Monday, January 26, 2015

This week was so good!

Dear Family,
 
Oh, this week was so good! Probably one of the best on my mission. Taking on Greenbriar Ward has kept us so busy and it has been so rewarding. I just collapse in exhaustion at the end of each night. It's a good feeling.
 
I love the Greenbriar ward already. It has been a busy week, trying to split our time between there and Villa Bonita. We're still trying to figure it all out, but we have a great ward helping us out. The members in GB have just poured over us... "Sisters?? OH, we are SO happy to have you here!!!' The reaction from all the members has been the same. They haven't had sisters in a few years, so they've just been overjoyed, haha! The area wasn't left in the best condition, so there is so much to do and so many new places to explore and contact in. I am really excited for this transfer!
 

Sunday, January 25, 2015

A trip back to Havasu

1/19/15

Dear Family,
 
I got a text from the sisters assistants (we called them Mission Sister Training Leaders) yesterday that said: "Sister Robinson! Guess you came to sacrament today! The Skousen family! :) They say hi!" Of course I was confused and overjoyed... I texted back: "What??? What are they doing here?? Tell them that I love them!" Haha. Later that night at a fireside they told me that the Skousens were in town for Brynn's gymnastics meet and they'd decided to come to church at a nearby chapel - which just happened to be the location of the mission office and President's ward! They left some notes for me that I'm picking up later today. It made me so happy to hear that they were in town :)
 
Oh yes, and as for transfers... Sister Cook and I are staying here, but now we'll be covering TWO wards - Villa Bonita and Greenbriar. Sister Cook is a little overwhelmed, but I'm excited! We will be kept so busy, the time will just fly. I'm still wondering how it's all going to work out... double the meetings, double the members, double the investigators, double the area... we'll have to figure out how to balance it all but the challenge of it excites me. Please pray for us to be organized and efficient and successful!
 
This week we went on exchanges with the STL's in our zone - Sister Eager and Sister Blanchard. Sister Eager came out with Sister Lowry, who was my STL in Lake Havasu for 6 months. They go home tomorrow! I went into their area in the East stake with Sister Eager for her last exchange, and oh my, I loved it! I always enjoy serving in other sisters' areas for a day or so to gain perspective and insight on the work. Sister Eager made me feel like a million bucks with her showering of compliments and accolades, ha! She is a good leader. Though I haven't served around her for long, I'll really miss her. 
 
I also got to go back to Lake Havasu for a baptism this week. Sister Myers (our assistant ward mission leader's wife) was willing to drive me. "I was a missionary once, too," she said when I asked if she'd be willing to drive me all the way down there. "I know what it feels like to be anxious to get back for a baptism!" She was a lifesaver. We had to arrange for other ward members to go out with Sister Cook in our area for the day so we could make all our appointments, but it all worked out great. I don't know if you remember me writing about her, but Brittany (the young mom Sister Walton and I were teaching in Havasu) was the one getting baptized. I'd missed our investigator Megan's baptism right after I left for Paradise, which had been hard on me, so I was overjoyed that I could make it back for Brittany's.
 
This is what I wrote of the experience:
"Yesterday Sister Myers drove me out to Havasu for Brittany's baptism... oh, the joys of being back out there! We were 20 minutes late when we walked in and Sister Aston was speaking. I walked in the back doors of the Relief Society room and Sister Aston smiled, paused, and said: 'Sister Robinson just walked in.' Haha! I smiled and crept my way to the front and found a seat. After she spoke, Sister Walton gave a spiritual, powerful talk on the Holy Ghost. Bishop Hansen then got up (he was conducting) and, upon reaching the front, looked at me, smiled and waved, then said: 'Hi Sister Robinson' with his knowing, calm voice. I was already choked up from the spirit of it all and for Brittany, so through my watery eyes and cracked voice, I smiled back and chuckled: "Hi Bishop." We proceeded to the baptismal font in the Primary Room and I embraced everyone along the way... Sister Aston, Sister Sturgis, Sister Bayne, Sister Shepherd, Sister Abbott, Sister Cawthra and Tessa... Oh, it was so good to be there. The baptism was beautifl. Afterwards Sister Corry sang and we had refreshments. Megan and Adrian, the Haucks, the Derus, the Testas, "the Widows", the Hansens, and few others I didn't recognize were all there. I loved and caught up with Sister Walton. She kept saying: 'Oh, I've missed you so much! I have so much to tell you!' Sister Myers was so sweet to be my companion for the day and be surrounded by so many strangers.
We stuck around for a while and were one of the last ones to leave. We stopped by the restroom quickly and then as we headed out, I caught Bishop out of the corner of my eye fixing the stereo system in the gym for the stake dance that night. Naturally. He's always doing something with his hands. He saw me and turned up the country music and said: 'Texas! This is for you!' I laughed and acted like I was dosy-doeing around. I walked up to tell him goodbye and shake his hand. He said: 'Hey don't be too much of stranger around here - me a text or something every now and then!' I laughed and said I would. I saw Sister Aston again as we left the building and as I walked out, she called: 'We love you Sister Robinson! So much!" I was just overwhelmed with joy - it was brief and quick, but meant so much to me to be there."
 
