Hi everybody here we are one week away from Christmas. I am so grateful for this Christmas season. Haha this is my 19th Christmas in my life and this one this year has been the most special of them all. I remember Christmas last year on the mission it was great! I never had a Christmas like it that was not so focused on Santa Claus and all about the presents and stuff. Last year I really got to understand the "true" meaning of Christmas and it was great. I had an awesome Christmas last year and I will remember it forever. But this Christmas has been so much different but so amazing. I have had experiences over this past month of December that have helped me and changed me so much. It is hard for me to put into words what has happened but this Christmas season has been great! It has been amazing and I am so grateful for the Baby Jesus and that we celebrate his birth. How amazing this holiday is because of what it really means and it is a time for us to become closer to our Savior Jesus Christ and to become better. To recommit ourselves to improve our lives and to think of how blessed we are for all that we have. There are a couple of experiences that have happened this Christmas season that I would like to share with you guys.
Service
The first is service. I am so grateful mum that you asked me to tell you guys of all of the service that we are doing each and everyday because it is helping me realize really how much we are doing and it always just makes you feel just so good inside. Below I will tell you all that we have done this week for service and the 25 ways in 25 days. You know this is something, service, that I have had the opportunity to do a lot on my mission. I never thought I would do a whole lot of service on my mission just a lot of teaching and knocking on doors which I have done as well but the area's I have been called to serve in have been very service focused. Wow I am so grateful for service and I truly believe that no matter what service we do for someone else is no where compared to what we as the service givers receive in return from the Lord. He blesses us so much for the service that we do for those around us. What He has done for me has grown my heart and my love for my Brothers and Sisters around me no matter who they are and I want to help as many people as I can. Whether that is mow someone's lawn or help an old lady take her trolley at the grocery mart. Service is something that soften's our hearts and allows us to love and helps those around us just like Christ taught us in His life. Service is a big part of my life and a big part of my mission. I have had companions and members and people tell me before haha that I never say no. We have been very busy this past week and flat out almost everyday helping as many people as we can and my companion said the other day it's cuz you never say no. We might have a day that were packed and busy and then someone will ask us to help them for a bit and you will try to fit it in somewhere haha so I guess I do that but it's great! Why not serve as many people as we can? That's what I ask myself why say no we can fit it in somewhere haha I am coming to find out that there is never enough time in a day.:) I am grateful for this Christmas season and for my mission and for all the service I have been able to do. So service for the week #Light the World.
Click here to see this week's post of "Light the World: 25 Days of Service."
The Great and Spacious Building
The second experience that I wanted to share with you guys about this past week that helped both me and my companion grow so much helped us realize how important the Standard's of the Church really are. So this past week I believe it was on Wednesday me and my companion Elder Tingey were tracting on a street. We were working our way up the street and we were coming up on a house. We knew the house because a less-active member lived there and so we thought we should pop-by and just say hi and invite them to our Branch Christmas Activity coming up. So we stopped by and they were home but they told us they were busy so we weren't able to go in but we did invite them to the Branch Christmas Activity but as we kept walking up the street a couple houses in front of us there were a heap of girls having a party it looked like. We could tell that they were very drunk and not fully with it. As we were walking they noticed us and started shouting out at us. They started saying some pretty inappropriate things toward and trying to persuade us to come over. Me and my companion Elder Tingey looked at each other and smiled and with great power and strength turned to the girls and kindly told them Merry Christmas, turned around and started walking back towards our car. As we were walking back they continued to shout at us and laugh at us but I felt great! All I could think about was the Great and Spacious Building talked about in Lehi's dream. 1 Nephi 8. I thought to myself wow how grateful I am for the rod of iron the truth of the Gospel that I have such a tight grip on that I never ever want to let go. Me and Elder Tingey got back in our car and drove away and went tracting on another street in the town but both of us shared our feelings while we were driving and it made us realize really and truly how grateful we are for the standards the Lord has us live and for the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom. My testimony grew so much stronger through this experience especially how grateful I am for the Gospel in my life because if not who know's where I would be in my life but I know for sure that I would not be having the greatest Christmas of my life right now. The Church is True and God is Real and Angels are round about us to protect us and lift us up.
Skype!!!!
Hi Mum and Dad how are you guys? Wow I am so excited one week from now we will get to Skype!!!!!:) So excited to see you guys and talk with you guys. I am not homesick or anything but I have definitely missed you guys the last couple weeks so super pumped to Skype with you guys haha it's been a while.:) Man I am so excited to see you guys!!!!:) Make sure you get your questions ready cuz I'm sure you guys got heaps.:) One crazy thing is this week is transfers as well!!!! Haha so next Monday when we Skype we will know transfer details and what will be happening so we will let you know and then transfer day will be the day after on Tuesday. Haha crazy stuff this transfer sure has gone fast.:) So this week has been very good. What I titled this weekly letter is so true but it is very hard for me to try and express my feelings over email and so I will try to share some more stuff next week when we Skype but man this Christmas has been great and the experience I shared about the girls while we were tracting was man just such a faith builder for me. I don't think I have ever been tempted like that and it was great to stand up for what I know is right and stay true to my Covenants in the Temple.
Christmas Conference
We have been very very busy this week and worked very hard because we knew this week was gonna be a bit more relaxed with Christmas and the Christmas Conference and everything. We have a very fun week planned especially Christmas weekend. Friday night we have our Branch Christmas Activity. Saturday is Christmas Eve and we are going to spend it with the P_____'s and the Shoobridge's and all there family and have a great day. Sunday will be Christmas and we have Church! After that we are spending the day with the Shoobridge's and play some fun games. Monday will be P-day and Skype day!!!! So excited and man super excited for the Christmas Conference in Sydney. After emails we are heading up this arvo to Sydney and then tomorrow will be the conference.:) Haha we have a long drive ahead of us but it will be good. Super excited to see past companions and everybody. Thanks also so much for the awesome Christmas package and for everything in it it was great and man could feel just so much love just in the package. Man there is some cool stuff in there.:) Thanks for everything and all the work for the package it is great! Haha what else? Well I guess we will get to talk in just a week so then we can talk about everything then.:) Well thanks for everything have a great Christmas week and a great Christmas and see yous on the day!!!:) Love yous heaps.:)
Love Elder Stott
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| P-day Hike in Tathra with the Shoobridge's |
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| Looks like fun critter- NOT! |
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