Something Special About the Season

What a privilege it has been to be a missionary this week. We had some amazing experiences. 

My favorite part of this week was when we went to Sac Sate with some of the other Elders in the zones down there. Sac Sate is a university in downtown Sacramento. It was an amazing event where we were able to share the "light the world" video from the church's new initiative and give away some free hot chocolate. Being at Sac State and seeing how many people lacked the "light" in their eyes made me realize how desperately the world needs this gospel. The people who were the most antagonistic towards God, and religion in general, also appeared the be the unhappiest people we saw. It is interesting how there is a correlation there. It was amazing to see though how someone instantly perked up and smiled when we said "merry Christmas" to them. There is truly something special about this season. I am grateful to be a missionary during it.

This week has been a great one for reading the Book of Mormon. It has been so hard to put it down. I really just want to read all day. I cannot describe the joy I feel as I read that amazing book. I just wish I could get the whole world to take 15 mins and read a chapter. It would change their lives forever. I am grateful for the knowledge of my Savior that this book brings to me. One verse that has recently stuck out to me about the atonement of Jesus Christ is in Mormon 9:13 

"13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus

 Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all me are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death."

Well thats all for me this week. I love you all and hope you have a great week as well!

Love,

Elder Hallmark