I've been thinking quite a bit about the Book of Mormon this week. I reread the talk "Safety for the Soul" that Jeffrey R. Holland gave in 2009. Do you remember it? He gives the most powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith that I have yet to hear. I could quote the whole thing and share my thoughts - but while spoil the fun of it for you? Please read it this week. I remember when Zoie and I shared the first lesson with Samantha over Skype for our mission prep class up at BYU last year. Near the end of the lesson, Samantha asked the question: "Well, if the Book of Mormon teaches us just what the Bible does - why do we need it? What more can it do for us?" At the time I was honestly a little stumped by the question. All I had to offer then was that I knew the book taught us more of Jesus Christ - of His reality and divinity - and that I knew it was true through the powerful confirmations I'd received of it through the Holy Ghost. My understanding is much larger and deeper now. I understand now that the Book of Mormon is physical evidence that we can hold and look at and read for ourselves to know whether or not Joseph Smith really was a prophet - for if it is true, which we come to know by reading and praying about it, then he really did translate it by the power of God and the fullness of the Gospel really was restored to the Earth through him. I know that it is the "keystone of our religion" and that it gives us pure doctrine from prophets of old; that its been translated only once from sacred, ancients records, versus the Bible, which has been translated countless times and passed down through many hands. I know that it expounds on, clarifies, and enriches that which we're taught in the Bible. I know that it is evidence of God's love for all of His children the world over, in every time period and on every continent and in every land. I know that it is a "safety for the soul" - each soul, every soul.
 
"I ask that my testimony of the Book of Mormon and all that it implies, given today under my own oath and office, be recorded by men on earth and angels in heaven. I hope I have a few years left in my 'last days,' but whether I do or not, I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon Is true, that it came forth the way Joseph said it came forth and was given to bring happiness and hope to the faithful in the travail of the latter days.
...
Brothers and sisters, God always provides safety for the soul, and with the Book of Mormon, He has again done that in our time. Remember this declaration by Jesus Himself: 'Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived' - and in the last days neither your heart nor your faith will fail you. Of this I earnestly testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." (Jeffrey R. Holland)
 
I love you. Have a wonderful week! 
 
Love,
Sister Robinson

Last week of the transfer

1/12/15

Hello family!
 
This is our last week of the transfer... I can hardly believe that!
 
Our week went by so quickly. It was such a busy and productive week. On Saturday we had a blitz in our area with the elders in our district and our ward missionaries. I hadn't had a mini blitz like that before, and it went so well! I was reminded of the huge ward rescue we had in Crossman Peak back in August. Sister Cook and I made lists of potential investigators, less-actives, and former investigators for the missionaries and members to visit, and they all went out for 2 hours and contacted as many people as they could. I regularly think of and pray over how we, as the missionaries, can help our ward change their perspective and excite their enthusiasm about missionary work, and this was a perfect, though small-scale, answer to my prayers. Sister Cook and I brought out one of our ward missionaries, Sister Bess. She's this sweet little Filipino sister, about 60, whose lived in this ward for a few years. She and her husband, Brother Bess, got married less than 10 years ago, and are so strong and faithful in their testimonies... I have been inspired by their commitment and conversion to the Gospel. I enjoy being around Sister Bess - she's just a refreshing presence, and it always gives me a laugh trying to understand what she says through her thick Filipino accent. She's been out with us before to lessons, but never to just contact people. We made a few unsuccessful stops, then finally stopped at a member's home who we'd never met before. She readily invited us in and welcomed us into her living room. We shared a brief thought and prayer, and then were on our way, and as we walked out, she said: "Thank you so much for stopping by this morning. It's like 3 little angels just showed up on my doorstep!" As we climbed back into the car and headed back to the church, we thanks Sister Bess for coming out with us. "Oh no, thank YOU," she said. "This has given me so much perspective." I heard a tremor in her voice and realized that she'd begun to cry. "These people... they just don't understand how much work you two do for them and for the Lord. They just don't know. I am so grateful that I came out with you. I now understand what you do so much more." I was so touched by her words. Sometimes I get so caught in the routine of the work, that I lose perspective on just what a tough job we have out here. Sister Bess' simple and sincere appreciation for what we're doing gave me such a boost. That is exactly what we want; we want the members to really see how they can be personally and intimately involved in our work! We want them to see how rewarding it is.
 
