Elder Austin Michaelis

Russia, Samara Mission

His parents write, "Austin arrived in

Samara, Russia on September 14, 2011.

He was sent to Izhevsk, Russia which is

about a 12 hour bus ride from the

mission home. The branch has around

11 people who attend church

including the two missionaries. The only

males in church (the first meeting he

attended) was himself, his companion

and the branch president. His first (and

only companion so far) is from

Lithuania. They get along well and

they both like to work hard. The work is

hard and slow. They have a number of

investigators but it is difficult to get them

and the members to attend church. Austin

has had success with one girl accepting

baptism. He was responsible for the

baptism interview and performed the

baptism. Austin knows enough Russian to

discuss the gospel with investigators, but is

not proficient enough to carry on a long

conversation. The weather is cold but not

as cold as he feared. Austin is enjoying the

work and is looking forward to his first trip

outside of Russia to renew his visa. That will

take place around Christmas time."

Merry Christmas Missionaries!

Merry Christmas everyone! I wanted to

let each one of you know how much

we love and support you in your

missionary efforts. I was trying to think

of what we could give you and the

thought popped in my head, “Why not

send the missionaries an update on

each other?” So that is my Christmas

gift to each of you…… I hope you will

enjoy reading over each other’s

happenings. You are tremendous

example of goodness!

Merry Christmas from the Day family!

Thank you for your service, testimonies

and examples. We pray for you…we

fast for you…we think of you often.

Have a wonderful and special

Christmas! Love, the Day Family

“Dear Sister and Elders, ‘What a great time of year…

when we can feel the Christlike love and spirit

throughout all the world. We appreciate and LOVE

you for serving the Lord and the people you serve in

the countries you are serving in, to bring them the

truthfulness of the Lords church, and Christ's role in our

Heavenly Father's plan. You bring the BEST

and BIGGEST present that can be brought to the

children of the world . . . . the true gospel of our

Heavenly Father, that Christ taught us so well. May

you have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!, and know that we

LOVE and SUSTAIN you!!! I am thankful for so many

things! Most of all, for Christ's own example of how we

can bring love and joy to all the world! I bear witness

to you of the truthfulness of this gospel, and our

Heavenly Father's plan of eternal life. We pray for you

always! May the Lord continue to bless you for all your

efforts and service!!!! With much love! Bishop Slade

Morning side Ward Bishopric

Merry Christmas Missionaries! (Page 1)

"Considering all that the Savior has done—

and still does—for us, what can we do for

Him? The greatest gift we could give to the

Lord at Christmas, or at any other time, is

to keep ourselves unspotted from the world,

worthy to attend His holy temple. And His

gift to us will be the peace of knowing that

we are prepared to meet Him, whenever

that time comes." - Elder Russell M. Nelson

December 2011

A special A special A special A special messagemessagemessagemessage

Elder Troy Clawson

Mexico, Mexico City East Mission

Hermana Jaymie Nava

Piura, Peru Mission

Elder Clawson with nephews before

leaving for the MTC – October 2011.

His parents write, “Troy is loving the Missionary Training Center and is

doing great! He’s studying, eating and studying some more. He also

says he works out every day and is building some muscle! But the best

thing is he is building a strong testimony! He loves bearing his testimony,

and can't wait to get to Mexico and start the work! His Spanish is

getting better, he said, "Esta bien" (it's okay). He will have to travel to

Idaho, with others to get his Visa, the Consulate in S.L.C. is very strict, so

it will be worth the drive to make sure they receive their visa's! He said

in an E-mail just 3 days being at the MTC, "Oh, by the way the

homesickness hasn't kicked in yet".” (Leaves MTC 12/26)

