Elder Jonathan Turley: December 22, 2014 -- Christmas Email

Hey Family -

So this week was a good one. We have good and bad news, bad news is that we still don't have the baptism of Anna which is kind of sad. She hasn't been to church in the past little while, which is kinda stressful because we have put so much time into her and I don't wanna give up on her. I know that she will get baptized I am just not sure when, all we can do as missionaries is to do our part. I don't know what's holding her back because it should have happened by now, but it is best to know that as servants of the Lord, it isn't our time to tell her when to get baptized. We do our part and we just wait for the Lord to do his part.

That's one thing that I have learned on the mission, that we need to just do all we can and let the Lord finish the rest. That's a good thing for me to know because as I read my Patriarchal Blessing, I have noticed that a lot of my blessings are going to come from me trusting in the Lord and knowing that He will come through on His part. It is so comforting knowing that we have a God who is looking over His children and knows us and knows everything that is going to pass. It is crazy though to think that there are so many people who are out in the world thinking that they have no plan, and nobody to care about them. It is amazing as a missionary to be able to help these people change their lives forever and bring a light into their lives that they wouldn't have been able to find if We weren't here, acting as the Lord's representative.

It's great being a missionary especially with the "This is the Gift" video. It's great to see people's faces when they can feel the spirit of that video. The church was so inspired to create that video. I know that it has made me put in perspective the things I need to change and the way I need to think in this Christmas Season. I shouldn't be just a grinch that doesn't like to set up Christmas stuff. I need to be smart and think about the things that really matter in this life, like our family and the fact that we have the atonment in our life. ;) I know that I haven't lived the best of lives, or haven't done the best of things, but I am here now and that is solely because Christ came down and suffered for our sins. I honestly feel like the mission has changed me. I am still the same Jon, the same personality, just with a respect for the things that I didn't really take seriously before the mission, which is a pretty refreshing change for me! ;)

I want you to know I am thankful for all your support, and I am happy that y'all are here for me and are giving your all for me. ;) You are honestly so amazing and that is what I am thankful for this Christmas season ... you all! I know when I left, and gave my farewell, that I went kinda deep into what all of you have done for me and I cried a bunch and it got pretty sentimental, but that is the way I feel! These cards that I am opening everyday are such a blessing and I am so grateful for all of you and the things that you do for me. I am grateful for all of you, my parents, my grandparents, my siblings, my nieces, even down to the little baby who is inside of Lindsay. I love each and every one of you a ton. :) I am so grateful that I get to be with you all forever. Elder Garner and I taught that "families can be together forever" in the Gospel Principles class yesterday, and it made me extremely grateful that I can be with y'all para siempre (forever).

I love y'all so much and I am so grateful for everything that y'all do. Thank you for all the support from my family and my ward family and from all of my friends. You are the reason I am here, and I am so grateful that I am here.

May god bless you and may all of you have a very merry Christmas. ;)

Love

Elder Jonathan Holladay Turley