Merry Christmas Eve! I wanted to start off with a few English Christmas traditions for you...First, mince pies. They are eve-re-where. It's a little personal pie with dried fruits inside. Second, brussel sprouts. Why they are so popular for Christmas in England...it's beyond me. Third, Christmas pudding. I'll be honest, I haven't tried one yet but it's a little aged cake made of spices and dried fruit with custard poured over. Hm... Forth, Pass the Parcel. It's a game where everybody sits in a circle and passes a present to music. When the song stops, you unwrap one layer and there's a forfeit (some silly task such as making snow angels on the ground while singing in the middle of the circle) and a little treat attached. You continue to pass and unwrap layers until you get to the final layer. Whoever it stops on gets the present inside! It's fun! Lastly, Christmas crackers. Well, truth be told I only found out a week ago that they aren't edible. Picture a giant tootsie roll...that's what they look like. They are decorated all nice and pretty, and they are placed on the Christmas dinner table. You take one side of the cracker while someone else takes the other and pull it. There's a loud popping sound (hence why it's called a cracker) and there are some little prizes inside. So fun!
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| Making Gingies |
I like Eastwood, but the transportation is rubbish. Buses come and go as they please...some come sporadically and some never come at all. After waiting for about an hour not knowing if the bus will ever come (and not trusting google maps) we end up walking a few miles. We might talk President into getting us a car. If so, I'd have to learn to drive on the opposite side of the road!!
On a happier note, my good friend from Sheffield, Abi Pegg, surprised my companion and I with a visit the other night!! We'd been having a pretty hard day and when we got back to the flat, she was standing at our door with some mince pies and window markers. What a blessing! On another happy note, we had EIGHT returning members come to church this Sunday! Isn't that such a miracle?!
As Christmas is tomorrow, I wanted to share a couple thoughts. If I had to give one word to describe the gospel, I'd use the word light. I love anything to do with light: candles, stars, christmas lights, sunshine, etc. In the scriptures we are told that a new star would appear in the sky as a sign of Christ's birth. When the foretold sign did not appear, the wicked people planned to put anybody to death who believed that a Christ should come. Can you imagine waiting night after night for that star to come with your life dependent on its appearance? And can you picture how you'd feel when you finally saw that star gleaming in the sky? As I see the many lights at Christmas time, I cannot help but think of the hope those believers felt when that star appeared. While that light in the sky literally saved these people, we are also saved because of the source of all light: Jesus Christ.
A little while ago, a mission couple invited our entire mission to memorize "The Living Christ". As I have taken on this challenge, my understanding of Christ's life and my relationship with him has deepened. This Christmas season is a time of joy as we celebrate that he lived, and that he still lives!
I challenge you this week, in spite of all the busy holidays plans, to take 5 minutes to reread "The Living Christ" and reflect on your relationship with him.
"He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."
I hope your Christmas is joyous as you focus on the source of all light: Our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Cheers and a Very Merry Christmas!
Sister Eliza Jones