Her parents write, “Sister (Hermana) Jaymie Nava

entered the MTC on October 5th. She was only

supposed to spend six weeks in Provo. She left for the

Lima, Peru MTC on November 16th and will be there for

three more weeks. She will be in Piura, Peru on

December 7th. Jaymie has had a wonderful

experience so far on her mission. She is learning so

much. She writes home about her companion

Hermana Pipes from California. She talks about how

funny she is and how well they get along. She loves

her companion and her district. She tell how much she

loves teaching and learning about the gospel of Jesus

Christ. She loves the Spanish language. She had to do

a presentation in Spanish in front of the whole

Zone...she said it was awesome!! (Actually she said, “I

nailed it!”) When she writes home she tells us about

her many spiritual experiences and how they are

constantly changing her life. She writes that she loves

waking up and putting on the missionary badge. She

said, “I truly understand what charity is. We need to

serve our companion and our district selflessly. We do

this because we love each other so much and have

grown so close.” She also tells us how much she

appreciates all the love and prayers from her Ward

family. She said she quickly learned that she is weak

and imperfect, but with the Spirit she can do all

things.” (Leaves MTC in Peru 12/7)

Merry Christmas Missionaries! (Page 2)

Elder Clawson and Hermana Nava in the MTC.

6 eggs

1 c. milk

1 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. butter, melted Beat eggs until they are

thick and lemon colored;

blend in melted butter,

milk and flour. Bake in

well-greased 9 x 13 pan

at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes. (We sometimes bake these

in a cupcake tin as well…always a hit) Top with jam or

syrup. This is definitely a family favorite!

Last breakfast with family…on the way to the MTC (Oct 2011)

TUNA LOAF

1 cup tuna fish

1 cup mashed potatoes

3 eggs, beaten

Mix together. Pour into a well-

greased loaf pan. Place in

another pan of hot water and

bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Serve with tomato sauce.

Luke 2 Challenge

Read Luke 2 and list everyone

mentioned in this chapter who

saw Jesus. Next to each name

list how they came to know

about Jesus.

After reading Luke 2:40: 49-52,

list the different areas in which

Jesus grew and developed.

How can you “grow and

develop” in these same areas?

Speaking of Luke 2:52 President

Ezra Taft Benson taught: “The

most successful program of

complete youth fitness ever

known to man was described

in fourteen words. ... There is

the ideal of any program of

youth fitness, to help our youth

increase in wisdom and stature

and in favor with God and

man. It covers everything—

physical fitness, mental fitness,

social fitness, emotional fitness,

and spiritual fitness” ( The

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson,

555–56).

His parents write, “Trevor arrived at the MTC on

February 2, 2011 and left for Hawaii 3 weeks later. When

he arrived in his new mission he was assigned to serve in

Oahu. He was there for about 6 weeks and didn’t seem

to have much success teaching the gospel. He was

assigned in a more affluent area and people were just

not interested in hearing their message.

He was then assigned to serve on the Island of Molokai,

this is an island with little tourism and the people are

humble. At first it didn’t seem like things on Molokai

were going to be any different than it was on Oahu, but

after a few weeks of hard work and a good companion

they started to have plenty of investigators to teach. This

eventually ended up in many baptisms; in fact this is

where Trevor had the opportunity to baptize his first

investigator. It was one of the best moments of his life as

he describes it. He was on the Island of Molokai for 18

weeks and loved every minute of it. This is what he had

to say about Molokai: “This island is the coolest place ever. The ward is so helpful and they

really do care about us. I feel like I have gotten about 4 new moms in the past three weeks

too. I’ve never been somewhere where the people are so kind and genuinely loving. Even to

a hauli boy from Utah. If only the rest of the church was like our ward.”

