I just love Christmas. It's obviously been quite a different experience here in Hong Kong, however it's still Christmas! Not sure how it's been in the Meigwok, but over her at church there's been quite the focus on "He is the Gift."
http://www.mormon.org/christmas
What a powerful message. (And easy to translate into Cantonese.)
I was super excited for these couple weeks leading up to Christmas to talk to the people we meet on the streets about Christmas! Not sure I can think of a better leeway into the gospel than a holiday where we celebrate Christ!
We've asked all kinds of people here what they will do to celebrate and why the celebrate Christmas. But those questions slowly have turned into, "Are you even going to celebrate Christmas?!"
In the Meigwok the problem is that the commercial side of Christmas has become so big that it has started shoving the true meaning and focus on Christ out of the picture. The problem here in Hong Kong is that people here don't even really celebrate Christmas at all!! Most people tell us that they'll maybe go out to dinner or something, but that's usually about it.
I was sitting on the bus on the way home from finding one evening and I was just thinking about how sad it is. In our area there are a few Christmas lights by the MTR stations and some displays in the malls and that's about it! Other than that everything else is basically the same. These people are missing out on all the fun of decorating ginger bread houses, cutting out snowflakes, drinking hot chocolate with candy cane by a fire with some good old Christmas music playing in the background with the Christmas tree beautifully decorated with presents carefully wrapped below.
But most importantly - there's close to zero focus on Christ. So I've been thinking a lot about this whole "He is the Gift" thing. Obviously Christ is the gift. But what does that really mean? What does the fact that "God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son" really mean to all of us?
"...But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way..." Ether 12:11
Through the birth of the Savior, and ultimately the atonement, there is a better way. A more excellent way.
Everyone can have happiness in this life. Everyone will feel joy. Especially during this Christmas season, those feelings are available to everyone. But when we receive the gift of the Savior and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are provided with a more excellent way. We are able to obtain eternal happiness and true joy. Not the kind of happiness that comes from a new car or a super sweet waffle iron, but true, eternal, lasting joy that comes from the Savior.
And that's our invitation to the world. Bring all the good that you have. Bring your happiness and let the gospel of Jesus Christ amplify that to a level that you can't even comprehend. We are handing out a free, full proof way to feel the spirit of Christmas all year round!
And why can you feel the spirit of Christmas all year round? Because living the gospel of Jesus Christ is "living the Savior's way of life. And since, as He, we came down from heaven to do the will of the Father, it must not be only an annual event, but also the pattern of our lives." -Elder D. Todd Christopherson
I LOVE YOU. More than you know! Want to have an awesome Christmas? Choose to receive the gift, and then share it. Because it truly is a more excellent way.
Have a Merry Christmas y'all.
Love,
SisMoRob
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