It was also a melancholy week - there were so many deaths, it seemed. On Thursday Sister Cook and I attended a funeral for a young man in our ward who passed away in his sleep this week. He was only 25, and there really weren't any signs as to why he passed. It was completely out of the blue, and obviously devastating for his family. Going to his funeral service woke me up to the reality of death. I thought of what a natural step it is in our eternal progression. Because I have been fortunate enough to not have much personal experience with it, I think its become a far-away, distant thing in my mind. I was awoken this week to how quickly it can occur, how abruptly it can happen. I can imagine how crippling it could be if I didn't know about God's plan for us, and even more so if I did know and wasn't living my life in accordance with His will. I think of how important it is to be prepared today and everyday. I was reminded of Jorg Kleingat's talk from conference - "Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence." Are we living in such a way right now that we'd be completely confident standing in front of our Heavenly Father if we were to pass today?
 
We also received word that our former mission president's wife - Rosie Neider - passed away from cancer this week. The night we got the news, I wrote this in my journal:
"Tonight we received word that President Neider's wife - Rosie - passed away this morning from cancer. It'd been a long, hard battle, I hear. I think of when I initially got to the mission and Sister Arnold spoke the WORLD of Sister Neider. 'She was the spiritual leader I needed,' Sister Arnold once told me. On another occasion, she said in district meeting that if she were to choose her dream companion, it would be Sister Neider. I'm sorrowed that I never had the opportunity to meet her. Her legend and impact in life and this mission is unmatched. I feel that without ever having personally known her." I am grateful for the influence she left here, and especially on Sister Arnold. Her strength and power will influence generations.
 
Sorry this is letter is short, but I'm out of time! 
I love you all!
 
With love,
Sister Lindsey    

Scatter-brained

1/5/15

Dear Family,
 
I feel like I have lots to say, so I'm sorry if this email is scattered and all over the place!
 
As for who we're teaching... Please pray for Rick (who I wrote about last week). He's still reading the book of Mormon, but something was really off in our lesson with him this week. We're not quite sure what it was. Also pray for Harold. He's our most solid investigator right now; he has come to church the past 4 weeks and we meet with him about 3 times a week, but he won't accept a baptismal date and is still skeptical of some things (for instance, the word of wisdom not allowing us to drink wine, when Jesus drank it in the New Testament). I know he sees truth here, he sees goodness and light, but he just believes he needs to know EVERYTHING before he's baptized. He's also trying too hard to intellectualize everything, when what he really needs is spiritual confirmations of what we teach.
 
We had a neat experience last night with some members. The Apos are a young family who moved into the ward in August from Logan, UT. Brother and Sister Apo both grew up in St. George, UT, so they haven't had much experience living in "the mission field". The got a dog a few weeks ago - a big, beautiful German shepherd - and had some dog trainers come over to teach them how to train him. One of the trainers, Michelle, noticed the pictures of the temple hanging on their walls and asked if they were LDS. That led into a long discussion of the church, and Sister Apo was finally like: "Hey, you know what, I actually know some sister missionaries who can answer all your questions. Why don't you just come over for dinner and I'll have them over too and we can talk all about this?" Haha! Perfect! So we went over last night and had a really great dinner with Michelle and her two young kids and her roommate Micah, who actually grew up going to church with her dad who is a member, but never actually got baptized. As we talked to them over dinner, they told us about their Christian backgrounds and how they'd wanted to start attending a really structured church, with good morals and values. They'd decided to start going to the LDS church to try it out (but AH, they live out of our area). They'd met with some elders before but were unimpressed and the lessons weren't really going anywhere... you can imagine Sister Cook and I'd frustration over that - Michelle and Michah are 2 of the most PREPARED people I've ever met and the elders in their area are really letting the ball drop with them. But they really enjoyed meeting with us and having us answer their questions.. "We weren't sure what to expect," they said. "We've never met sister missionaries before. We were thinking y'all would be kind of like nuns? We had no idea y'all would be so normal and stylish!" Haha. We had a long conversation about tithing, temples, missionary work, and the nature of God. Sister Apo was basically doing all the teaching, though. It was so refreshing to see members get so excited about missionary work. Brother and Sister Apo jumped on the opportunity to share their beliefs, and it was really rewarding to see as a missionary.
 
