Merry Christmas Eve!

December 24, 2007

Merry Christmas Eve! I love this time of year! Brother Nichols asked the missionaries to participate in his ward Christmas program yesterday. It was really fun! Elder Binkard spoke about Christ's birth, then the Prmary had a musical number. It was really fun seeing the little kids sing, it's something you definitely don't see in a single's ward! Elder Stewart spoke about keeping the spirit of Christmas year-round, then Elder Roseman played a piano solo, “The First Noel”. Then I spoke on how we can keep focused on Christ during Christmas.

I had planned on speaking for about 10 minutes, but ended up having about 20! It gave me the opportunity to talk a lot about my favorite Christmas, two years ago. I spoke specifically about all the Christ like acts of service that family and friends gave me. The period after my accident could have been a really dark time, but because of these Christ like acts I was given an opportunity to become happy and strengthen my testimony! Because others showed me the spirit of Christ, the two years since my accident have been perhaps my happiest years! It made me realize that I still had everything in life that truly mattered! And I was far more grateful for those things than I ever had been before!

After sacrament meeting, I met Marlone. He's this huge, about 6’8” black guy with the deepest voice who used to fight in the UFC, Ultimate Fighting Championship. Elder Carson and Elder Jensen are teaching him. Marlone has been shot in the face twice, and Elder Carson and Elder Jensen claimed he can't be killed. He's like a big teddy bear, though. He's just as friendly a person as you would ever meet! He says he loves the way that he feels when he comes to church. He really thanked me for my testimony. He got kind of emotional, and said he could just tell that what I was saying was true. We had a great lesson on Joseph Smith after Sacrament Meeting, and he talked about how much he enjoyed it. It was really funny as Elder Jensen asked him how his reading and praying were going. Some define the priesthood as the power and authority of God. I think that knowing I hold the priesthood is the only way I would feel comfortable asking someone as big as Marlone if he was keeping His commandments!

Earlier this week we went to a nursing home and sang Christmas carols. It was really fun to see how much they all appreciated us coming by. A lot of them seemed really lonely and were so happy as we sang!

I think that we can find happiness especially at Christmastime through service. Whether we’re the ones giving or receiving, we can come closer to Christ by doing as He did! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Love,
Elder Walters