Finally!

As I've said before, I'm using this blog to try and record all the evidences of love that I see in my life; I believe that the end of the fall semester was perhaps one of the greatest evidences of God's love for me thus far! It was a good semester, but I was getting very burnt out and the thought of coming home never had been so beautiful.

And so many things have happened since my last (and only) post!

On December 20th, my dear friend (and ex-roommate) Kayla got married to another friend, Mr. Kyle Lucherini. They were sealed for time and eternity in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Though it was terribly cold (when others complained about their fingers and toes being cold, my response was, "What fingers? What toes?"), it was absolutely beautiful and I am so glad I got to spend such a special day with them as they took these wonderful, important steps into their new lives. The happiness and love that I saw in their faces and in their very being was something that I am looking forward to having for myself some day. They are a perfect match, and I congratulate them and wish them the best of luck!

On the 22nd, I finally made it home! The flights were great--I slept through most of both of them--but then when I arrived at the airport, I learned that my luggage had missed its flight in Atlanta and had been sent on another flight to arrive later. So, after arriving at the airport at 4, I did not leave until 6. Even so, all was well, because I was home! Home, where perfect strangers call you "sweetie" and, instead of an LDS temple or stake center on every corner, there are Baptist churches. And man, all the trees! It sure is great to be home.

So here we are, a couple of days after Christmas, and I just have to say that mine was fantastic, except for my being sick with some sort of stomach bug that had me in a lot of pain. I am just grateful that, if I had to be sick, it happened while I was at home with no school to worry about and where Mama can take care of me :)

For Christmas Eve, we had an extended family gathering at my ward building. My grandparents, six of their eleven children, several grandchildren, and one of their great-grandchildren were there, representing four generations of Hiatts. Each family prepared a Christmas program of some sort--games, singing songs, playing piano, reading Christmas stories, etc. (Grandpa even recited "It Vas Der Night Behind Christmas," which is my absolute favorite story he tells! And yes, that's my big head in the way the whole time) and Grandma finished up by reading the account of Christ's birth from the scriptures, with a few of the family members acting out the Nativity.

I am so grateful to have been with my family that night. I count myself blessed to be part of such a loving family. Even though there are so many of us, and there are gaps between us in age and distance, with family on both coasts and other places in between, I know that we are privileged to know and feel the Savior's love for us; therefore, we are better able to love one another. I know that those family bonds are eternal--what greater evidence of love is there? I submit to you that there is none. I love my family, and I love my Savior and my Father in Heaven. I love the Plan of Salvation which has been set in action for our eternal happiness, and I love the Gospel that teaches of it. I have a firm faith in the importance of the birth of Christ, our Savior. I know that He was born in humble circumstances and later returned to His Father in glory. I know that we may also do the same--first, humble ourselves and be born of His Spirit, and then live our lives worthily, with love of God and love of man, and someday return to our Father.

Christmas day is over, but I testify that Jesus the Christ, the reason why we celebrate this holiday, lives today, and will live forever. I love Him, and I am grateful to know of His love for me.