Here is Jordan's email. What a great blessing it is to have children who are serving the Lord as missionaries. I love you all.
Tom
My Dear Family,
How are you this wonderful Wednesday morning? As I reflect upon the Christmas season as a full-time missionary, I am so overwhelmed with gratitude. I have never felt so full of love--love for the Savior, love for my parents, love for my brother on a mission, love for my other brothers at home, love for my sister, love for my grandparents in Idaho, love for my nana and grandpa Wayne in Utah, love for my aunts, uncles, and cousins in Utah, Idaho, California, and Arizona, love for my wonderful mission family here in Virginia, love for the wards that I'm serving in, love for the wonderful people I'm teaching, and just simply love for the life of a missionary! I am so grateful to be a full-time missionary--it is truly the greatest blessing and greatest joy. I love being a missionary! Imagine me saying that four or so months ago, huh? The reason I am so happy and enjoy this great work so much is because I know that I am offering the greatest possible gift to those that I come in contact with: the living, restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Sharing that message brings so much joy.
I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored--the same gospel that was on the Earth at the time of Jesus Christ. When He lived on this Earth, He established His church. He called twelve apostles, each of whom was given the Priesthood, the power and authority to act in God's name. Together, Jesus Christ and His apostles ministered and blessed the people. But, of course, after a time, the people rejected Jesus Christ, and He was crucified. His apostles were also rejected and killed over time. With the deaths of Jesus Christ and His apostles, there was no longer anyone on Earth who held the Priesthood. The fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was removed from the Earth. There were pieces of truth--there were a lot of good, inspired people who were searching for truth, but the fullness of the gospel was no longer on the Earth. For hundreds and hundreds of years, people sought truth and established churches, but none of these churches contained the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
After time, our Heavenly Father saw fit to call a prophet and restore the gospel in its fullness once again on the Earth. The young prophet Joseph Smith was called and overtime restored the gospel in its fullness--the same gospel that was on the Earth at the time of Jesus Christ. He also translated the Book of Mormon, a record of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent about the same time as the book of Jeremiah in the Bible. The Book of Mormon is the keystone--it is how we can come to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that we have a living prophet on the Earth today.
So, my challenge to all of you who read my emails is to take the year 2011 to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover and find out for yourself if it's true. If you've done it before, I invite you to do it again and renew and strengthen your testimony. If you've never read the Book of Mormon or have only read parts of it, I invite you to take this opportunity to read it and to pray about its truthfulness. There is a promise given by the last prophet in the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni. He invites all men to read the Book of Mormon and to ask God if it is true and from Him. He promises that if we ask with a "sincere heart" (we really care to know), "real intent" (we intend to act upon the answer we receive), and "faith in Christ", that we can truly receive an answer through the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost. I know that we can all receive this answer for ourselves, in our own ways. For me, the promptings of the Holy Ghost come as feelings of peace, of joy, and of comfort, but it is different for everyone. Be prayerful and patient, and I know you will receive an answer.
Coming to know that the Book of Mormon is true changes lives. It brings light, peace, and joy. I can promise you that. I see it everyday, many times each day. I have seen it in my own life. Most recently, I have seen it in the life of Li Tang, my dear friend who is getting baptized tomorrow. She is filled with more joy and light than she has ever been before. I can see it in her face. When we first met her, about three months ago, she was hesitant to learn more about the message we came to share with her. But we bore testimony of the Book of Mormon, and she invited us to share more. We've been teaching her ever since, and she's come to know for herself, through study and fervent prayer, that the Book of Mormon is truly another testament of Jesus Christ, a companion volume of scripture to the Bible. I am so happy for her and grateful for the opportunity I've had to teach her and get to know her. She wants to come visit our family in Utah and go to General Conference when I'm done with my mission! It will be wonderful to introduce you all to her.
In closing, I want you all to know how much I love and appreciate you. I am so grateful to have each one of you in my life. Thank you for your prayers, for your letters, and for your love. I miss you! I'm so excited to get to talk to you on Saturday! Merry Christmas! Please give me a Christmas gift this year by taking the challenge I have presented. :)
Love you forever,
Jordan
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