December 21st Email ! MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

Hey Everyone

I'm sorry this email may be a little short because of all the trainings and travelling (driving) we have been doing this past week this email won't be very long. This past week we had to emergency transfer some missionaries in our zone because we caught them with the church's projector watching movies not only not approved in the mission but also movies not approved period. It was sad because they we good missionaries and I hate to turn missionaries in because that has never been my nature but our hands were tied. One of the missionaries was really repentant but the other took it as making his name famous in the mission which for something like that I wouldn't exactly be proud of. We worked with other missionaries in our zone and I was able to go with one to a less active's home and had a great experience. He was 87 and had been extremely depressed for some time. What he was most depressed and I guess more scared than anything was passing on. Immediately we went into the Plan of Salvation. I've had my experiences of losing loved ones and it was hard for me to try and make it sound like a good thing but the whole time I was praying to my Heavenly Father to help me say what was needed to help my brother out. I was blown away by how strong the spirit was and it made me realize how blessed we are to know the truth. To know that there are great things to come in the life after. That we can be together as families for all eternity! Our memories and joy we have with one another will not end here they will continue on forever! How great is that blessing?! How great is it to have the opportunity to share this blessing with people I've never met! I love this gospel and know without a doubt it is true! I love the Christmas season! I have been doing some serious thinking about my last Christmas in the mission field. What can I give Him? What can I do for Christmas that will help me be happy and successful? Elder D.Todd Christofferson suggests that we live a consecrated life. In his October 2010 Conference address he quotes Richard L. Evans:

Life offers you two precious gifts---one is time, the other freedom of choice, the freedom to buy with your time what you will.

I have made a choice and I have been called by a prophet of God and set apart to represent the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. I have been called to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. How great is the calling! I have been recommended as ‘one worthy to represent the Lord’, and I have promised to devote all of my time and my attention to serving Him, leaving behind all other personal affairs. As I obey with a willing heart, I will show the Lord my love for Him-what a perfect gift for Him!

These statements express the reality that our life on earth is a stewardship of time. 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. When we accepted our baptismal covenants, we promised to live by His standards. And you and I will be held accountable for how well we honor our promises. We need to always keep in mind the importance of our time on Earth and strive constantly to keep those covenants. This is the perfect gift to Him for Christmas We can rededicate and reconsecrate our lives to His honor.

Merry Christmas!!

Love,

Elder Salmon