Trevor experienced a great deal of success on this island and he and his companion

baptized more people in the time he was there, than in the last 7 years combined! After he

was on Molokai for several months, we received a letter with some exciting news. He shared

this wonderful story with us…”We were contacting people on the streets in downtown

Honolulu and we split up and I was talking to man that seemed super interested and said he

respected Mormons a lot. I felt like I needed to invite him to be baptized right there on the

street, so I did. He said he had been waiting for missionaries to talk to him but wouldn’t quite

commit to baptism. So I gave him Elder Anderson’s phone number and I got his address. I

didn’t see Elder Andersen for months, but when I did, he came up to me and told me that

this man, his wife, his 4 children, his brother, and his sister-in-law all got baptized in July. It

made my whole time in Honolulu with no baptisms totally worth it!” We really have to just

keep planting seeds. Trevor was then transferred to the Big Island of Hawaii, in the city of

Kona. This is where he is still serving. He has been there about 9 weeks, he loves it there also,

but the work is hard. It is an area with wealthier people and again they don’t seem to be

interested in the message the missionaries have. He and his companion are working hard

and trying different things and working with the ward members to try and get some

investigators to teach. There is also a temple (the Kona Hawaii temple) on this island. Trevor

is currently a zone leader and experiencing the challenges and blessings of being a leader in

the church. He loves being a missionary and the watching the blessing of the gospel

change people’s lives. He loves to hear about how the other missionaries are doing and

loves to hear from the young men and ward members.”

Elder Trevor Hanks

Hawaii Honolulu Mission

Motivation follows

action.

Merry Christmas Missionaries! (Page 3)

Elder Brock Wengren

Mexico, Mexico City West Mission

A Christmas PrayerA Christmas PrayerA Christmas PrayerA Christmas Prayer By: Stephanie Chamberlain Christmas time is here again, Oh, let our hearts rejoice! We have time to spend, With family and friends, Now let us lift our voice! We give praise through prayer and song, to our Lord our King. We remember how he suffered long, To Him these songs we sing. We have so much to be thankful for, The gift of life, and our family, There is so much more for us in store, We truly are in debt to thee. We ask thee Lord to bless us all, For the times that we forget, The many ways that we are blessed, And how our needs are met. As we celebrate our Savior’s birth, Remember all that he has done. Bring your frankincense, your gold, your myrrh, everywhere to everyone!

Merry Christmas Missionaries! (Page 4)

His parents write, “Elder Brock Wengren is about to finish six weeks in the MTC.

His first day at the MTC (right before we dropped him off) he cut his leg and

ripped his new suit pants on a tree stake in front of the MTC. He mentioned he

hates Spanish now (ha, ha) but he loves the MTC. He also loves all his

missionary friends he has met there and befriended there. This includes Kyle

Whittingham’s son (U of U football head coach). He has told us that they have

had great devotionals down there with Apostles Elder Christopherson and Elder

Nelson speaking to them already….with more to come before Christmas. Brock

seems to be the life of the group with his upbeat personality. I am sure he has

made things fun for the other missionaries there as well. He leaves for Mexico

City the day after Christmas and his journey will then begin.”

Elder Adam Davis

Nagoya, Japan Mission

Adam writes, "It's been a crazy first day here!

I went off with my host, Elder Scott, after you

dropped me off. He took me to get all of the

books I would need, my missionary card,

which lets me buy things and enter the

buildings. He took me to my residence hall

to drop off my luggage. I met my first

companion, Elder Arrington, or Arrington

Choro as we learned in our class today.

From the second we got to class, all that was

spoken was Japanese! All of the other Elders

and I struggled along as best as we could.

We worked hard and we learned a lot! After

class we went to the MTC Presidency

welcome meeting, where we sang hymns,

heard talks and saw nearly 700 new

missionaries stand according to their country

or state that they came from! It was crazy to

see that Utah made up the majority.

Following the welcome was dinner, which

was so amazing! It was cool to see all of the

foods laid out for us to just be able to grab. :

) After we ate, we came back to our

residence hall and unpacked a bit before

heading off to our tracting experiences

where we sat in on some discussion

examples. They were really interesting to

see. After we had done three, we went to

meet our zone leaders at our classroom.

They're pretty cool Elders and I'm looking

forward to working with them more."

