CHRISTMAS! A little different, but I wouldn't say less exciting!

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So all throughout the week, my companion and I just kept saying how we couldn't believe that Christmas was this weekend! It does not feel like it has been that long since I have started my mission. This week was a little harder to find people since most young adults are only here for school and have gone home to their families. So our finding has been pretty slow, but we were able to still bring the light of Christ to many people just walking around haha. I will say people have been a lot nicer the closer to Christmas we got. We got the chance to carol a couple more times and there were these two old Christian ladies in two different houses that told us to go and carol to the other one because they would love it! It was very sweet and both of them were touched that we stopped by. 

For Christmas, the elders in our district all did a gift exchange with each other and that was fun! Christmas morning we opened those first and then any packages from home. Got a lot of mission gifts, including pictures, a CTR ring, snacks, candy, and Day of Defense book, and a couple other things. The book is actually a court case where two Elders went to trial against other religious teachers. It is basically a professional Bible bash, which is not something I should practice, but the Elders in it highlight a lot of important scriptures that I should probably know when I get asked tough and real questions from people who don't understand. Cause to be honest, I don't understand the Bible much as it is, but it is something I am working on. 

After being at the church with my district, Elder Henrie and I had dinner at Branch President Anderson's house. Danisha and Toni, both recent converts to the church, were also there. It was a great dinner and was a lot of fun. At the end we got to share our testimonies of our favorite part of the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Mine was in Luke 2:6 "And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered." This scripture is often read during an acted out nativity scene and it is most often read as Mary should deliver her baby. Something that was pointed out to me was that she also should be delivered because of what her baby was going to do for us during his life. One of Jesus's name is our deliverer and we can substitute ourselves in this verse saying that "the days were accomplished that [we all] should be delivered". 

I loved this Christmas season and I hope that we all can remember the love and gratefulness we have for our savior for all of this next year!

Hope y'all have a great New Years! 

Got a picture of Danisha and us Elder's right before her baptism last Sunday!

All of our Christmas candy from members and gifts

Christmas dinner at the President Anderson's

Starting the week with a soda with Elder Lewis

Thankful we could fit pie into our budget

The gifts Elder Lewis and I got each other

Elder's gift exchange

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