We had another experience I wanted to share from a few nights ago:
On Saturday night we didn't have any appointments after dark (which is really rough, especially in our area of Vegas).. we had some less-actives scheduled, but no one was answering their doors, so we were ahead of schedule and running out of names to go to. After going through our 6:30 names, I went ahead and grove to our first 7:00 name. I pulled up to the house and it was completely abandoned and boarded up. Sister Cook was on the phone arranging rides to church for our investigators, and we were 5 minutes ahead of schedule anyways, so I just sat and waited for Sister Cook to be done. I was wondering/debating whether or not we should even try the house. Sister Cook finished and we were about to say a prayer and get out oft he car when I noticed some people walking towards us in the dark and I thought: "Oh good! People to talk to!" They looked like they were struggling with something - groceries? We got out just as they were passing out car across the street and sure enough - it was a black family (a mom, 2 teenage girls, and a young boy about 10 slowly making their way home from Wal_mart on FOOT with more groceries than I've ever seen! 2 full carts worth and more in their arms.
 
"Do you need any help?" we asked anxiously.
They stopped and stared, then the little boy nearly shouted: "YES! Yes please!" I felt immediately that it was no coincidence that we were there at that time. This was divine intervention. We started to grab some bags from them and asked how much further they had to go.
"Oh, we've got a ways... down the street and across that road and back down that road..." said the older of the 2 girls.
We realized we had a problem: we could help them with their groceries, but then we'd have to walk all the way back to our car... by ourselves, in the dark. That was not going to work, but we couldn't just leave them to trudge home without SOME sort of assistance.
"Well, I'll tell you what. We can't give Y'ALL a ride, but we can drive your groceries to your apartment!"
"Okay!" While there was no hesitation from the kids, you could tell their poor Mom was skeptical, but how could she turn down the aid they so desperately needed? She consented and we loaded up their bags and bags of groceries into our trunk and back seat, then rode over to their apartment complex to meet them there. After about 10 minutes or so, they walked up and we helped them unload their endless bags of groceries. They were so appreciative and grateful and as we finished, the Mom said: "Do y'all have a card or something to your church?" Of course we jumped right on the opportunity and gave her our information, explained we weren't the missionaries over their area, but that we'd pass their information along to the elders. She explained that she'd just moved here from Chicago, and that she'd been looking for a church to attend with her family. (!!) We were bummed that they didn't live in our area, but we knew that our meeting them didn't occur by mere happenstance. I strongly believe in the power of service and what it does to others, and ourselves.
 
 
Have a wonderful week. I love you!
 
Love always,
Sister Robinson

Here comes the new year!

12/29/14

Dear Family,
 
This year was a very unique Christmas than any other Christmas I've had before, but it was still so good. I felt so blessed to be so well taken care of by the ward members and to have such advanced technology to be able to see your faces! The rest of my day after we Skyped was pretty low-key. We had dinner with the Martins, then we went caroling with the elders in our district. We went to some members/investigators in all our areas. It was fun.
 
I forgot to mention about something we'd been doing with the Douglas family in our ward. The last hour of the 3 nights leading up to Christmas, Sister Cook and I went over to their house so they could read "The Forgotten Carols" by Michael McLean with us. Have you ever heard of it? I hadn't before they introduced it to us, and I was so touched by the story and music in it. I couldn't believe I'd never known about it... But I was thinking we should start that tradition in our family - reading from the book every night the week before Christmas. It's really powerful.
 
