Well I can't believe Christmas is almost here??? Blows my mind!!! It's been a completely different experience for me here in Russia. To be honest these Russians celebrate New Years and not really Christmas?? So like They have some what of a santa clause.. his name is Ded Moroz, but he like brings gifts on New Years haha and then instead of Mrs. Clause he has like is Granddaughter.. Haha very interesting. They celebrate Christmas though on January 7th. It's basically a party though for two weeks because they celebrate it on the 25th kind of too? Haha really weird. But this past Saturday our branch had a huge Celebration haha it was awesome!! There was singing, dancing, food, all of the above!! It was so great to see how they all celebrated this great day!! This past month I've been really trying to find the Spirit of Christmas since Russians don't really take the idea of Christs birth. I read a talk to other day that I loved!! it's from Jeffery R. Holland and it's called Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a box..
You will recall from Dr. Suess’s holiday “horror” story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, that the devilish Grinch determined to rob Who-ville of every holiday treat. In a nefarious scheme in which the Grinch dressed as Santa himself, he moved through Who-ville taking every package, tree, ornament, and stocking.
We now come upon him as he leaves the city, chuckling to himself in delight over the pain he will have caused children like little Cindy-Lou Who.
Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mt. Crumpit,
He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it!
“Pooh-Pooh to the Whos!” he was grinch-ish-ly humming.
“They’re finding out now that no Christmas is coming!
“They’re just waking up! I know just what they’ll do!
“Their mouths will hang open a minute or two
“Then the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry Boo-Hoo!
“That’s a noise, “grinned the Grinch,
“That I simply MUST hear!”So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow …
But the sound wasn’t sad!
Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn’t be so!
But it WAS merry! VERY!
He stared down at Who-ville!
The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook!
What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN‘T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so?”
“It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
“It came without packages, boxes or bags!”
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”
(Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, New York: Random House, 1957.)
Part of the purpose for telling the story of Christmas is to remind us that Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Indeed, however delightful we feel about it, even as children, each year it “means a little bit more.” And no matter how many times we read the biblical account of that evening in Bethlehem, we always come away with a thought—or two—we haven’t had before.
Now that I've been on my mission these past two Christmas's I've really come to know what it actually means. And I feel that every year from when I was little to where I'm am now the true meaning of Christmas began to sink in. It's not about presents at all!!! Not even close!! Being on the mission I've come to know who my savior is. and Man is he one incredible person!!! And to just think about his life and everything that he did and the way he did it. Blows my mind, but that is why he is the Son of God. He is perfect.
Think of the simple yet dignified way our Heavenly Father chose to honor the birth of His Son. On that holy night, angels appeared not to the rich but to shepherds. The Christ child was born not in a mansion but in a manger. He was wrapped not in silk but in swaddling clothes.
The simplicity of that first Christmas foreshadowed the life of the Savior. Though He had created the earth, walked in realms of majesty and glory, and stood at the right hand of the Father, He came to earth as a helpless child. His life was a model of modest nobility, and He walked among the poor, the sick, the downcast, and the heavy laden.
Though He was a king, He cared neither for the honors nor the riches of men. His life, His words, and His daily activities were monuments of simple yet profound dignity.
Jesus the Christ, who knew perfectly how to give, set for us the pattern for giving. To those whose hearts are heavy with loneliness and sorrow, He brings compassion and comfort. To those whose bodies and minds are afflicted with illness and suffering, He brings love and healing. To those whose souls are burdened with sin, He offers hope, forgiveness and redemption.
I hope that you are all able to find the true meaning of Christmas and remeber this special day and while we celebrate it!! And if you haven't seen it already watch the mormon message, "He is the gift" It's pretty incredible!!!
С РОЖЕСТВОМ!!!!!!!!!
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