Week 65 - Christmas was Wonderful!

I can't believe that Coach Lub died. That's really sad. But he had had surgery when I was in his class.  :(   He was really funny. 

1.  Did you get any other Christmas packages/gifts this week? 

I didn't get anymore. We get mail on Tuesday and so I got the package from Melissa last week but you already knew that I got it. Thanks for everything that I got, though.  :) I loved it all and it all fits! 

2.  So how many more tamales did you end up eating for Christmas?  Did you enjoy the rest of your Christmas Day? 

Yeah, we went and visited some menos activos (less active members) and they gave us cake. We ended up with 10 tamales I think... We had them in the fridge until yesterday when we finished them off. But I think that we will get more for New Years, lol. 

  

3.  How is J doing? 

She's doing well! M came to visit me today and made me a cake and rolls and my favorite lunnch that I like of hers. She even brought me a gift. She bought me two shirts and they are really, really cute. I love her. And I got letters from A and her kids.  :) We lost some time this afternoon but it was so worth it to spend a while with Mami M. She even wore one of the shirts that you gave her and the Crocs.  :) She's so grateful for everything that you sent her and the note, too. She said you have good Spanish, hahaha.

4.  How are D and her family doing?  Did they go to church yesterday? 

They did. Well, she did with the kids. Hno F didn't go... but that's okay. We even went to the class with the young men because they talked about missionary work and D who is her son who got baptized participates and is really pilas. We still haven't been able to visit with them, though, because of all the holiday parties and such. 

5.  What did you do for P-Day this week? 

Today we took pictures at the beach and went looking for a restaurant to eat at on the 1st as a zone to celebreate the new year. And then we went to clean our memories.. USBs. Hna A had viruses and then we waited for Marcia and we talked with her for a while and ate and it was fun.  :) And now we are here writing! And I don't have a lot of time so if I don't write back that's why! 

6.  What miracles and tender mercies have you seen this week?  Answers to your prayers? 

Well, this Christmas we actually got fed and felt love from the ward! Last Christmas we walked around in the cold rain and nobody gave us tamales! And this week J and N (two menos activos who are sisters) came to church! That just made me sooo happy. We have been working a lot with them and they finally came.  :) I was just so happy. We even went by at 7 am to wake them up, lol. And they came. And Marcia came to visit me. She has never gone to visit any of her missionaries. But she not only came to visit me way out here, she brought food and presents for me. I just love her. If anyone in this world knows how to serve with lal their heart it is her. And today wehen we were walking home a lady stopped us and told us to visit her. That doesn't hapen often... she contacted us! 

7.  How has someone else blessed your life this week? 

Marcia came.  :)  And Hna D made a Christmas dinner just for us! She had a party to go to and everything but her family made dinner for us because they knew we weren't going to have anything. 

8.  How is Hna M doing? 

She is doing well. Her husband gave us a ride on the highway this week so we didn't have to take the bus. He is still a little bit sick but he's getting better and so she is feeling more tranquila (peaceful).

9.  How have you served someone else this week?  How have you served your companion this week? 

We went as missionaries to sing in the hospital on Christmas. We went and painted a house on Christmas Eve and helped an old lady who is a menos activo to move her stuff into a shed. And my companion... well, we spent a good Christmas together. 

10.  Have you been able to talk to a lot of people this week? 

Yeah! We have talked to a ton of people this week even though it's been the holidays and usually the dats are low.  :)  We had good dats again which was awesome. But we really did find a lot of new people this week and talked to a ton! 

11.  What was the best thing that happened this week? 

CHRISTMAS! And that Marcia came today.  :) 

12.  What was the funnest/funniest thing that happened this week? 

I don't remember... and I don't have time to think right now.

13.  What was the spiritual highlight of your week? 

I don't know.... we had a good cita with J and N and they came to church!  And there's another menos activo who we have wanted to talk about the palabra de sabiduria (Word of Wisdom) with and we just haven't found the right moment. Well, we went to see him on Christmas Eve and he began to tell us about his problems with alcohol in the past and everything and so we were able to finally talk about that with him and I think that he really could feel the Spirit and feel our support while at the same time recognize that he needs to change a few things

14.  So that guy who was excommunicated who is the son of a member – have you been able to see him again? 

Nope.. we pass by but he's working a lot right now with the holidays so hopefully in January. 

15.  What did you learn from your personal study this week? 

I really don't remember.... sorry, I just really don't have time right now.... 

16.  Do you know that I love you and I miss you? 

Always!

17.  What was the best thing and the worst thing you ate this week? 

Someone gave us a ticuco this week.. I normally like ticucos but thus one was terrible... it had whole garlic and it was HUGE and pretty much just masa.... but it was with a lot of love so that made it eatable. 

18.  What was the most beautiful thing you saw this week? 

A sunset that I took a picture of for you but I think that I will have to upload it next week.... 

19.  Did you have any unusual experiences this week? 

Not really.... I don't know.

20.  What has been your biggest challenge this week? 

That no one is home or that they are all home and cooking with their families... and that just reminds us that we aren't home and we aren't with outr families. 

21.  What are you goals for this week? 

To find more people... I don't know...it's our last week together so we are just going to work hard and have fun! 

22.  What do you love most about the people you are working with? 

That they appreciate our visits... I don't know...the few people we have who are true investigators who are coming to church and everything are few... but I like getting to know people. They all have different stories. Even if they reject us I think that there is something we can learn from each of them. 

23.  How does companion study work – does one of you decide what you’ll study that day?

I always decide because Hna A doesn't want to.  Usually we review or study something that we are going to teach that day or we read some of the attributes of Christ. We always read 3 pages in the mission manual and share what we learned and we share a lot with each other so we end up talking about a ton of things usually.

24.  What is the hardest thing you have done on your mission so far? 

I think that all of it, hahaha!  It's not easy being a missionary. 

25.  Do you have any goals for the rest of your mission? 

I want to keep working on this darn perfectionism... but its poco a poco (little by little) and I really have made a lot of progress. 

I'm so sorry that I don't have a lot of time to write. I did have a good Christmas and I loved getting to talk to you all!!!!!! I LOVE YOU! 

Happy New Year!