Christmas Cheer

Here is Elder Richard helping a family putt up their Christmas lights. I know, I know, I have tried to tell him not to climb around on housetops....maybe he's preparing the way for S. Claus!

Lest you think a mission is all fun and games, his latest letter had a very spiritual component. Here is some of Richard's testimony:

I'd like to bear my testimony, I know this church is true. I love my mom and dad. (classic) I know that Christ lives. We do have trials from season to season, but I'm willing to do anything to know and understand even a little more what he did for me. We have living prophets, seers, and revelators who are called of God to hold the keys of His kingdom here on earth. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and it is primarily through that sacred book that I know that Christ lives. That in some corner of the universe he is living and breathing, and that He and our Father have a greater love and hope for us that we can even comprehend. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Here's another insight Richard has on the book of Jacob from the Book of Mormon.

Things are going great here and the harvest is nigh. I think my new fav. BOM chapter is Jacob 5. It's the one I always tried to avoid seeing that it's the longest! I really had a weak concept of the scattering and gathering of Israel so I wanted to brush up on it and attacked it for study last week. It's awesome! It's powerful when the Lord sees the vineyard producing bad fruit (apostasy) and weeps asking his servant what more he could have done. Then when he and his servants resolve to gather Israel and re-graft the branches, they all work together in the harvest. "And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things."

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas, let your heart be light, from now on your troubles will be out of sight.