My Christmas Card

Posted on 7:54 AM by Elder Bergloff

Elder Lake and myself love Christmas. So we decided to make Christmas cards to send to all of our family and friends wishing them a "Merry Christmas."


The other night I sat looking at the cards pondering on Christmas.
As a  missionary I get to teach a lot of different people about Christ. Most of the time I teach people about the death and resurrection of Christ. These are all important things of course, but something I love about Christmas is that I get to teach on the birth of Christ.
I think that we often forget the true meaning of Christmas. I'm to blame as well. For years growing up I didn't think about Christ during the holiday season. My thoughts were mostly on what was lying under the tree instead of why we were celebrating this time of the month.
I'm very grateful to be a missionary. For missionaries, Christmas can be a very hard time for them on their missions. Why? Well being away from families during the Christmas time can be often very lonely and sad. As I've progressed in my time as a missionary I've come to love the time I spend as a missionary during Christmas. This is because I am away from all the presents, the tree, the lights, the big Christmas feast at home. My thoughts can be easily focused on Christ because there is no other distractions. Now I don't recommend that we all leave home during Christmas or that we shouldn't have a tree or lights. No those are great things that we should all have, no I recommend that we all put a greater focus on why we have this holiday, why we have the lights and the tree, why we have the feast.
I testify of the peace and happiness that can be brought into our life as we do so. I have felt such a warmth during this season and such a peace and calmness. As our thoughts are upon His birth this season we can truly appreciate the spirit of Christmas.

"When the Savior, Jesus Christ, was born, the prophecies were fulfilled. The time that all the holy prophets had waited for had finally come. An angel appeared to shepherds while they watched their flocks. The angel spoke to the shepherds, saying, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11.)

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Who Wants To Be A ButterFly?

Posted on 8:34 AM by Elder Bergloff

Who wants to be a butterfly? I love butterfly's. I think they are some of the most interesting insects in the world. To think that from a catterpillar can come a beautiful butterfly. Thats what catterpillars do best...Change!

Who likes change?
If anyone raised their hands then I need to talk to them to find out the secret.
I think the majority of us out there don't like change.
The reason why?
Change can often bring a lot of fear and trepidation.
If you have read my other posts you know how I love using the dictionary, so once again I wanted to get the definition of change.
The dictionary says that the word change means:

1.       to become different: Overnight the nation's mood changed.

2.       to become altered or modified: Colors change if they are exposed to the sun.

3.       to become transformed
I really like these definitions. I chose those definitions that were verbs. The reason being is because the change I’m talking about is the change that has to do with changing oneself. Some of our greatest fears come from when we actually decide to change ourselves, our personalities, our views, our beliefs.
As a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I ask people to change almost all of these things. As a tool in God’s hand I help people to change those things in their life that are not in accordance with how God would have them live their lives.
When I think of change I think of an experience that I had while serving here as a missionary. As missionaries we get the opportunity to meet hundreds of different people with different backgrounds and beliefs. The wonderful thing is that the gospel is for everyone and even though we may have different views or beliefs, if it’s God’s gospel then it should be right for everyone.
Back to my experience though…Someone I met as a missionary was a great lady named Sonja. Sonja is a mother of one daughter and married to a great guy. She lives in Upper Darby Pennsylvania. Living there with her in-laws she was struggling to find a faith in Jesus Christ. Then on a cold December morning two sister missionaries from the church knocked on her door. After explaining who they were they taught Sonja a few points of our beliefs. Sonja then began to investigate the church and started seeking to know if it was true. At first there was a lot of disbelief and uncertainty, plus probably some amusement at the beliefs she was being presented with. Over months missionaries taught her and prayed that she might come to understand these things and believe them for herself. Then after months of prayers and lessons Sonja had an experience, a change of heart through the Holy Spirit, that this message was true. Then Sonja’s countenance changed. She began to have a greater faith not only in God, but in baptism, in Jesus Christ, in Repentance. There was a light and goodness about Sonja that everyone can still feel when they meet her.
Sonja is an example to me of change.
 -“And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;…” –Mosiah 25:27
Let us all choose to change. Let us choose to become more like Jesus Christ. 


"God never said that it would be easy, He only said that it would be worth it."

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