We can come to love the Lord not only through his Atonement but through his Birth

December 16, 2013

Merry Christmas Family and Friends

Wow MOM,  I feel OLD, its okay I have a while before I can even fit in yours and DADs shoes, by that I mean you are Super Old, I am kidding.  I must not lie, on my Birthday I felt OLD!!!, my legs are old and the walker really is giving me a hard time.   I wish it was 4 wheel drive, it would be easier in the mudd! haha.   I had a great week, a lot of great things happened for us, I had an awesome Birthday, we went Proselyting.   I think that's one of the best gifts I was able to receive from the Lord.   I am also grateful for my Birthday package and the letters inside, thank you Family.   We had some awesome member lessons, and was able to help a guy and wheelbarrow move dirt out of his yard. We were able to come home a little early, we cleaned the apartment and talked about our awesome day, that night all the elders made me Birthday Brownies, they were so good.   I was able to get a Call from President Kirkham who sang Happy Birthday with his Wife to me.   I am grateful for My

Mission President. Saturday we went to baptisms, we had none for our companionship, but I witnessed for those who were.  We had so many baptisms, it was crazy,  I think more than 40,  I cant remember exactly.  Saturday evening we had a Christmas Devotional, wow it was Powerful.  We had two investigators come and Brother Steven, we talked a lot about the Saviors Birth and Watched some small clips.   After the meeting, brother Steven told me that he has never thought of the Birth of Christ that way and was really blown away from the perspective he gained.  He said in such a great way, this is True, Jesus Christ is real and died for me, I don't know how to really put it into words the feeling I felt when my Recent Convert told me this.   Such happiness and peace, ooooo it was just wonderful to feel the Spirit and to see what me and my companions hard work has done.   By small and simple things great things come to pass. I have really been studying the Condescension of God and really its such a powerful topic, I am Grateful for this event that Jesus Christ came from his throne from on High, to a little manger full of gross hay and poop, which I am sure was on the ground.   This shows us that our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ love us, especially for Christ to be born in the Poorest of places and to be circumcised only with the payment of two turtle doves, which was allowed for the poor to pay with.  When we realize what Christ the Lord did for us I know we come to love him more, not just through the Atonement but through his Birth.  Jesus Christ had to go to the lowest of low's to know how to help us get to the highest of high's. One of my favorite stories in the Birth of Christ is When Gabriel goes to the Poor Shepherds in their fields not the rich but to the poor, the savior teaches us in the scriptures to love thy neighbor as thy self.  Christmas is the time for us to really reflect on the Examples of Christ and his Birth, it is also a time for us to Show Gratitude to one another and to the Lord.   Mosiah 2:17 tells us when we serve others we are serving God, what a great time it is to serve others during this holiday season,  thats why I love Christmas,  its a time to Be Selfless and Grateful.  A time to help others feel the love and Peace that comes from the Lord and his Gospel.   I am grateful that I get to be a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ to share glad tidings with my brothers and sister here in Liberia.   Please,  I pray that we can all help someone to make their burdens lighter, in small acts of service or big, especially this Christmas season.   I say this in the Name of my savior and Redeemer Jesus The Christ Amen. I love you all and cant wait to call home in a week and a half just plan on it being in  the afternoon or late in the morning, I miss you all so very much and pray for you to. Have a great week Love Elder Erickson

This Picture was taken from Sister Berretts blog with her caption:  you can buy a Christmas tree - already decorated - while you sit in you car at a red light.  Talk about convenient!  Who wouldn't want one of these beautifully decorated trees?  This could really make Christmas shopping so much easier - you could do it all from the convenience of your car.

Some times we are able to email in real time with Elder Erickson,  Almost as good as talking to him face to face.   Here is the last email he sent me this morning as we chatted: 

"Thanks, Mom I love you and miss you a lot its not easy, to tell you the truth its difficult but the lord will help me this month,  I really appreciate all you and Dad do for me, can't wait to talk to you in 11 days its close, no package yet it should be here soon."