We had a couple miracles this week that were just really amazing. First, we had a lesson with our investigator named Rick, and brought Brother Cox (a member of the bishopric) with us. Rick is in his 40s and is married with a few kids. He grew up in a home where his father was Mormon, his mother was Catholic, and they went to a Baptist church (crazy). So he's seen the whole spectrum of religions, and he's never been able to settle with one. He started meeting with the missionaries before I got here, but initially he was only interested in learning more facts about the Church. Last time we met with him, he hadn't read and he wasn't really progressing. We weren't really sure what to expect meeting with him again - we hadn't seen him in 2 weeks and hadn't been able to keep up much contact with him. As we sat down for the lesson, we asked about his Book of Mormon reading. Not only had he been reading everyday, he'd also downloaded it onto his phone so that he could LISTEN to it on the drive to work every morning! "It has been bringing me a lot of peace," he said. "And I've read parts of it before, but I started from the beginning this time, and it's all really making sense to me. It never made sense like this before, and for the first time I really feel like I'm on the right path." He then went on to share a story about how he has an LDS friend he works with that he went out to lunch with a few days before Christmas. They'd gotten into a long conversation about the church, and he didn't share many details about it, but he said it was really, really good for him and that he felt so good about pursuing this path further. We watched the Restoration video with him and he loved it. Afterwards, we asked him if he'd be baptized if he found out that it was true. "Yes! Absolutely," he said. "That's actually what I'd talked about with my friend at lunch. I've never been baptized before - its just never worked out - and I feel so good about this. I'm happier now than I've ever been in my life. I feel like you sister showed up at just the right time. I'm really ready to learn more, and I want my family to be in on it with me." Wow! It was a miracle. We are excited to continue teaching him, and he will be a really solid members when he joins. That experience was witness of how Heavenly Father gives us experiences to humble and prepare us to receive His truth. It's Rick's season to learn - it took time and years of thought and study, but he has now found the desire to really dive into the Gospel. He wasn't ready at other points in his life, but he is now. It's just so rewarding getting to be a part of his experience.
 
A similar experience happened yesterday. We've been teaching a woman named Mona since I got here - she's in her 30s with 8 year old twins. She lives in a really low-income apartment complex in our area. The whole place smells horribly of marijuana and smoke and many of the people there are humble, but really flakey and not really solid. We've taught some people in there, but it worries me that they may be meeting with us for the wrong reasons... a lot of the time, the Church is seen as a great welfare source because most of the time we're so willing to help anyone in need. But it gets complicated when people regularly turn to us looking to get something for nothing. We've seen that with a few people here. We have showered Mona with love - we've done her laundry, baked her cookies, arranged rides for her, given her giftcards for food, and we even gave her our small Christmas tree in our apartment because she didn't have one. Which we really don't mind doing! But I was worried that we were beginning to be seen as a source of temporal aid to anyone who needed it, rather than a source of spiritual help, which is what we're really here for.
 
We've met with Mona about 4 times since I've been here, and we still haven't really been able to get through the first lesson with her, so I was beginning to worry that she wasn't really grasping why we were there. She just loves talking to us and she goes off on tangents that make it hard to redirect the discussion. We saw some real progress in her last Sunday, though, when she came to a "Why I Believe" fireside (which are held every month. Recent converts to the church speak and give their conversion experiences. They are really powerful!). She loved it and seemed really touched by it. In the lesson yesterday, we asked her what her thoughts were about it and she said she'd felt the spirit and really began to understand that this was the real deal. She expressed how grateful she is that we've helped her out so much. Then SHE brought up baptism and said it's something she's really been thinking about and that she really wants to work towards that. Of course we were thrilled. And then, later that night we received this text from her (I'm typing it word for word from her, so excuse the grammatical errors):
 
"I just I just want to let you know that I appreciate everything you guys have done for me and my family I'm more than grateful for everything they put it on my shoulder still gotta try to figure out how to get some more food but what you guys did was amazing and I just want to say thank you thank you for coming into my life somewhere private event ever and I'm ready to learn more and really get my head into the church."
 
AH! A miracle. We are being so blessed.

I love you all,
Sister Robinson

Christmas

December 22, 2014

Dear Family,
Well, another week bites the dust! 

