Ahhh
hello all my dearest family and friends!!
I want to wish you all the BEST Christmas of all time this week, and I hope you are all remembering the real reason and meaning of Christmas. I challenge you all to write a definition of what Christmas means to you. I love the quote by president Monson, that to know the meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we only need to drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ.
I want to wish you all the BEST Christmas of all time this week, and I hope you are all remembering the real reason and meaning of Christmas. I challenge you all to write a definition of what Christmas means to you. I love the quote by president Monson, that to know the meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we only need to drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ.
This week has been so lovely! We had our Christmas conference as a
whole mission! There are about 200 missionaries in our mission, and it
was so fun to meet many and reunite with friends from the MTC's. .
I want to tell you about Christmas in the Philippines! One thing
they do is have parties, tons and tons of parties. They gather and eat
and do videoke (which is their word for karaoke, which actually
originated here). They are very good singers! They sing American pop
songs, all the ones popular now. And sometimes its hard to study because
you can hear it inside your apartment! Haha. Also... caroling. This is
funny actually... the little children all go door to door and carol! At
first I thought it was so cute, how they were so willing to spread the
holiday cheer. Then I learned that after they sing they say "Namasko"
which means basically, "Will you give me money for my singing?" Hahaha,
it's kinda like trick or treating but for money. Even adults do it,
people travel in bands, its great. It so fun here though! They love
music and food :) Which is what I love, so it works out quite well. A
side note also... Filipinos walk for exercise only. Or basketball for
the boys, that is their favorite! But they have a stadium, and every
time I go running there, I feel so fast and pass everyone, because they
all walk! Haha but they are so skinny and they eat so much, it doesn't
make sense.
The weather right now is cooling down, there's a lovely windy breeze
and it is heavenly! This is typical in the Laoag City area until end of
February, so yay! :)
I think for the first time in my life I am starting to understand
the true meaning of Christmas. I am so grateful to be away from home,
away from all the familiar aspects of Christmas so that I am able to
ponder what Christmas really means. It's all about Christ. Not the baby
Christ, but the adult Christ and what he did for us. I have realized as I
have taught many different people, in so many difficult circumstances,
that Christ is truly our hope, or "Pag-asa." Without Jesus Christ, there
would be no hope of returning to our Father in Heaven. We all sin and
make mistakes, there is no use denying that. But Jesus, he loved enough,
he cared enough for us to become a mere baby, born in the humblest of
circumstances to experience what we do, and pay for our mistakes. I know
that He lives. He is so willing to help us in all of our struggles, we
just need to let Him into our lives, trust in Him, follow His beautiful
commandments, and become like him. He loves each one of us and knows
each one of us, more than we can fully comprehend. He is our hope, and
there is no other way given, only in and through Christ.
I love you all and hope you enjoy this Christmas and remember
and cherish the knowledge that we have a Savior. What are we all going
to offer Him because of all He gave to us?
Merry CHRISTmas all my loved ones!
Sister Andelin