“This joyful season brings to all of us a measure of happiness that corresponds to the degree to which we have turned our minds, feelings, and actions to the Savior, whose birth we celebrate. There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. Let it be a time that lights the eyes of children and puts laughter on their lips. Let it be a time for lifting the lives of those who live in loneliness. Let it be a time for calling our families together, for feeling a closeness to those who are near to us and a closeness also to those who are absent. Let it be a time of prayers for peace, for the preservation of free principles, and for the protection of those who are far from us. Let it be a time of forgetting self and finding time for others. Let it be a time for discarding the meaningless and for stressing the true values. Let it be a time of peace because we have found peace in His teachings. Most of all, let it be a time to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the Wise Men.” – President Monson, 2010

“If we look for what is wrong with the Christmas season, we

can surely find it. Like the Grinch, we can grumble and

complain, becoming cold and cynical about what we see

around us. Nevertheless, if we look for the good, we can see

this time of year with new eyes—perhaps even with the eyes

of a child.

The Grinch saw the good in Christmas when he learned to

look past its worldly trappings. If we do the same, we can,

with the Grinch, proclaim: “Maybe Christmas . . . doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas . . . perhaps . . . means

a little bit more!”

Our heart may not grow three sizes as the Grinch’s did, but

our heart will change. Our eyes will open to the miracles all

around us—at Christmastime and throughout the year.”

- President Uchtdorf, 2008

“This year, as I was glancing through my extensive collection of

Christmas stories, poems, and songs, I reread an account by John B.

Matheson Jr., wherein he told of an experience he had 65 years

ago, indicating that it was his most memorable Christmas. My heart

was touched as I read of his poignant experience, and so I have felt

to share it with you tonight, hoping that it will engender the

Christmas spirit in you as well. During Christmas 1945, John Matheson

found himself serving in the army of occupation in Frankfurt,

Germany. World War II had ended about seven months earlier, but

during the conflict the city of Frankfurt had suffered much

destruction. Most of the city was rubble. Many of the homes which

had been left unscathed were taken over for housing the United

States military. John and two other officers lived in a three-story

house that easily could have served as a home for three families.

Each weekday, John and the other two officers would go to their

office and return in the evening to find the beds made and the

house spotlessly cleaned by an elderly German woman who was

hired by the United States Army to be housekeeper for a number of

houses in the area. Only occasionally would they see this frail little

lady as she busily engaged in her tasks. Their conversations with her

were limited, for she spoke no English and their German was poor;

but through a sort of sign language and through smiles, they

indicated satisfaction with her work. Weekly, John went to the post

exchange to get his ration of candy bars, soap, and incidentals.

Though he sometimes grumbled about the poor selection available,

he always purchased all he was allowed and put the excess into his

footlocker. As Christmas approached, John thought he should give

some gift to the housekeeper; so from the abundance of his

footlocker, he filled a large cardboard box with candy bars, soap,

and cans of fruit juice. He knew that in the system of barter among

the Germans, his gift to her was worth many, many dollars, but the

cost to him was negligible. Knowing she would not work on

Christmas Day, as John left for the office on December 24th, he

placed on the table where it would be seen his gift box and a

Christmas greeting. All day he felt rather smug as he thought of his

generous gift. The housekeeper would be like an heiress in the

poverty of her neighborhood. How lucky she was, he thought. How

beholden she would be to him—to the generous American. And yet

his gift was not given in compassion but merely out of pity and for

self-satisfaction. As he approached the house in the darkness of the

December evening, he saw the dim glow of the lamp filtering

through the window. The house was still. He entered the home and

saw that his gift and the recipient were gone. However, in the glow

of that lamp, he saw on the table her Christmas note and her gift to

him. He had expected no gift, but there it was—all she could afford

and given in the spirit of Christmas. What could a poor little old lady

give? She could give from her poverty and from her heart her

fondest memories of her beloved city of yesteryear, and she could

give the Christmas star. On that dimly lit table, along with her

painstakingly written “Merry Christmas,” were 10 old and dog-eared

picture postcard scenes of Frankfurt as it had appeared before the

war had so devastated it. The housekeeper had placed each card

on edge and fastened them together so that every 2 cards formed

a point and all 10 together formed the Christmas star. She had little

to give. In fact, it was all she had. Though John Matheson lived to

see many more Christmases, that little housekeeper’s Christmas star

shone brightly throughout his life. He said that her “star of

Bethlehem” implanted within him the Christmas spirit and taught him the true meaning of love and giving.” - President Monson, 2010

