Here it is Christmas once again and our hearts are drawn to you in remembrance of the Christmastimes and wonderful days we spent with you. Over and over we have said that those were the most beautiful days of our lives! And we truly mean it. And you made it all possible for us. How can we ever thank you enough? Again this year so many have sent us emails and cards that we thought the best way of responding was to send this message of love and greetings to each and every one. Thank you for your individual remembrances including pictures! We savour those.
We know you are celebrating this season with your individual traditions which is makes for family memories, especially for the children. May we add our testimonies to yours that we know that the birth of the Saviour came about just as Luke described it in his second chapter. Christ the Lord, son of the Father, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, suffered His magnificent glorious Creative Spirit to be born of a mortal mother in, of all places, a manger in a stall with animals. What a humble tribute to the majesty of his divine spirit. Surely he is the Christ, the Annointed One who appeared with his Father to the young prophet Joseph Smith who truly did translate the Book of Mormon from the gold plates. President Thomas S. Monson, in his last October Conference, asked members to pray to soften the hearts of the leaders of nations who have not permitted missionaries, to please open their doors so that the doctrines of salvation may come to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. Surely in this way the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ may be hastened. May we invite you and yours at this Christmastime to join us in this latest request of our prophet to appeal to the Father of us all to hasten this glorious day. Coming from our mission in China we are first hand witnesses to what this blessing would be to millions of our brothers and sisters who we learned to love.
We extend our special love to you and yours. May this Christmas be special to you and may you feel the love of our Heavenly Father surrounding your family. Once again, we send our sincere love and greetings and we hope to see you in June at our reunion.
The Ensigns