I am still adjusting to the area here in Paradise. I think it's really starting to sink in that this is my new area - I'm not going back to Havasu! When I talked to one of the head Sister Training Leaders, Sister Luke (who filled Sister Arnold's shoes when she went home last transfer), on Thursday at our Christmas Conference, she asked how my new area is and then said, "Well I think you'll probably be there for a while!" So I'm anticipating being here for a few transfers, haha. There are a few major differences here:
1. Missionaries are everywhere! It feels like we have so much more interaction with other Elders and Sisters.
2. The ward feels like a totally different dynamic than I'm used to. 
3. Our area is busy and crazy and there are people everywhere, all the time! I know there are prepared people out there - we just have to find them.
On Saturday, Sister Cook and I got to go to the temple with a young couple in our ward, the Euteneiers. They're 25 and have only been married for a couple of years. They're also ward missionaries! Going to the temple with them was perfect. I love being there. I feel so much peace walking through those halls and sitting in those rooms. I'm reminded of Toni's words to me as we sat in the Phoenix Temple Dedication a few months ago: "It's like everything there is good. Everything is as it should be." How grateful I am for my membership in this church and my opportunity to attend the Lord's holy house. Afterwards, we went to Café Rio for lunch of course! It was a heavenly day. As we left Café Rio, we got caught in horrendous Christmas traffic. We were stuck in the parking lot for 30 minutes! But I enjoyed every minute laughing and visiting with them. I think Heavenly Father knows how much I need those families who wholeheartedly love and support us as missionaries, so he gives me people like the Mundys and the Euteneiers. I am so blessed!
That night we also got to go to President's house again. It was the same special kind of experience as last week... I love being there. I feel the Spirit very strongly just sitting in their living room. We sat around the fire and talked for a while. I asked President Snow how old the house was and he said its been through 4 mission presidents now, so about 10 years old. He named off the other presidents who have lived here. Working backwards, he said: him, President Neider, President Christianson, and President Callister. I had no idea that Tad R. Callister had been president of my mission! I felt a wave of gratitude to be serving here. President has also told us in the past that, from the mouth of L. Tom Perry, our mission is the highest performing mission in the Southwest region of North America. He has impressed upon us the privilege it is to serve here, now. I've felt a confirming witness that this really is where I need to be, and that I need to savor every minute here. As Sister Cook and President met, I sat in the living room, sipping hot chocolate and relaxing by the fire. I read through the January Ensign. I could have stayed there forever. I began receiving all kinds of revelation for myself as I sat there - revelation about what I want my life to be like, who I want to be, a vision for the rest of my mission and for the family I want someday. If I am gaining anything from being a missionary, it is a sacred, special vision for my life. I catch glimpses of my life ahead as I serve, as I work with members, as I teach investigators, as I study and pray and learn. It is so special being here.
This week at our Christmas Conference I also got to see my Sister Emily Cook!!! I hadn't seen her since the middle of September! I was so excited that I (unintentionally) made a big scene running up and embracing her. I was just overjoyed. She looks so good! I told her all about Havasu and we reminisced on our time there together. I just love her. I'm so lucky to serve with both Sister Cooks in the mission. Obviously I had to get a picture with both of them :)
I can't wait to see you on Christmas! It will be the best gift. 
I really enjoyed this quote from the Christmas Ensign:
"President Benson said that one of the greatest things about Christmastime is that it increases our sensitivity to things of God:
'It causes us to contemplate our relationship with our Father and the degree of devotion we have for God.
'It prompts us to be more tolerant and giving, more conscious of others, more generous and genuine, more filled withhope and charity and love—all Christlike attributes. No wonder the spirit of Christmas touches the hearts of people the worldover. … For at least a time, increased attention and devotion are turned toward our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.'2
This Christmas, as the spirit of the season permeates our hearts, let us do something that expresses our feelings in an outward way,showing that we understand that the babe born in Bethlehem is the real Redeemer. President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) gave some practical advice that helps us do that:
'This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a softanswer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Tryto understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express yourgratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your loveand then speak it again.'3
Without Christ, there would be no Christmas. Without Christ, there can be no fullness of joy. Without His birth and HisAtonement, we would have no Intercessor, no Advocate with the Father, and no Mediator who makes it possible for us to return tothe presence of our loving Heavenly Father and live together as eternal families."
And also this quote from President Uchtdorf:

“Sometimes the most precious and sacred things are right in front of us, in plain sight, but we cannot or will not see them. …
“I promise that if we unclutter our lives a little bit and in sincerity and humility seek the pure and gentle Christ with our hearts,we will see Him, we will find Him—on Christmas and throughout the year.”
The Savior is the most important gift, the ultimate gift. As we make our relationship with Him our highest priority, everything else falls into place. Stress is relieved, burdens are made lighter, our capacities to love are increased, our hearts are touched, and our natures changed. I am so thankful for Him.
Merry Christmas!

Talk to you soon, :)
Sister Robinson