“We can choose this Christmas and every day to create a small part of the Christmas story in our own lives. We can accept the invitation of living prophets to help those who are lost along the pathway, and have wandered, to come back to it. We can offer the gospel, which is the only way home, to all we meet along the way. We can lift up those who are tired and hungry and lonely, as the Savior did and now invites us to do with Him. As we do, they can feel how much the Savior loves them and wants to lead them on the way to the God He loves. In the stories of Christ’s birth, we can see and feel who He was and who He is. That lightens our load along the way. And it will lead us to forget ourselves and to lighten the load for others. That can make every day feel like the best of our Christmases past.” We can feel again the Savior’s loving approval and His thanks. And those we help for Him may sense the helping hand the Master holds out to them, if only they will choose to take it”.

President Eyring, 2009

Spending Christmas away from home and family in the mission field might sound a little lonely. But missionaries often look back to a

Christmas while on their mission as one of the best Christmases of their lives. Here are some experiences that made Christmas in the mission

field a season of joy. (This article is from the December 2004 New Era Magazine).

A Season for Teaching

My companion and I and four other missionaries were invited to go to Camp Pendleton, a nearby military base, for a special Christmas

devotional for the military recruits. This was something very special for them because they were also away from home for Christmas. We

had a devotional at which the speakers testified of Christ’s gospel, and we sang hymns.

I was the largest of the missionaries, so I got to play Santa and visit everyone. Even though they knew Santa was just a missionary, they

played along and it lifted their spirits.

While the recruits were eating, we missionaries did our job. Each of us had a discussion with about 10 recruits. All six missionaries had recruits

who said they would like to join the Church.

Our Christmas day was “white” when three young men joined Christ’s fold. The Lord had blessed us with the perfect Christmas!

Tyler Powell served in the California Carlsbad Mission; he is a member of the Lindon 14th Ward, Lindon Utah West Stake.

Coming to Christ

During the weeks before Christmas, my companion and I had been teaching a man of the Jewish faith. Allen already knew a little about

the Church. He told us that he wasn’t looking to get baptized; he just wanted to see what “the Mormons are all about.”

In four discussions we had taught him about the Savior, the Restoration, the Book of Mormon, the plan of salvation, plus other material to

help him come to a knowledge of Christ. He had finished reading the Book of Mormon and a little more than half of the Doctrine and

Covenants. We had fasted with him on Christmas Eve, hoping he would come to a knowledge of Christ and be baptized.

Christmas afternoon came with an unexpected knock on the apartment door. It was Allen. He was beaming with excitement. He had

come to tell us that he could testify of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. Every expression

on his face showed the joy and happiness he was experiencing. He was no longer a man looking for a knowledge of Christ, but one

desiring to become a member of the Church.

It was through the Book of Mormon and the Holy Ghost that Allen was able to come to a knowledge of Christ. I was transferred out of the

area before Allen was baptized, but being able to see his conversion and be a part of it truly was the best Christmas present ever.

Elder Christopher Albright is serving full time in the North Carolina Charlotte Mission.

Singing in the Bronx

During Christmastime on my mission, I was undergoing some health problems, and my companion was a new missionary. She was not

happy and wanted to go home. We were walking 8 to 10 miles (13–16 km) every day, and both of us had painful blisters.

I soon became depressed and discouraged, believing that I was a bad missionary and that all of my companion’s problems were my fault.

We were a miserable pair. I had been so excited about the upcoming holiday, but now I dreaded it. It loomed before me dark, cold, and

lonely.

