Merry CHRISTmas!

To my wham bam fam,
What’s new and coo? So it’s rainy and 50 degrees here in El Cajon as we speak….B...E…A…UTIFUL winter weather! It’s was so weird not to wake up to sunshine this morning but I’m not complaining…. I like the rainy lazy banana pancake days when I can get em… especially on P-days where I can relax and stay inside! Today I think Elder Ulrich and I are going to make a trip down to Chula Vista aka one of the money bag parts of San Diego and I think we’re going to play some basketball, that’s usually where all the good ball players in the mission go so it’s gonna be pretty boss to actually get to play again. I haven’t played ball in a few not days….not weeks….but MONTHS!! It’s so depressing… they’re probably gonna run circles around because I’ll be a little rusty but that’s alright…I just wanna play coach!
So there’s this guy that’s sitting right next to me that has been on the phone the whole hour saying ight foo’ I aint gansta foo I just a hustala dog you know what I’m saying??
No dude! I don’t know what you’re saying! You’re not makin any sense foo! haha just thought I’d let you know my environment at the moment haha…..”and that’s a clrazy lady.”
Last night we went to the Stake Center to watch the broadcast of Christmas Devotional and Whitney I’m like…… 39% sure that I saw you!!! It was from far away when the whole congregation was singing Silent Night at the end. You were sitting close to the front in the middle!! Wassss dat choo???..... I knew it!!! Well kinda… even if it wasn’t you just say it was cuz it makes me happy to thinking that I saw you hehe…. But back on track the devotional was soo touching to me especially President Monson’s talk. The term “you don’t know all that you’ve got until it’s gone,” has never applied to me more than it has now because nothing’s ever been gone or missing in my life but now that I’m not home it just has a bigger meaning to me and it’s so true especially now at Christmas. It’s a weird feeling being away from home now at Christmas time when families are closer than ever but I have to say I feel the same way… that I’ve never been closer to all of you, my family, before. I think being here away from home sets me back away from the all the presents, the shopping, the food, everything and brings me more to the focus of “us,” family, forever and the true meaning of Christmas. I get to slow down and really think of what Christmas means and I feel closer to all of you now more than ever and I think if you can feel that….if you can feel closer to your family more than the gifts, the decorations, the craziness of shopping and running around then that’s the true Spirit of Christmas, that’s what it’s all about. Have the Christmas that it’s suppose to be… live a CHIRSTmas this year instead of a WORLDmas meaning if we don’t get caught up in all the things the world is doing and thinks about Christmas and truly focus on the birth of our Savior and blessings of our home and family and the things that we cherish so dear then this Christmas will truly be one to remember because it’s the people that we’re with, not the things that we get that is most important and most memorable.
“What all of us long for in our hearts, at Christmastime and always, is to feel bound together in love with the sweet assurance that it can last forever. This is the promise of eternal life, which God has called His greatest gift to His children (see D&C 14:7). That is made possible by the gifts to us of His Beloved Son: the Savior’s birth, Atonement, and Resurrection. It is through the Savior’s life and mission that we have the assurance that we can be together in love and live forever in families.
The feeling of longing for home is born into us. That wonderful dream cannot become real without great faith—enough for the Holy Ghost to lead us to repentance, baptism, and the making and keeping of sacred covenants with God. This faith requires enduring bravely the trials of mortal life. Then, in the next life, we can be welcomed by our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son to that home of our dreams.
Even in this life we can have an assurance of the coming of that day and feel some of the joys we will know when at last we arrive home. The celebration of the Savior’s birth at Christmas gives us special opportunities to experience those joys in this life.” – President Eyring
So take hold of what we all hold so dear and cherish every moment of it this Christmas. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year so let’s make it that way!

Welp I better run…gots some b-ball to play so I hope that every has a good week and doesn’t get tooo cold…. I know I won’t haha. So take care and I’ll be calling home soon enough! Love you all and have a great week!!!!
Much love, One love,
Elder Ryan Lawter
Ry-dawg
Ry-guy
Rhino
Ry-man
Ryan
Ryan the lion
Shuga
Handsome
Sexy
Sweetie
Love
Hotness
Bugsy
Pal
Bud
Junior
And in any other name that you call me..that's my name!