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Tuesday, December 26, 2017

December 25, 2017 Christmas

    

Christmas 2017 in Jamaica

Doll ornament in typical costume of the fabric 
called Jamaican bandana. 

Every year, Jamaica Kingston Stake Patriarch and Sister McPherson host a wonderful Christmas dinner in their beautifully landscaped backyard. They actually feed all the Kingston missionaries every Sunday. On Christmas, they generously extend the invitation to include all the senior missionaries. We enjoyed their hospitality again this year. 


 

  

  


Kingston elders and sisters share 
their testimonies of Our Savior through music. 

We enjoyed our few simple Christmas decorations in our small but very adequate apartment. So much about our lives these past 17 months has taught us how we really don't need very many things at all to be comfortable and very happy. 


We had the opportunity to have 3 elders and 2 sisters come to our apartment at different times throughout Christmas day to Skype with their families. Hearing the squeals of their families as the connections went through brought tears to my eyes remembering the indescribably joy we felt when being able to talk with Jeff, Collin, Emily, and Blake during their missions. We didn't have the capability to Skype when they served, but the phones calls were priceless to us. 

#Light the World
The theme for this year’s Christmas initiative was Light the World. The following is an excerpt from a most inspiring Sacrament Meeting talk given by our dear new eternal friend, who is the wife of one of the counselors in the Jamaica Kingston Stake Presidency.

  • The Lord is my light when I chose to be baptized, choose to attend church and renew my covenants. 
  • He is my light when I study His words daily and strive to live them.
  • The Lord is my light when I pray always, not just when my trials seem too much. 
  • He is my Light when my family chooses to have scripture study, family home evenings, family counsel.
  • The Lord is my light when I encourage my children not only in temporal learning but also in spiritual learning such as participating in Seminary and Institute. 
  • The Lord is my light when my husband and I who have not been employed for over a year, still seek to do work that will help us provide for our family and invite the Spirit as we continue to pay our tithing no matter how small our income is. 
  • The Lord is my light when I forgive others.
  • The Lord is my light when I repent. 
  • The Lord is my light when we teach our children what is right and not force them, but influence them in the way we live and pray for them. They will make mistakes, nevertheless, they will know when you are disappointed, but they will know that you will not stop loving them.  
  • The Lord is my light when I choose Him over the things of this world.
  • He is my light when I desire an eternal marriage despite the divorces that I see happening around me. 
  • He is my light when I seek out my ancestors and provide for them access to the atonement. 
  • The Lord is my light because of His infinite eternal love and sacrifice for me to make me whole and return to live with Him and my Father. He has made the journey; there is no other that could show me the way.


May the Light of Christ fill our lives 
not only during the Christmas season but always. 


Until next week...all our love...

1 comment:

  1. It was hard to believe that you have been out 17 months...to us it seems like just a few months ago we got to meet you at the MTC. I think for most families the Skype or FaceTime call from their missionary is the highlight of their Christmas day. As you so beautifully point out it is also one of the special events for the senior couples who are able to provide a computer for the young missionaries to use.

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