My district leader saw my struggles and offered this advice: “Keep your mind off the pain. Do whatever it takes to give your companion the

Christmas spirit.” I trusted my district leader and knew he was right, so I determined that I would try to get the right spirit in both of our hearts.

I remember one dark, cold evening. We were walking down the road, and my companion began to cry. Immediately, I felt as if I had been

swallowed by darkness, and I wanted to give up. But I remembered my promise and asked the Lord what I could do to help this sister. The

answer that came was unexpected, but I acted promptly. I began to sing Christmas carols as loudly as I could. People kept staring at me,

but I felt a strange lightness in my heart that couldn’t be subdued. My companion begged me to stop. But I told her I would not until she

joined me. So she did, and we sang several songs. My companion smiled at me and seemed to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Merry Christmas Missionaries! (Page 5)

That experience was the start of an amazing holiday. It was still hard at times, but whenever the mood began to turn dismal, I threatened

to start singing. That always seemed to lighten the mood.

I do not have a great singing voice, and I hate singing in front of people. But that night I was singing at the top of my lungs for all of the

Bronx to hear. That Christmas I learned that we celebrate the birth of a Savior who lives today and still works for our salvation. He knows

what each of us needs and how to give it to us. I will never forget the Christmas that He let me sing in His personal choir. It changed

Christmas for me!

Christie Mobley served in the New York New York North Mission; she is a member of the Snowflake Seventh (YSA) Branch, Snowflake Arizona

Stake.

More Blessed to Give

It was turning out to be the worst Christmas Eve a missionary could have. All three of our baptisms scheduled for Christmas day had just

fallen through. Instead of the “white” Christmas my companion and I were hoping for, it was going to be just another hot day in Chile.

To top it off, our Christmas Eve dinner invitation was cancelled. Chileans hold their big celebration on Christmas Eve, so it was like missing

out on Christmas dinner.

As my companion and I walked dejectedly past the small, fenced-in chapel, the branch president stopped us and asked where we were

spending Christmas Eve. We told him we had no plans. He then invited us to his home that evening for dinner.

That night we went to the branch president’s house, a small structure covered with a tin roof. At the table, my companion and I were

invited to sit in the chairs usually reserved for the branch president and his wife. They graciously shared their meal with us. It must have been

a sacrifice for them to feed two hungry missionaries, especially with only a few hours’ notice. Then this kind family gave my companion and

me each a wonderful gift of a white handkerchief.

We didn’t get our “white” Christmas with lots of baptisms. Instead, we learned from a young, humble branch president that it is, indeed,

“more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Lester Dimit served in the Chile Santiago South Mission; he is a member of the Reedville Ward, Cedar Mill Oregon Stake.

The Feeling of Giving

This past Christmas was one of the most selfless Christmases I’ve ever experienced. One week before Christmas at the ward Christmas party,

the members were invited to bring clothes, toys, furniture, and other items to donate to needy families. And if that wasn’t enough, the Cub

Scouts offered to give us all the food from their food drive.

Boy, did we get a response! Three classrooms were packed full. It was a beautiful and overwhelming sight! During that week, we probably

spent 7 to 10 hours just sorting and separating all that had been donated. In the end, home teachers delivered 48 boxes as Christmas

presents the night of December 23rd.

This experience reminded me of Jacob 2:19: “After ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will

seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick

and the afflicted.”

We not only had the opportunity to help Church members, but we were involved in helping the community as well. Another 30 boxes of

food were distributed to other families in need. What a way to spend Christmas! No gifts or decorated tree can ever compare to the

feeling of giving.

As we continued to visit the families who received these gifts of love, we saw the homes brighten and hearts open. These are my most

prized memories—giving all that I have and am to the service of my Lord.

Nicole Cox served in the Washington Spokane Mission; she is a member of the El Segundo Ward, Inglewood California Stake.

Encore!

Our missionary district went caroling to our investigators for Christmas (and we made and delivered cookies too). When we finished singing

at one house, which we thought would be the last house, a woman two or three houses down started clapping and said, “Encore!

