Christmas Spirit...

Helloooooo!!

It's hard to come up with different salutations every time, but Imma give my all!

Okay, before I forget (and I don't wanna forget because it's really important), I will be calling at 3:00 PM my time on the 24th of December. Okay, there we go. Yeeaaaaah, 5 days no más!! I may or may not be excited.

Huzzah for spreading happiness and joy and the Christmas spirit!! That's so amazing! I am so glad that you have chosen to serve others and help others in this time when people can feel way, way, way down. But just a simple act of kindness can give them the best Christmas ever. Way to go!! You guys get a whole bunch of brownie points (which are of course redeemable for brownies, but only in a year-ish)!

Also, my dad also gets all of the brownie points that weren't used for the family, because he treated my mom to an amazing time at the Broadmoor. He definitely wins, and he's definitely become an example of how a husband and father should be. "Yay dad!" (That's actually a very short quote from a movie, and if anyone can guess it, email their answers to my mom [or comment on my blog] and when I get back the winner will get...something. Exito!)

It's a bit disappointing that the missionaries may not be visiting you guys (mi familia) for Christmas, but I'm sure that they will still be well taken-care-of. Maybe next year missionaries will be able to visit you! That'd be really cool. Or maybe they can visit for New Year's (before they have to be in the house, of course, which for us is 4 o'clock [the same for Christmas Eve, and on Christmas we have to be in the house by 6 {I sure am using a bunch of parenthetical asides here}]). Either way, I'm sure they'll be able to visit you again at some time, even if it's not Christmastime.

Okay, so something I just want to put stress on: in this season, it is so incredibly important to reach out to everyone! Everybody is a child of God, and everybody is a spiritual sibling with everyone else. I know there are many people who are feeling incredibly downtrodden this year. What if you are the one (and the only one) who could make that person's Christmas marvellous? What if that person with the sad look on his face only needs a cheerful "Hello" or "Merry Christmas!" to help him remember how blessed he really is? What if passing by to have a quick visit to share a loving thought with the struggling family down the street could save a marriage? We could even say that the simple act of having a cheerful conversation with someone could save a life. Now, many might think that is far-fetched and won't happen, but I'm here to tell you that God still works miracles, and through the small things He will bring miracles to pass. What if you are somebody's miracle this Christmas? As children of God (and especially for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have made a covenant with God to reach out to others [Mosiah 18:8-10]), there is a need and a duty to love everyone more, and the need is even greater in this season. Please, everyone, do what you can, even if it's not much, to make someone's Christmas the best ever. You'll find that in turn your Christmas will turn out to be one of the best. Everyone should read the December issue of the Ensign, because it is amazing.

Well, I don't have a lot more for this week...wait a second, yes I do! One of the "perks" of being a district leader and having hermana [sister] missionaries in the district is that you get a higher chance of being able to baptize their investigators (seeing as when you do the baptismal interview you have to ask who they want to baptize them). I have now interviewed three people (all were investigators of the hermanas), and I have also baptized all of the people that I have interviewed. That's a bit strange I think, but I was very honored to be able to perform such a vital ordinance for three more children of God. It was a very good experience, and the Spirit was definitely evident in the room.

Okay, now I don't actually have anything else to say apart from my closing remarks. I love you all! You are all so wonderful, and I am thankful for having been able to get to know all of you and share a part in all of your lives (even if it was something small or it's only from reading this blog). I hope you all have the absolute best Christmas of all time, and that you can feel God's love for you more than ever. I love you, and I'll talk to you in one week's time!

Love,
Elder Schomburg