Week 75

Hello Family and Friends!

Maligayang Pasko! That is Merry Christmas in Tagalog. It is a great time of the year to remember Jesus Christ and man do Filipinos love Christmas time. It is really fun to see all the decorations and the lights and hear the little kids carol in the streets. Christmas is here. Us missionaries are having a lot of fun sharing #isinalangangtagapagligtas (what a long hash tag, haha) A Savior is born! I love the video! It is even more beautiful in Tagalog! If you haven't seen the video yet, you can watch it at christmas.mormon.org. I invite all of you to discover why a Savior was born. For me, he was born to give me hope, peace, forgiveness, and joy and the list could go on, I could fill a book! But the truth is, words cannot describe the gratitude I have for the gift the Savior gave me and you, the gift to change through the Atonement.

Speaking of change, here is a story about one of our investigators who is preparing for baptism in the next few weeks.

Bro Levi is a retired solider and a father.  He loves his family very much, and wants so much for his family to be guided by God. We invited him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and he did so hesitantly at first but then grew to love the Book of Mormon. Often in lessons he testifies to us of the power it has and how it has changed his life so far. Before he was very shy, and had a hard time speaking his mind but now he is so different and has a great confidence. You can see that he is truly happy now. He is living the Word of Wisdom now, and he loves the Book of Mormon and has encouraged his wife to read it and she has started to read the Book of Mormon too! It is so wonderful it is hard to explain but you can just see the change that happens as people live what they learn!

I know that adversity comes as we live the gospel but through adversity we grow and we become closer to our loving Heavenly Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. No power or influence on this earth or beneath can separate ourselves from the testimony we treasure unless we willfully give it up. 

I love Christmas! I am grateful for all of you!

I encourage you all to share the Gift with those you love! The Gift of hope that God gave us, Jesus Christ!

Until next week,

ELDER MURDOCK