Hey everyone!
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| Merry Missionary Christmas! |
I hope everyone had a great Christmas! I know that mine was fantastic! So we
woke up and had a district breakfast at the stake center which was a lot of
fun. In the kitchen with other goofy missionaries, is laughter waiting to
happen! They are so great! I made my mom's biscuits and gravy . . .the
easy way . . . I just added water! HaHa! I was surprised! It actually
tasted good! After breakfast we went with the riverside elders back to
their apartment to open presents and to Skype our families back home. I was
so grateful to see my family's faces. It was way better than my phone
call when I was going to Oregon because I could see them! I can't wait till I
can run up to my family and friends and give them a big hug . . . but for know I
will look forward to Mother’s Day when I can see their beautiful faces again
and to wish my mother a happy Mother’s Day! (She is the greatest!) After we Skyped,
we played some games and then we went and had two dinners!!! It would have
been three, but we ran out of time. We had hot dogs at both dinners! Weird
I know, but I guess it is a thing here...or not. HaHa! It was great! We made
several visits to some part member families and to our investigators as well,
and some of our less actives that we are working with. Christmas was great! It
has been such a rewarding experience to experience the true meaning of
Christmas on my mission. It is so true that when you serve the Lord to the
best of your ability that you draw nearer to him, that you learn to love
him. 
I had the
greatest birthday ever! So we kicked off my birthday off right by going out for breakfast with the McDonald family. It was actually Sister McDonald's birthday
too, which made it even more special. The food was great and I was able to try
homemade grits for the first time! It was this cheesy rice thing. It tasted
pretty good! After breakfast we tried contacting people in the pouring rain on
our bikes...to be honest it kinda sucked. I was cold, wet, and tired. I was
hoping and aching for some sun! Anyway, after a full dreary afternoon of trying
to contact people with no luck, we stopped by a less active family in the ward.
This is when the day took a turn for the best! We got a new investigator! It
turns out that one of the family member's girl friend is interested in learning
more about the church. We shared a message with her and set up a return
appointment for Tues. She was the sweetest 
New Year...New YOU!!!
With this new
year fast approaching, I hope that everyone will have the time to reflect
on some of their "new year’s resolutions," for the year 2015. I
love the Mormon message "New Years: Look not behind
thee." People in New York City are asked about the story of Lot, from
the bible. The overall theme for the clip is for us to go into the
new year, 2015, with faith in Jesus Christ and to leave the past
behind and look ahead to a brighter future. In life we all make mistakes,
but I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ that we are able to
start anew. We don't have to wait until the next year to set another
resolution. We can set them daily, weekly or monthly. Because of the savior we
can start again, again, and again. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father
and a savior, Jesus Christ that would suffer for me. The atonement doesn't
just cover our mistakes that we make, but also the feelings of loneliness,
insecurities, and self doubts. We can receive the peace and joy in
this life because of our savior Jesus Christ. Although we are
incomplete, He loves us completely!
I love this
story that was shared in sacrament meeting this Sunday. It shows the value
and the need for the atonement in our lives.
The Room by Joshua Harris
“In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found
myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall
covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in libraries that
list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which
stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction,
had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to
catch my attention was one that read "Girls I Have Liked." I opened
it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize
that I recognized the names written on each one.
And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.
This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life.
Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my
memory couldn't match.
A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror,
stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their
content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and
regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was
watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends
I Have Betrayed."
The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird.
"Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I
Have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed At." Some were almost
hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled at My Brothers."
Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger,"
"Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never
ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I
expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had
lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of
these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth.
Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have
Listened To," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The
cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the
end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but
more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful
Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only
an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its
detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.
An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated
my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this
room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out.
Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took
it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single
card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as
steel when I tried to tear it
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its
slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying
sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel
With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused.
I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell
into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep
that they hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees
and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The
rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever
know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.
But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No,
please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus.
I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and
read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I
could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He
seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?
Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room.
He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger
me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He
walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But
He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files.
Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to
sign His name over mine on each card.
"No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could
find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name
shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark,
so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.
He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and
began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so
quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and
walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is
finished."
I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no
lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.”
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| Happy 19th! |
I know that the Savior lives and loves each of
us! May we turn to the Savior and use the gift he has given us. May we
strive daily to be better, and do better.
I know that as we center Christ in our lives, that we
will have a firm foundation, and that our lives can be changed for the better.
We can be transformed through Christ into the sons and daughters of God that we
were destined to be! Christ can help us overcome anything because Christ has
overcome the world. Let him in and watch yourself be transformed.
Keep doing “good”!
I love you all so much and I hope you all have a
wonderful New Years! Let’s make this New Year the best!!!
Lots of Love,
Elder Shaw
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