Dear People Whom I Love,
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
MALIGAYANG PASKO!
聖誕快樂!
My favorite time of year is finally here again, and, as a Christian Missionary, you can bet that I am excited beyond belief, reason, or doubt to be sharing the good news of Jesus Christ at the time of year where we commemorate and celebrate His birth! Being on a Mission reminds me more than ever of what the real "reason for the season" is... Partially because I'm too poor to buy gifts.
But really, when you're out preaching all day and people don't want to listen and it's 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity, it's hard to stay cheerful. But, when it's dropped to 50 degrees and 50 percent humidity, and you can open every single street contact with "Merry Christmas! I'd like to tell you the glad Message of Christ's Birth!", things just get so much happier and better all of a sudden!
There are challenges in all of our lives (like stopping strangers on the street using a foreign language), there are trials that we're not sure we can overcome (like 8 hours of street finding in the heat), and there are little problems weighing on our minds that are just there to give us stomach ulcers (like where I'll live, study, or get married after I get home). All of these things melt away when you remember that it doesn't matter.
Because Christ was born, He was able to perform an infinite and perfect Atonement. This means that, no matter what happens, it's all good! Jesus loves us, and if we do our best then He'll teach us how to do everything else. I, of myself, learn languages very quickly, but without little promptings here and there, I wouldn't have had nearly as much focus or success in learning Chinese. I pick up on people's feelings really quickly sometimes, but I've felt that ability be magnified beyond my imagination while I've been here in Hong Kong.
The Atonement isn't just some long past event that gives us hope for some event far in the distant future! It was made for you, personally, to use every day!
Act Like It!
Because God loves you, His Child, He sent our Brother to experience this mortal life and give us a perfect example! Isn't that something to be grateful for, and to show your gratitude for? We don't all need to start filling in Mission Applications, just go out and find some good to do! It's all around, it doesn't take much looking to find it, either. It could be the guy ringing the annoying bell outside of Wal Mart, the lady inside who's knocked over a pyramid of oranges, or the glum clerk bagging your groceries.
There are opportunities right in our way to show our gratitude towards Christ and our devotion to Him, and I hope we'll all take them.
Love,
Elder JE O'Gara
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