A Christmas Letter from Spike

Hey hey hey!!! What are you knuckle heads up to? I hope that your all doing ridiculously awesome! I received lots of e mails this week, so I have a good idea how you’re all doing. Everyone is just pumped for Christmas it sounds like. There is the obvious Christmas spirit in your words, and everyone is antsy. The parents are all doing the last minute runs to the store buying toys, and spending the left over yearly salary. There is nothing better to be doing now is there? The snow should be falling there soon if it has not yet, and it should be a white Christmas. Manaus is another story. If there was a white Christmas there would not be anyone alive to experience it. I heard that people have died here after it hit 18C. Can you believe that? Christmas here in the Amazon is filled with palm trees, nasty dogs, and rain! The spirit seems to be somewhat the same though. People remember their savior and the sacrifice that he made for each and every one of them. This time of year is sure sweet isn’t it?
So I have to comment on this….dusty went sea duck hunting! That is an awesome thing huh? He is a pioneer of duck hunting in the family. I have never even done that. It looks like he shot some nice weird looking birds. What I am wondering is if he ate any of them? I would think that they would be fish eating. Great job though man. Also, Tyler and Mikin went to Las Vegas for a weekend. Man to me it seems like everyone is falling in love with sin city. Everyone has been there this year haven’t they? What did they end up doing done there? Hope that you guys had fun!
Mikin and Brynne kept up with the Gatten tradition of making the Christmas cookies and giving them out to all of the families and friends. Did anyone end up doing the twelve days of Christmas this year? I have so many memories with that. Putting on all black and sneaking up to the doors of many needy houses and giving them a gift, for sure one of the few they received that year. It seems like you always remember the things that you did for others and not the things that you received or others did for you.
I loved President Monson´s talk this month in the Ensign about the Christmas. He relates a story about two farming families and how each was very needy. They passed by the skin of their teeth each year, passing down clothes and making use of every last thing. Although they passed many needs and difficulties, they pressed on having faith in their savior and became seekers to help those in need. One family´s little ones ended up inviting another to Christmas dinner. As that family showed up on Christmas afternoon with their sleigh and horse team, the other family helped them tie up the horses and ushered them in. with no questions asked and a heart full of charity, they shared the traditional turkey, and homemade mashed potatoes. The food soon was gone, and the conversations ended, and the goodbyes were said. No one knew who had invited them, but they sure enjoyed their company. Many years had passed and the secret was kept, until one of the little ones parents became ill and bed ridden. They asked them if they had remembered that Christmas so many years ago, and that special family who bared the cold and showed up at their door step with a sleigh and their team of horses. Of course they had remembered, they had replied to their children. The secret diminished as they told them they had invited them, because they knew they had little. The parents smiled and their joy full as they knew they had taught an importance of charity and love to their children and it had carried through the years. It’s not about you as much it is about the one with little who is standing by your side.
We need to seek the happiness of others. We need to become more Christ like in our actions, words, thoughts, and wishes. Christmas is not about the me, but about the thee. It’s about service, love, charity, and remembrance. Remembering our savior Jesus Christ and the ultimate sacrifice that he made for each of us. It’s about celebrating his life, ministry, and grace. From the Garden of Gethsemane to the hill we call Calvary; he suffered that we may find everlasting joy. He paid the ultimate sacrifice, yet again showing us that we should do the same. He does not ask us to give our lives, but a portion of that which he has blessed us with. Our talents, time, testimony, and will. Both materialistic and spiritualistic belongings. We are to become perfected as he is, have charity as he did, that we can prepare ourselves and our families to receive the celestial blessings he has promised for us. There is not a better time to open up our hearts and extend our hands to those that are in need, than now. Seek the happiness of those who are down and dreary, lift up the souls, who are weighted down by sin and transgression, share the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is watching, he is waiting; make this Christmas a special one, not for you but for him.

My thoughts are turned out to each of you this Christmas time. Memories are intertwined with my work, and my heart so soft. I love my savior, and my father in heaven. I love the gospel, I love the scriptures, and I love you all. Do a good deed, make him proud.
With much love,
Elder Gatten