A few thoughts about Christmas

We have had a wonderful Christmas season this year.  We have done a lot of fun activities that were a good balance of fun and focusing on the real reason for the season.  It is so easy to lose sight of what is important.  We are bombarded with so many distractions, not even the crumby stuff out there, things that are good but can take over your life.  I spend way too much time staring aimlessly at my phone.  I get caught up in comparison because of social media.  I struggle with depression and low self esteem so it easy to spend my time knocking other people down in hopes of making myself feel better.  It is hard not to covet what other people have or wish I had endless money to spend.  All of these distractions can take over if we aren't careful.  I love the Christmas season because it helps put things back in perspective.  It is a time when the whole world seems to unite and want to help people who need it, this is the Spirit of Christ.  I know I am happier when I put other people before myself, but it is sure hard to do sometimes.  I love that Christ was born and lived in such humble circumstances. There are so many things available to us that we could have an endless list of things we want, but when you step back and think about what is really important all of those things fall away.  I am so grateful that I have always had a relationship with my Savior. I have always felt like He understood me when no one else could.  I'm so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, because of Him I find hope when things feel hopeless, I find peace when the world is in turmoil and I feel love that makes me want to do better and be ready to meet my Savior again!  I can't wait to thank Him and have Him hug me and let all of the troubles of this life melt away.   I love my Savior and I love celebrating his birth. 

The Sunday before Christmas is my favorite Sunday of the year.  It was great that it fell on Christmas Eve this year.  We had a wonderful Sacrament meeting.  The music was beautiful and the talks really touched me. 

I have felt burdened and heavy lately.  There are just so many sad things in this world, it is hard not to get depressed about it.  It breaks my heart to hear about so many people who have such a crumby life.  Sometimes I wonder why some things are necessary, like mental illness.  As I was sitting in church I felt some peace about it.  I had the thought that it will all be worth it and everything that is unfair about life will be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

 Paul spent the whole day last week helping a student who couldn't go home because of bad choices he had made.  Paul is an amazing, caring man.  I'm so impressed with how far he will go to help his students.  Alex (the student) is 18, but still a senior in high school.  Tiff also gave up a day with her husband so he could help Alex so that Alex's parents could take care of the other kids and give them the love and support that they needed.  It sounds like Alex needs tough love at this point.  Paul finally found him a hotel in Provo and his bishop paid for him to stay there for a few nights. When Tiff told me what Alex told Paul I immediately knew that we needed to help him.  Alex told Paul that he prayed to Heavenly Father (which he hadn't done for a long time) and knew what he did was wrong and asked if He was there to please help him know if there was any one in the world that still loved him.  He told Paul that he knew Paul was the answer to that prayer.  I told Tiff that we wanted to take him some things and they liked the idea so Paul bought toiletries and other things he needed and we got him a gift card and some money.  We also got him a picture of  Christ with a teenage boy and a book from Deseret Book about making good choices in difficult circumstances.  I knew that Heavenly Father wanted us to do this and help Alex feel His love.  As I prayed that night I felt Heavenly Father's love for Alex.  There are a few times that I can remember when I have felt Heavenly Father's love for someone else and it is awesome. 

 Paul and Keith took everything over to Alex on Saturday.  Two of his sisters (who no longer live at home) were there.  We were going to do more, but Keith felt like he would be okay after talking to him and seeing his sisters there.  Keith and Paul said that he got emotional when he saw the picture of Christ and read the back of it.  I am grateful for this experience and wanted to record it because it is so easy to forget these experiences where you feel the Spirit really strong.  I'm so grateful that we were able to have this experience.  I have been wanting to do something for someone for Christmas and it just never came together, I'm so glad it did a few days before Christmas.