I really want a beard. Alaskan missionaries should be allowed to have a beard during the winter.

I had an interesting epiphany a couple weeks ago that I forgot to mention. We had a snowball fight. Back home, my goal was to pack the hardest snowball I could and just pelt the squeals out of people. I would rejoice in the exploding snowball on my friends faces. But I had an epiphany. Most snowball fights aren't meant to be that way. Snowball fights are supposed to be fun. So when we had a snowball fight, I'd pack a softer snowball, and throw it just hard enough to reach people. It wasn't surprising that people actually enjoyed having a snowball fight with me. I wonder why it has taken me so long to realize that.

This week we went to the temple! I was able to finish my reading of the Book of Mormon in the Celestial room! It was awesome.

The shortest day of the year is over! We are coming closer to summer! I cannot wait to be able to have constant contact from the sun. I was telling Papa,

Saturday was the shortest day of the year. The sun came up at around 10:00, and it was pitch black at around 4:45. But... I never saw the sun. The tilt of the Earth is interesting here. Sunsets take hours. In Hawaii, once the sun lowers beneath the horizon, it is pitch black. So it goes from light to dark in minutes. In Utah it takes what would you say, 45 minutes? So here, the sun is set by around 1:45 or somewhere around there. Then it stays light, and slowly gets darker until around 4:45. The sun doesn't rise very high, which means it is always behind the mountains. I've definitely noticed it affecting everyone in Alaska. Days are much more tiring. It's harder to get motivated, and our energy gets drained quickly. Its just long. I'm blessed to have the companion I have, and I have been great at staying positive and happy. No sun doesn't affect me in an emotional sense, as it does others. Lots of people get depressed. No sun just affects me physically. I just have little energy. We work hard though, which make days go by faster. I'm super excited for summer!


We are teaching many people. My favorite thing to do on my mission is teach. I wish we could just be teachers like high school teachers. Just teach all day long. I love it so much. I learn so much, and I love the way I feel when we teach by the Spirit. Its such a cool experience. So cool.

We've been teaching two little boys, 9 and 10, and they have accepted the invitation to be baptized, and they are going to be baptized on the 3rd of January! It's so exciting. They are such cute little boys. After we teach them, we ask them to teach the lesson back to us. It's awesome.

I got an email from my friend Brayla, and she said something that really means a lot to me, and it's so true... "Us as missionaries get the privilege of front row seats in seeing how the Atonement of Christ works in the life of others."
I've definitely seen it. In others lives, as well as my own.

 Alma 5:7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands‍ of death, and the chains‍ of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them.

 I had an awesome experience that happened just last night, that testifies that Jesus Christ really does change our hearts when we let him. I have been praying for charity everyday, and I am seeing so many miracles come from my prayers.

First I have to put a little background. Before I came out on my mission, I was a little... well... judgmental. I hated plays. I hated them. I had a very bad attitude toward the Drama demographic. I had a very bad attitude toward people who liked to sing. Sing at church, sing at school, etc. I didn't follow the example of the Savior, I looked at the outward appearance, not on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) I was rude.

Last night we were invited to a Christmas program at a members home. I didn't quite know what it was. When we went in, there were rows of chairs in their family room, and a piano put right in front. We sat down and mingled while we waited for the rest of the group to get there. There were about 30 people there. And then it began.

I'm going to refer to this family as the Christmas family. After last night, I love the Christmas family.

Brother Christmas stood up, and introduced himself. He was a little quirky. He was definitely part of the Drama demographic. Him and his family were the type of people I would not like to be around before my mission.

Brother Christmas told us that his family was going to sing to us, and certain parts of the program he will ask us to sing along with him. In fact, he asked us to sing the first song with him. It was the 12 days of Christmas song. He had us stand up, and told us that we were going to do actions with the song. As we began to sing and do the actions. I felt really stupid. My mindset was, "This is so weird. I don't want to be here." But as we got to the third action, my heart was changed.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:7,  "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is‍ Christ’s, even so are‍ we Christ’s."

The Christmas family is was doing this to show their love for the Lord. They were sharing with us. There wasn't one speck of pride in them. They weren't singing to show off, or to puff themselves up, they were rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ. My thoughts turned to D&C 25:12 "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

The rest of the night I had a splendid time.

Let us all follow Jesus's invitation to "Judge not‍ according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." (John 7:24)

I love Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that He lives again. I'm so grateful for His atonement and the power that I receive from it. This Christmas season, I want to invite you all to let Jesus Christ change your hearts. Turn to him.

I love you all so much! Keep reading and praying!

Elder Tyler James Garver