Christmas

December 25, 2020

Joyeux Noël, ma famille! 

I hope that Santa brought you all of the gifts you were hoping for and that you guys have been blasting Roger Whittaker! I would be lying if I said that my heart doesn't long to be with you all right now, but I know that I am where I'm supposed to be. And don't worry, I still have lots of fun Christmas plans out here in the field. As Christmas has gotten closer and closer, I've spent a lot of time reflecting on past Christmases and what made them so special. The conclusion that I came to was a fairly obvious one: family. As much as I enjoy reminiscing about opening star wars toys, legos, video games, or phones, all of those things pale in comparison to the wonderful gift of family. Now that I've gotten older, I realize that all of my favorite Christmas memories came from you guys. 

As I was studying recently, the thought came into my mind: what truly makes a gift meaningful? With Christmas coming up, this seemed like a pretty relevant question, so I did some more digging. In the end, I came up with two things that give a gift meaning: the thought and effort put into choosing the gift and the sacrifice required to purchase and or make said present. In my mind, this formula makes a lot of sense. When someone gives you a present you sincerely desire, it's touching to realize that they chose it specifically for you. As for the second half of the equation, a small gift from someone who has nothing can mean much more than an expensive gift from someone who is wealthy. It's not that the small gift is fancier or even more thoughtful; what makes it powerful is the sacrifice that was required to give it. 

This formula becomes much more profound when you apply it to the greatest gift anyone has or will ever give us: the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is perfectly tailored to each of our personal struggles and challenges and it required so much sacrifice that the only person capable of making it was the literal Son of God. The Atonement is the center of God's plan for us - there's a reason we talk about it in all three of the first lessons. The Atonement allows us to have joy not only in this life but for all eternity! There's nothing I'm more grateful for than the knowledge that I can live with you guys and God for after this life, and that is only possible through the Atonement. I feel very grateful and humbled to have the opportunity to help others use the power of the Atonement in their lives to bless themselves and their families.

I've thought a lot about why we celebrate Christmas this year, especially since hearing about other denominations that don't, and it's clear to me now that we celebrate it in remembrance of unparalleled gift God gave the world when Christ was born and for all the things that are possible because of what he has done for us. I loved the poem at the end of Elder Holland's talk from this year's Christmas Devotional because it beautifully illustrates that point. Please watch it again sometime today! I'm about to do that myself. 

I love you guys so much and I hope you're having a Merry Christmas!

Matt