December 25th Week Eleven "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" Layton Utah Wk1

(Sorry for the late email! Gmail has deleted two different drafts as I've copied contacts from a note to this email [because the mobile app {what I'm emailing from} is having difficulties reading line-by-line contact information...])

皆さん!

Merry Christmas! I hope you all are spending it with loved ones both near and far. Any plans? Or is it just a quiet sort of Christmas together with loved ones? Regardless, it's a wonderful time of hope, joy, and light, and I hope that even amidst all of this toil and strife that's overtaken the world, you can find and take the time to remember the good in our lives - even if it may be hard to see. It may take a little bit of searching, but I promise you it's there.

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday just because of how much it centers on family! Being able to watch Christmas movies together, then sit around the Christmas tree, reading from Luke, Matthew, and 3 Nephi, opening the first gifts of Christmas, going to bed early (or secretly wrapping)... Rushing downstairs at 7:00, anxiously watching as we open our presents for each other... It's always been so much fun to laugh and joke around with each other and just... have fun together. Many a Christmas is cherished in my memory, and still is to this day.

And now that I'm in the field, I realized that even more now than later, my thoughts have turned towards Christ even more than they have before. And not only His birth... But His life. Through Him, we can be together with our loved ones for all time and eternity. The Christmases filled with joy and laughter can last forever; we can be filled with joy and happiness forever. 

Because Jesus Christ lived, and suffered the Atonement, not only can we live with our loved ones together, but we can find another Older Brother in Him - He who not only knows how we feel, but has felt our pains Himself. He knows our pains, and the darkness in our lives... because He's felt it, too. In order to take upon Himself the sins of the world, past, present, and future, He had to feel everything that we have ever felt. And so when times get dark, He can be our light. Through Him, we can be comforted by someone that knows exactly what we've been through. That, to me, has brought me a lot of peace and comfort - and I know it's true because I've felt it in my life! And I know that if we truly approach Him in prayer, praying to Heavenly Father to know if He and Jesus Christ know us... through the peace and calm of the Holy Spirit, who speaks with a soft, quiet voice, we can receive a witness that He lives. And that He is the light of the world.

He is the Prinnce of Peace, the Arbiter of Sin. He is the Great Mediator, and the Humblest Shepherd. He is our Oldest Brother. Our hope.

He is our Light.

And He is love.

So at this time of year, I've found myself thinking to that day, where shepherds flocked and wise men found themselves confounded.

Christ was born in Bethlehem not only to save us... but to be with us. To strengthen us. To show us that amidst the void residing between lights, He is a star that shines upon us, comforting us. Allowing us to know He is there. Allowing us to feel His comfort; His sympathy; His empathy. His love.

That is why He is the light of the world - because He loved us, loves us, and will always love us.

But friends... I have some other news I get to celebrate.

On Tuesday, my boots finally hit the ground. After orientation and getting to know the other group of missionaries starting that day, we finally were introduced to our companions - and the work began!

My companion is Elder Cope - an extremely hard working and diligent missionary. He's been out for a little longer than a year, but already has so much experience and is incredibly spiritual. I've been able to learn so much from him, and I'm still learning a lot. He's amazing - and he's incredibly sensitive to others' feelings, and is just a generally good leader, giving people opportunities to learn and grow, but also stepping in with a kind sort of way to help when we get confused or struggle. He's pretty great!

We've been assigned the southern half of the Farmington North stake. The people here are ridiculously nice! They have such a kind and gentle spirit about them, and are incredibly kind and giving. They've been taking care of us in so many ways, even if we're unable to receive gifts or food due to COVID. Getting to know everyone and trying to learn everyone's names has been a little mind boggling, but we're making it work! Just the sheer amount of love we're feeling has been enough to keep me going.

We're teaching as many people as we can, though mostly our efforts are focused on strengthening the faith of members here. Many of them are actually remarkably faithful, but are actually quite nervous about sharing their thoughts and beliefs. We're trying to work with them to help them feel a little more confident and helpful in their beliefs, as well as sharing with their friends who may need a little bit of help. We've been able to teach one person whose faith has been a little bit lacking, and we feel we've helped them to the best of our abilities. Now we can only just encourage them - ultimately, it's their decision, and that's perfectly okay.

But that's all from me! I could go on for days and days about all the people I've met, how amazing the Christmas programs at church were (there was a harp trio that performed!!!), but that would take up ages and ages.

I'll just leave you all with a scripture we've been sharing with numerous people we've been able to talk to, in Alma 7:9-12:

"... prepare the way of the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon the face of the earth.

10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."

These are the words of Alma, preaching to a group of people within the city of Gideon about who Christ is and why He is our Savior. This is one of my favorite scriptures! Not only is it a Christmas scripture, it talks so much about Christ and what He will do for us. He suffered, bled, and died for us. But He did not do this just so that He could save us, or because He had to - He did this because He loved us. Even before the excruciating moments of Gethsemane, where He bled from every pore in order to understand how each of us felt and take upon Him our sins, He was scared. He knew that what he was to go through would have been terrible beyond comprehension. And still, He did it, knowing that if He suffered through that, we could be forgiven of our sins. We could live with our families again.

We could be happy again.

And not only that... But He knew that If He did those things, He could help us from above. To strengthen us - to comfort us in times of terror and strife. To help us to learn, and to become stronger. To give us the best opportunities to learn, and to know exactly how strong we are to give us trials that we can handle.

And if He knows we can't do it alone, He could always send angels - friends, loved ones near and far, to bear us up. To help us to overcome them, even when it seems when we can't do it ourselves.

And sometimes, He personally will comfort us - through the quiet voice of the Spirit. The Spirit of comfort... The Spirit of Peace... a gift from the Prince of Peace.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas! Go eat tons of food and drink lots of egg nog. I'm excited to be here and serve the people, so don't worry about me! Enjoy your time together - you all are amazing.

Take care, everyone! Love you all!

Elder Decker