What is a Missionary Christmas?

Christmas to a missionary is unlike any other Christmas. Christmas is learning to love December even when it isn't cold outside. Christmas is focusing on the reason for the season and trying to remind others to remember Jesus Christ. Christmas is going caroling and representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while doing so. Christmas is calling my family for the first time in 7 months. Christmas is reading the 12 days of Christmas in my scriptures each morning. Christmas is having a tiny little tree that sits in our study. Christmas is attending the mission-wide Christmas devotional and feeling the Spirit through scripture and song. Christmas is getting up early to exercise and study. Christmas is getting new socks and actually being excited about it. Christmas is spending the holiday in a "strange land" and among people who I have only known a few short months but love with all my heart. Christmas is treasuring the Biblical and Book of Mormon account of the Savior's birth. Christmas is realizing how grateful I am for the birth of my Savior Jesus Christ. Christmas is taking an extra opportunity to think of CHRIST.

Many Mighty Miracles

In honor of Thanksgiving I have been thinking about the things that I am grateful for the the many miracles that I see each day as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have been on my mission for almost six months and I have learned in these past few months that miracles happen every single day, we just have to have our eyes and hearts open to recognize God's hand in our lives. I wanted to share some miracles that would be considered small by some, but my companion and I know that they are truly miracles! We were let into someone's home after hours of being out in the cold and were able to share a message about prophets with him. We were given Powerade by someone after a long evening of knocking doors. We were able to serve at the Mandarin food bank. We did NOT get eaten by a dog who could have attacked us. We see the greatest miracle each morning as the Lord gives us strength beyond our own to love His children, share our testimonies, and wear His name. Our Savior Jesus Christ is THE miracle and He is who we dedicate our lives to!

What Made Me Realize that I am a Daughter of God?

I have grown up singing the song "I Am a Child of God" and I assumed for years that everyone knew that we were sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. I came to realize that that precious fundamental truth is not known by everyone and it is something that needs to be shared. What makes the difference in knowing that we do have a divine identity? I know that when we truly understand who we are we see the people around us differently. We see them not just as disconnected people walking past us in grocery stores, schools, and on the streets, but as brothers and sisters as part of the family of God. We are more motivated to serve, uplift, help, and make a difference in the lives of the people around us. Understanding and sharing our true identity has the potential to better the world, communities, families, and individuals.

Who Are We?

     Who are we really? We are not simply placed here to flounder and struggle through life alone. We are children of our Heavenly Father who loves us. The purpose of this blog is to invite all to come unto Christ by recognizing our divine identity as sons and daughters of God. In Romans 8:16-17 it says: 

     "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

     We can know that we are indeed the children of God because the Holy Spirit will touch our hearts and our spirits. As part of this blog, I will share experiences of myself and other people as we come to recognize our identity and the role we play in God's plan. I know that truly understanding our identity and who we are has the power to change the decisions we make on a daily basis, how we view ourselves, and how we treat the people around us. 

     Dieter F. Uchtdorf, an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about the sublime concept of our TRUE identity in the following video. I know that we are not merely children of earthly parents, but that we are spirit children of God. We have divine attributes and traits that we inherited from Him. These traits allow us to rise above the norm and treat each other as the divine beings that we truly are!

Our True Identity by Dieter F. Uchtdorf