Merry Christmas! I got your package with the ties and the sweet pen! It was so awesome and you should have seen the look on all the other elders faces.. The chirstmas season is so amazing and really being here has really taught me the docterine about christmas. You hear everyyear that Chirstmas is centered on Christ and how we are supposed to give more than we recieve and I always thought I knew that but every chirstmas day im not going to lie I was stoked for the presents! This year I have had the complete opposite I honestly dont want anything more than to make the member of my district happier. I was telling you about Elder Santos he is a phillipino and is 5 foot and yesterday when I opened my ties his eyes were like saucer plates! He has had this love for ties here because he came out with some pretty cheap ones and people have traded some really nice ones to him and one day he was like "do you think there is a specific tie for each of us?" like almost like there is the one design that just catches our attention so much we would trade anything for it. haha but ya so the black and white paisley you sent me. that was his. he came back in forth in my rooom 5 or 6 times just to hold it in his hands and he just seriously cant get over it. we are doing a chirstmas exchange and my comp elder dunford got his name. anyways we decided we were switiching because I am giving elder santos that tie. He was having a really rough day today and just wouldn't talk and just waas really down. I authorized the exchange so my comp and his comp went together and it works good cuz there both ZLs and so i took elder santos. we walked back to our dorms and he was just quite so i asked him what was up and i dont really know what happened but he ended up telling me that the two worst times he feels like he is pessimistec was his birthday and then today being so close to cchirstmas. I had no idea why because those are times where im stoked for presents hahah probably bad though cuz thats terribly selfish. anyways we got back to our dorm and i took the tie out and told him i wanted him to wear it. He said no that he couldn't but after my clever persuasiveness in telling him i really wanted him to wear it he finally accepted. even just letting him hold it changed his attidude to happiness. the way he loves it and knowing I have something that can make someone so happy they just dont know what to say makes me so good that I can give it to them. I thought about how the gospel is the exact same way but the investigator just doesn't know yet that that "tie" or gift is exactly the one they are looking for. on our way back to our classroom he stopped me and said hey can we stop by the bookstore? I was like ok sure so we went in and he went to the end of the line and I was like what are you going to get and he was like candy hahah I was sweet so anyways he grabbed 4 Kit kat extra crunchy or something I was like wow you must like those and he was like ya there one of  my favorites. haha I just laughed inside thinking to myself how he is so happy now he is wearing my tie that he deserves a treat hahaha I was wrong. apon returning to the classroom he carefully took out each bar and walked along each of the elders in my district not including myself or him and placed his favorite chocolate bar on the end of the desk. I just thought how amazing that was. that because I was able to give him something he returned that to others. That is what the Christmas spirit is. not focusing on yourself at all. He actually tried to give me one of his favorite ties that I like because I only let him wear mine. I have about 22 ties here and he only has like 7 it was really a good experience. I told him I couldn't except even though it was one of my favorite ties but that I wanted him to keep it for another week wear it and think about it more. (his tie) one thing also that I forgot to say that was hilarious. as we were walking down the hall to exit our dorm building he held my tie in his hands as it was tied around his neck and just smiled and said quote " I feel like iam carrying precious cargo"hahaha it made me laugh so hard. hes such a funny kid. I just have really learned that sometimes we have things that is exactly what other people need. Are we going to be selfish and keep it for ourselves or share it with others. The gospel is the same way. Everyone at home that has served missions knows the joy and experience to share the gospel. Why have we stopped? just because we dont wear the nametag anymore doesn't mean we cant be a representative of Jesus Chirst. I know dad does a awesome job of trying to give away the dvds or things at christmas so keep it up. You really have no idea what something could mean to someone. Tonight I will give that new tie to Elder Santos to keep forever. I told him today as we were walking our of our building. I dont want to see you sad anyymore today ok? dont take that tie off until you are ready to go to bed. hahah its so amazing to see the change come over someone, even if it is just a tie. That was my awesome experience today! I am so excited for tomorrow for Christmas. I dont know who is comming or if the prophet is coming. Again ive learned the true focus of Christmas and the fact that Jesus Chirst had that ulitmate gift that we needed. He didn't have to perform the atonement. he was perfect and could have lifved with Heavenly father but because he loved us he did that so that we could have that "tie" that we have been looking for or that is perfect for us. That is is everything that we have ever wanted. Spanish is coming good its very difficult for me but so amazing at the same time i have learned so much and its seriously so sweet! I think thats all I wanted to say. Merry Christmas family! Good luck on the wedding!!

Elder Anderson