Merry Christmas!

     Merry Christmas everyone!  How is everyone doing? This week was so awesome!! We had a fun Christmas party with our zone and a lot of people came and that was way fun. We are in the furthest North zone of our mission and we are the only zone that is too far to go to the temple or go to the mission wide Christmas party so we had our own. We are kind of like a separate mission because we never go to the temple or really see any of the missionaries outside our zone. But there are a few things that help you get through the cold winter here up North. One of them being when your investigator, who is fluent in English, tells us that he is fluent because he watches Nicholas Cage movies to learn English haha. Of all the actors you would choose to learn English?? It better be like National Treasure or maybe Family Man because those are the only good ones that come to my mind! That one really got me. The second one is when it is Sooo cold and you pass one of the ten thousand vending machines and see that half are cold drinks and half are pre-heated hot chocolate or hot lemonade, but it is more sweet!! That needs to be in America so fast. It it literally the best thing ever. Lastly, I thought we had our problems with people texting or reading books while driving (I have seen it ok). But when people here literally have tv's built into their dashboards in their cars here... What?! How is that safe? Ya hey instead of putting a GPS right there by the steering wheel to help people get where they are going, let's put on the wheel of fortune while their driving to really test their focus... Good one!  

     There are two spiritual thoughts that I loved this week that I wanted to share with you, but I cannot take the credit for the first one this week. The first was something one of my good friends shared with me from home that has brought a new sense of focus during Sacrament meeting for me. When the Savior was in Gethsemane he drank of the "bitter cup," which he conveyed as one of the first messages to the people of the Americas when he visited them in 3 Nephi 11.

11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter bcup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

     He drank from that bitter cup and then when the time was come he looked to the Heavens and said to the Father, "it is finished," in John 19:30. My friend paralleled that to when we all one by one take the cup to drink in remembrance of our Savior and when we drink and "it is finished," we set the cup in the tray. She listened to the cups one by one enter the tray that sacrament meeting as she found that new parallel of the Savior's sacrifice. I wonder if we truly realize how sacred that act and promise is of partaking of that sacrament and what the Savior did for us. I want to challenge you to really take upon you the promise to always remember our Savior and during that Sacrament time, to listen to cups drop as "it is finished," and think of our Savior. Always remember him. 

     Especially at this Christmas season when we celebrate His birth. This is the time when we can focus not just our thoughts and actions for a 1 hour meeting on Sunday's, but all of our thoughts, words, and deeds every day. We can show more love and charity to that boy in the manger. Every time you show your love or give service to someone this Christmas season, do you see your Savior in them? That is my second thought. Do you stop to look at those around you and find your Savior in your day? The Savior said,

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

     Do you not see Him in the lives of those you touch and those whom you serve? When the day cometh will the Lord say proudly unto us that we did those things? Do we serve the least of these His brethren, and in turn serve Him? Especially at this Christmas time. Go find "your Savior" in your day. Go serve Him that is beside you and I promise you will see that light of Christ in their eyes light up because of the Light of the World which is Jesus Christ the Lord. That is how we can serve the Lord at this Christmas time. I love this time. This will be the first Christmas in my life where I think I have finally given myself to Him. I can and will always be able to give more, but I think I am a lot further down that road. I love my Savior. He is my Light and my Way. I will hold to that light until I stand with Him again face to face and I hope he can say to me Mathew 25:35-36 proudly. Let us all work towards such a worthy goal and give of ourselves to our Heavenly Debtor!

Love,

Elder Trevor Aiken