Christmas morning we are going over to the Malherbe's house for breakfast and lunch (we're opening our presents with them at their house) and then we are going to the Pemberton's for dinner and the rest of the night. Brother Pemberton's son, James, just got back from his mission on Wednesday, he was in the Dominican Republic, and all he wants to do is come out to lessons with us haha so that's fine with me.
Here's some good news! Elder Bednar is coming to our mission in like a week! He's going to speak to all the missionaries and then he is speaking in Stake Conference for the San Antonio Stake, which is the stake I am in. So I am way excited about that. It's sweet when Apostles and General Authorities come to speak to only missionaries, because they are so much more real and always tend to speak about way more deep and powerful stuff. I'm pumped!
Not too much happened this week: but we did have Christmas
Conference! Where all the missionaries in the mission get together, it's
like the only time in the year that everyone is together, because it is
such a huge mission. So I was able to see the missionaries I was in the
MTC with for the first time since we left the MTC (two of them were up
in Austin somewhere). That was really cool! I'll send a picture of me
and Elder Lee, my MTC companion.
Recently I was studying in Alma chapter 24. You should all read it
individually and as a family. I love it. It shows how much they trust
the Lord, and once they were converted and forgiven of all their many
sins, they never wanted to sin every again, even if it meant that they
had to die. It is really powerful and that's the mindset we all should
have. When we do align our will with God's will, and we are forgiven we
need to 'lay down our weapons of war' and never pick them up again. The
5th principle of The Gospel is "Endure To The End'. Once we are
forgiven, it is not Happily Ever After. Happily Ever After doesn't come
until after we Endure To The End. We all have our own 'bloody weapons of
war', once they have been made clean by the Atonement of Jesus Christ,
let's bury them deep, and never dig them up.
Merry Christmas to all my family and friends! I'm going to miss
opening presents with you all this Christmas, but I know that I am
helping others. Helping others is the fastest way to feel happy
yourself, and I have truly been happy out here in the great state of
Texas. I am so grateful for my Savior and his sacrifice. Christmas is
the time of love and peace. "Fear not. For, behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy.."
I love my family and each and every friend I have back home. I promise to remember you all this Christmas.
God Lives.
-Elder Giles |
| Elder Lee and I (with my homemade Christmas tie) |
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