, and the presents under the tree. She called to her sons to come see what the Lord had provided for them. The son with Cerebral Palsy, too excited to grab his crutches, crawled from his room to the tree, sat in front of it and cried. He turned and smiled at us, and of course it brought us to tears also.


That night my heart was transformed. It made me realize that Christmas wasn't about presents, Santa, or shopping. It was about miracles. The miracle of our Savior's birth is the most incredible thing of all - for it is because of Him that we have a chance to return to live with our Father in Heaven. I was away from my family and home, but I felt so close to my Heavenly home than I ever had before in my life.

I love my Savior and I love what He has done for me, for you, for all of us. Without Him, there would be no purpose. This year when giving gifts to your family, imagine what it would have been like to be there that night He was born - to give Him a gift, to see His precious face, His tiny hands that would be pierced for us.



Merry Christmas to you all!