Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Family!

or maybe more appropriately for me, FELIZ NAVIDAD! Today has been an
interesting day so far. I work up at 6:30 as usual and then came down to do
laundry. I know laundry on Christmas, but it is my preparation day, so it
must be done.

Last night we had a Christmas Eve devotional entitled, "The Best Gifts: The
Gifts of the Heart" and you know what. That is so true. The mentioned a
story about a lonely miserable Christmas for one Elder who was in the
mission field. It had started out so horrible, but through prayer and the
Christmas story he said he felt the most inward happiness he had ever felt.
Too bad I don't have time to go into the details, but I really like what he
said; He felt the most inward happiness. Many times we think happiness comes
from outward things, from things, from cards, from gifts, but the truest
happiness comes from within, from the Savior's love and a testimony of him.
This is happiness. So today, I challenge you to take some time and think
about the Savior, about his birth, and pray to gain a greater testimony in
this and feel that inward happiness, that fills the empty places of our
hearts.

Somebody told me here that part of my job as a missionary was to fill those
empty places in their hearts that people didn't even know they had. But I
think always have those empty places are never completely filled. We may
think they are, but then we experience more of the Savior's love, more of
God's love, and more of the spirit (and personal sanctification) and we
realize that we were missing something. So never stop reading, pondering,
and searching after God because he is the source of all true happiness.

I did receive the package. I opened the package from Kirstin last night!
Thanks Christmas, love the socks and gummy bears. I wore them last
night..... but now I'm going to take my laundry out. I'll have to finish the
letter in a little bit. So you can wait with excited anticipation for the
next installment. Love you.

Erin

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