Encore!” We were tired, and our voices could no longer be considered harmonious, but we went and sang two songs for her. It was the

best performance of the night. She was truly touched and told us no one had caroled at her house for many years. A week later we went

back, and because of what she felt when we sang, she agreed to listen to the discussions.

Merry Christmas Missionaries! (Page 6)

I know that we can influence more people than we ever realize if we’ll just open our mouths and let the Spirit guide us.

Elder Justin Cooper is serving full time in the Georgia Atlanta Mission.

Gift Return

I was a little curious when my mission president announced we were going to have a white Christmas. In Chile, December is the hottest

time of year. President Wilcox explained that some families of missionaries in our mission had donated enough money that every missionary

companionship could give a set of white temple clothes to a worthy, but needy, member for Christmas.

My companion and I immediately thought of the same person. This brother came from a tough background. He had made some big

changes to be able to be baptized and later receive his own endowment. He remained faithful and active even when most of his family

had not.

The day we visited him and entered his humble home we could feel hopelessness and despair. A recent death in the family, along with the

usual economic problems that filled their lives, had left the home void of the Christmas spirit. We had brought the temple clothes with us but

didn’t want to give them to him in front of the rest of his family. I silently prayed for a chance to give him our gift in private. Almost instantly

the family began to disperse, leaving us alone.

I said, “Hermano, we have a special gift for you.”

He said, “Elders, you are kind, but I do not need charity.”

I explained how some families of missionaries had donated funds so that we could give him his own set of temple clothing. My companion

held out the package. The brother didn’t say a word. His breathing became a little louder, and tears began to fall from his eyes.

After a while he lifted his head and said, “How can anyone tell me the Church is not true? I’ve been saving a little money for quite a while

so I could buy my own temple clothes. When I finally had enough, my cousin told me he was going to the temple, and he is even poorer

than I am. I decided he needed temple clothing more than I did, so I recently gave him a set. Now here are you two missionaries giving me

the very gift I just sacrificed to give to my cousin. How can anyone tell me the Church is not true?”

He stood and gave my companion and me heartfelt hugs. What an amazing feeling. I think we floated home that evening. We also

floated off our seats the following Sunday when this brother came to church with five of his inactive family members.

December 25 was a hot summer day in Chile, but we had a white Christmas I will never forget.

Treagan White served in the Chile Santiago East Mission; he is a member of the Dillingham Alaska Branch, Anchorage Alaska Bush District.

Christmas in the Philippines

I was anticipating a great Christmas on my mission when I began decorating a small Christmas tree with a few lights and other homemade

paper decorations. But the decorations were not important to me. I really felt the reason for the season was Jesus Christ. All of the month of

December filled me with love for Jesus Christ and also for the Filipinos.

I will never forget that Christmas, as I truly felt great love for all people and wished to declare, “Peace on earth, good will towards all men”

(see Luke 2:14).

Adrienne Woolley served in the Philippines Ilagan Mission; she is a member of the Orem Seventh Ward, Orem Utah Stake.

Merry Christmas Missionaries! (Page 7)

“There’s a difference

between interest and

commitment. When

you’re interested in doing

something, you do it only

when it’s convenient.

When you’re committed

to something, you

accept no excuses, only

results.”

“Work will win when wishy washy

wishing won’t.” – Pres. Monson

2 c sugar

1 stick butter

3 level Tbsp cocoa

1/2 cup milk

3 Tbsp peanut butter

3/4 cup coconut

2 cups quick oats

Get all ingredients and wax paper ready before

beginning. Melt butter in large skillet. Take off heat and

add sugar, cocoa, and milk. Return to medium heat,

stirring constantly. When it reaches a full rolling boil, cook

and stir for 1 and 1/2 minutes (do not overcook). Turn off

heat. Add all at once-peanut butter, coconut and oats.

Mix thoroughly, making sure peanut butter is blended in.

Spoon onto wax paper. Should firm up in 20-30 minutes.