Christmas

So I am in the MTC on Christmas.  Unlike most missionaries, I don't get to call home this Christmas.  I instead get 20 minutes of extra email time.  I don't get to see my family; I don't even get to hear my family.  I only got a few presents from loved ones (which I enjoyed greatly) and I really wasn't able to give any.  Now this may seem like a terrible Christmas to a lot of people (and many missionaries are having a rough time with it, too),  but I, for one, am loving it.  We always say to keep the true meaning of Christmas in our hearts but for this Christmas I get to bear it on my nametag.  Even though I don't get a lot of presents and I don't get to see my family, I get to spend the entire day thinking about Christ.  As a missionary, my purpose is to "invite others to come unto Christ."  Jesus Christ is what Christmas is all about.  His birth, his life, what he did for us.  As a missionary, my purpose is essentially to invite people to have Christmas.  So even though when I am home from my mission, it will be great to have all those Christmassy things again.  I am grateful that for this one Christmas, I get to think about nothing but the Savior.  I know that Christ lived.  I know that He atoned for our sins, and I know that He died that all of us could live with our Heavenly Father again.  I hope that you all think about that today if just for a moment as you are going about all your grand festivities.  Just take a moment to be still, and think about the greatest gift you have all been given.  I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.  Feliz Natal and I love you all.

Elder Russell