So Excited for Christmas!

We did the Grinch play at church!

Merry Christmas! I am so excited for this Christmas week. I have really enjoyed sharing with people about Christmas. Most people we talk to say that they think Christmas is just the western version of New Year's. I think in some ways that is true because Christmas is a time for family, friends, and food. But, Christmas is so much more than that. It is the time when we celebrate the birth and life of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I feel especially blessed that I get to spend this Christmas season as a representative of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

This last week we were blessed with many Christmas miracles. First of all, we met with some wonderful less active members. One woman was particularly interesting. She joined the church while living in America, but since being in Hong Kong she has attended another church. She told us about how much charity and love our church has and how good we are and the members have always been to her, she even told us about when she received a priesthood blessing while in the hospital and then her health was restored. She just does not believe in the Book of Mormon. We hope that we will be able to help her to understand why the Lord has given us two books that testify of Jesus Christ.

3 year old twin boys that we are teaching - so cute!!!

This week we also met with Ethel. Ethel has met with missionaries on and off for several years, but it was only until recently that she started making progress. We are so proud of her! She is a senior in high school and that is a very, very busy time. High School in Hong Kong sounds like the hardest thing in the world. Even elementary school is sooo stressful. After explaining to us all her tests and papers she also told us that she had read all the chapters we asked her to read in the Book of Mormon (and they were pretty long ones..1 Nephi 16-18) and gave us a perfect summary of what had happened. She receives a lot of anti from those around her, but she says the biggest thing keeping her from attending church is her own lack of faith and her own "obstacles." She is such a special daughter of God and we hope that we can help her to realize that.

Eating pizza with Anna

This week we also really started teaching Anna. Anna's mother and brother are less active members. I have met with her mother a few times while serving in Kowloon, but up until recently I had never even seen Anna or her brother. A few weeks ago we decided on a whim (and by that I mean by the prompting of the Spirit) to go visit the juice store that they own. When we went we met Winner, Anna's older brother. The next Sunday he and Anna both came to church. Since then we have met with all of them a few times and they have been coming to church almost every week. I had seen before on their teaching record and also learned from branch leaders that Anna was really against the church because some things that have happened in the past. But, this week, thanks to a tip from some members, we were able to meet with her and had a great lesson. She is really accepting of the gospel and we hope that we will be able to help her to develop her faith in Christ. We are also very happy that her mother and brother are also very supportive of her.

With my companions at the Hong Kong temple

I am so excited for this Christmas. I hope that we can all take the time to really remember and embrace the greatest gift: Christ!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!