Happy Holidays from the great city of Portland! I think that I can still say that right? I should be, after all I am serving in the most "politically correct" city on the face of this planet, and here in Portland we are always right! I guess it serves me right, but I still think that it is just down right funny. For instance, the high school right behind the library where I am e-mailing from (and where I e-mail from every week) is called the Jefferson High Democrats, complete with a donkey as the mascot. I wish I could say that I was joking, but I'm not. Other than that, it is amazing to see how different people respond to you. The other week wee were tracting and ran into a woman who was convinced that we were brain washed and that Christianity in general is the cause for everything that is wrong in the world. Now she wasn't the first person to say this, nor will she be the last, she just happens to be the stereotype of most of Portland--uninformed about a merciful and just God. If we would have so much as said anything against what she thinks, we would have more than likely ended up having a nice conversation with the other men in uniform. BUT the good news is that many people are just that, uninformed! What an easy and very fixable problem to have! We were able to see through this Christmas season the hardest of people let their guard down and listen to us even for the briefest of moments. I know that God will never take away our agency, but when it comes time to celebrate His Son's birth, I think that He opens people's minds just a little bit, even when they would normally turn away!
Now this Christmas has been one of the best yet! We were supposed to spend it in the prison, but we some paperwork didn't get filed and we ended up walking around the streets of Portland with our brothers and sisters who had no one else to spend Christmas with. We had many good and uplifting conversations with people and had experiences to boost us through the rest of the week. I really love this holiday season, and am ready to carry out the Spirit throughout the rest of this year. I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Love,
Elder Hamblin
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