Christmas memories: A real Christmas
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
RIGA, LATVIA
I felt very sad the week before Christmas when I was about 15 years old. I was not a member of the Church, but believed in Jesus Christ. Because my parents only celebrated the New Year, there would be no family celebration and I would be alone on Christmas.
Come Christmas Day, all my friends were celebrating. I went to the woods and cried. I desperately wanted to be like my friends who were celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
Religion for me was always in my heart. On that Christmas Day when I was full of sorrow, I felt like someone visited me. After I cried out my sadness, I felt a love. I felt that someone was comforting me.
After I became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I felt a great love from God and from His Son Jesus Christ. My bad days were gone. He has never left me alone since I was baptized. I know this is the Church of Jesus Christ and He loves everyone who follows His words.
This Christmas is very special for me. I am privileged to be a member of the Church because I have a family of 13 million people around the world who believe and celebrate Christmas in unity.
This year I am invited to celebrate Christmas with a family in Finland, across the Baltic Sea from my branch in Riga, Latvia. This brings tears to my eyes. I often reflect on my Christmas in the woods as a child. Now I am going to have a real Christmas where I will soon be serving my mission.
I love this Church and its members. I love Jesus Christ and the spirit of Christmas. I would like to invite everyone in the world to think about what Christmas really means. Don't concentrate on gifts only, but treasure a remembrance of home, family, Christmas carols, and most important, Jesus Christ. — Sergej Lepeshkin of the Riga Center Branch, Latvia District, Baltic Mission.
