Hey daddio!
Christmas time in Porto is way better than it was in Coimbra last year! I mean, last year I saw like 2 strands of lights in the whole city, but here they are putting up a bunch of big trees in plazas and lots of road decorations and stuff. Also, everyone puts out a red flag with the same baby Jesus on their balconies. I'll attach a picture of it. There are still no strands of lights, but I guess it's hard to have them when almost everyone lives in an apartment, and anyone who doesn't has a house with 0 access to the roof. So yup. My Christmas plans?? I have no idea! Christmas has snuck up on me like a fat guy trying to take the last piece of cake without anyone realizing! Haha I just realized yesterday that we should take an office christmas picture and buy like gifts or something but I have no idea when that is gonna happen so...
We can do the skype call after church (for you guys) if it works! Elder Judd's family has early church so we can just do it at night here and I think it will work out!
Fun trip! That must have been a super spiritual experience. What is your goal at work? Like, what are you working towards? Does that make sense? In your trips and your many marvelous meetings (M^3) and stuff, where is it that you and your team is trying to get to?
Yes, Dad, I do miss american hamburgers. Lots. The problem in the end will be that I'll probably just gain 20 pounds in the month after I get home because I will be eating so many long missed foods! But who cares about that?
I like that thought on Eternal Marriage! Trunky! I miss going to the temple!
Okay so some thoughts. You know what's cool that I kind of forgot to mention? I have been doing a big study on Jesus Christ and the Atonement lately, using a big list of scripture references and Prophet/Apostle quotes that I found, and it has been so amazing! First, I know that Christ's is the only name by which we can be saved, because no one else who has ever lived has come even close to making the same type of sacrifice as He made for us. It is through Him only that we are saved because it was by Him only that every wrong, every bad thing, every negative and imperfect aspect of us was felt, and He overcame it all. People pray to Saints or Mary the mother of Jesus or whoever, and it makes me wonder if they understand what Christ really did. I love Alma 7:11-13, but so does everyone!
I read an awesome talk by Elder Bednar about (long talk short) a mom who almost lost her son, and had to not have faith that God could save her son, but actually that he could not - and if He didn't, that it would be according to God's will. Christ taught this type of contradiction at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, by saying things like
"3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
And He gives the example to his apostles by washing their feet, showing them complete humility, even though He was the greatest of all. Elder Bednar says that the gospel is full of these types of "contradictions" or paradoxes, and that this woman gained greater faith in God when she understood it. I love it because it means that even though Christ is our Savior and encompasses all with His greatness and majesty, He knows the very number of hairs on our heads and our names, and this is possible because of His Atonement.
Ask me again next week because I want to think about it some more, but that's the jist. I love my Savior!
Mom really is talented! I hope I can have a wife as talented as Mom. #trunkyagain but it's true, Mom really is amazing. And everything that you said in this letter was all for other people - none of it was for herself! She is truly amazing!
Well, I gotta write mom now, but I love you Dad!
Love, Elder Valentine!
Elder V.,
How is Christmas-time in Portugal? Are you seeing many Christmas lights or other decorations? Do the Catholics come out and attend church at Christmas? What are your Christmas plans?
One important thing that we need to coordinate right now is the time for the Skype call on Christmas. Our sacrament meeting is at 11. So the best time for us would be if you could call at 9 our time, which would be 4 your time. OR you could call after church for us, about 12:30 our time or 7:30 your time. This would also be fine. We just don’t want to miss it! There’s nothing more important that receiving your call! So please let me know how we can coordinate this.
I had another pretty crazy week. I spent Monday and Tuesday in Washington DC. I’m going to email you some pictures. I mentioned the trip last week in my email. The visit was really awesome. The Museum of African American Culture and History is an incredible place. The spirit was really strong in the museum. We gave the museum (which is a Smithsonian museum) the copy of the Freedmen index that the church created for them. It was a big ceremony that the Archivist of the United States spoke at and Elder Christofferson. I attended the ceremony and had dinner with Elder C. and Elder Keetch of the 70 along with my boss and a bunch of people from Church public affairs. It was pretty cool. I want to take you all to the museum when we visit Washington DC in the summer.
Wednesday night was meetings at the church, then visits. Thursday was Anna’s violin recital and then dinner at Crown Burgers (I bet you miss a good American hamburger!!!). Friday Mom was working on a wedding cake and then we took Anna and Ethan Christmas shopping. Saturday was Meagan’s wedding and then Anna’s voice recital and then a party with some of my friends from work. Today I was at tithing settlement until 6:30, then was finally able to spend a little time at home. Tomorrow I’m having a party with all of my work staff at our house, so even tonight was spent preparing for tomorrow. I don’t think we’ve ever had such a busy December!
Meagan’s sealing was really amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever felt the Spirit so strong in a sealing. One thing that the sealer said really stood out to me. He said that Eternal Marriage is God’s marriage, because Eternal is God’s name (we know this from DC where he says that Eternal Punishment is God’s punishment). But I’ve never really applied that to Eternal marriage to translate that as “God’s marriage.” Isn’t that great? This is the type of marriage that we are entitled to have in His holy temples. A marriage blessed by God! Wow. I love that!
Here’s a request for you: I’m speaking on Christmas (so is Mom!) on the Savior. Please share with me any thoughts that you have about Jesus Christ. This could be any insights about Him, any favorite scriptures, just anything at all. This request goes for Mom as well!
Your Mom made Meagan’s wedding cake and did an amazing job! She played the piano for Amanda’s song in sacrament meeting today and did an amazing job! She played the piano at Anna’s voice recital for a father and son who didn’t have a pianist—and she did an amazing job sight-reading the music! She is now decorating the house for my party tomorrow and is making a little gift that I’ll be giving each couple who come, and do you know what? She’s doing an amazing job! You have a very talented mother!
The Clayvilles and the Talbots wanted me to wish you Merry Christmas!
I’m going to email you a few photos now from my trip. I’m really looking forward to your email tomorrow. Have a great P-day! Love ya!
Dad
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