Two Christmases ago we had a foreign exchange student in our family from Switzerland. Knowing that it might take a while for Christmas presents to be shipped from Switzerland, her parents sent her gifts over a month before Christmas. We had some Christmas gifts for her too, but she was missing her family and looking forward to receiving Christmas gifts from them. A week before Christmas, her parents reported that the postal service had lost track of the package, and they didn’t know where it was or if it would arrive by Christmas. By Christmas Eve, the package had still not arrived. It was lost and no one knew where it was.

We prayed as family that her package would come. But by the afternoon, it still hadn’t. I went into my room and prayed. I said, “Heavenly Father, I want our exchange student to know that prayers are answered.” And then I thought maybe I shouldn’t tell the Lord what to do. But then came into my mind and heart what to ask. I prayed, “You know where that package is. You have the ability to bring it to us.”

And He did. At 4:30 on Christmas Eve, the doorbell rang. We were watching a movie downstairs, so my husband got the door. He told me later that it had arrived. I wrapped it and put it under the Christmas tree. Our exchange student didn’t know it had arrived until she opened it Christmas morning. We were all happy for her. We all rejoiced.

If the Lord knows the location of a lost package and cares enough to bring it to the home of a foreign exchange student from Switzerland living in Idaho, then he surely knows each of us and He knows what we need. He is willing to tell us how to love and minister to each other. If we are willing to listen and act, we will grow in the gospel and in our love for those to whom we minister.

When I think of what defines Mormons or members of the church, I think of followers of Jesus Christ, families, and temples. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormons, we know that families can be forever and that marriage is between a man and a woman. For as long as I can remember I wanted to marry a wonderful man in the temple who shared my same beliefs and who I was attracted to, have children, and raise a family. Those are great goals, goals that will help me live with God someday. But what if the very principles taught by our church were ones you couldn't follow? What if you were attracted to the same sex? What if you wanted to get married, but marrying the person you were attracted to wasn't considered marriage by your church?

Some people I love have same sex attraction. When I think that they will not be able to experience in this life the joys I experience---marriage in the temple and having children---my heart hurts. In a moment of despair over this issue, I knelt and asked God why. How could the people I love not fit into the church I love? I doubted my faith and testimony. But then the Savior answered. Remember the experiences you've had where you have come to know that the church is true. Remember your testimony. Remember feeling the spirit at church, in the temple, and as you've prayed. You don't have to understand this now.

Since then I've had many more experiences validating my testimony. I read in 2 Timothy 3:14, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them." We had a lesson in church on Sunday about how God's commandments and laws keep us safe even when we don't understand. There are many things I don't understand, but I do know that Jesus Christ is real, that He loves me and every person who has lived, lives now, and will yet live on this earth. His atonement is for every person. His grace is for every person. Every person can have a personal relationship with Him.

I know as the children in this Christmas video proclaim, "For unto you and unto me and unto all of us, a Savior is born." I know this despite the many other things I do not understand.