Sorry it's gonna be short today - but I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! It's been beautiful preparing for this wonderful holiday, with ward programs, community projects, decorations, anonymous gifts, caroling, and best of all, teaching about the Savior. I love sharing the message of his gospel, teaching people about the joyous news of its Restoration and how we can experience it's promised blessings here and now. We went tracting last night, inviting people to the annual Calgary Christmas pageant produced by the church. At one door we had invited this family, and gotten a return appointment. As we left, I casually said "Merry Christmas!" And I will never forget the look on this man's face as he paused and said how he would much rather hear Merry Christmas, then the typical happy holidays. He thanked us for simply saying "Merry Christmas." I think we sometimes take for granted the tiny opportunities throughout our day to stand for our beliefs in a world that is turning farther and farther away from Christ. How blessed we are to know the reason for the season, to know the significance of his birth and subsequent life. All because a Father loved us enough to give His Son as an enabling sacrifice for sin. We have great reasons to declare with the angels, "Hosanna! Glory to God in the Highest, and peace on earth, good will to men!"
"Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son ... And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given." (3 Nephi 1:13-14)
I would like to leave you with my testimony that I know my Savior lives! I know Jesus Christ is the son of God, and that he has shown us the way to find the greatest peace and purpose in this life and eternal joy in the next. I know he experienced all our pains, sorrows, struggles, temptations - He knows how to help us become better. It is through using his atonement that we can become clean from the burden of sin. I am so grateful for him, and I love him with all my heart.
Merry Christmas!!
Lots of love,
Sister Patterson
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