Happy Easter Everyone~ Feliz Dia de Pascua! MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS for the Easter package...Hna Batchkoff and I LOVE the presents from Mexico. This Easter week was incredible...almost surreal. Jose and Oscar were baptized on Saturday. I never knew baptisms took so much planning...all went well and we had an amazing baptism for Jose and Oscar with the support of many of the members in our branch. It was incredible to see Jose walk into the font with his cane with a huge smile on his face. This week leading up to his baptism he has been so incredibly happy. So happy. He can't describe it. You can see the change in his face. People can change. I've seen it...and that change comes from our Savior Jesus Christ. The miracle of a new heart and a new life.
Right after the baptism we went to hear an Apostle of the Lord speak to us (all the missionaries here in New Mexico~what a day right). Elder Quentin L. Cook was there along with two members of the Seventy. The Spirit of the Lord was unbelievable in that room. Hundreds of missionaries waiting anxiously to be taught by the spirit and the words of a special witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Especially in this Easter Season when we are remembering the sacrifice our Savior made for each and every one of us. Elder Cook told us how important it is to focus on The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith. He left us all with an Apostolic Blessing in which he said, " I want to promise you as an Apostle, this mission will bless everyone you love. I promise you as an Apostle, you are where you ought to be." On Easter..yesterday we had a Stake meeting where he spoke again this time to our Stake and he left a blessing that as you think about your families, you will be guided, inspired, and directed. You will have the uniting you are seeking. I bless you that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will have more meaning in your life and your desires will be more righteous. So...Family, we have the ability to be guided inspired and directed. We have the tools for true happiness. We just need to figure out how to always use them even in our busy lives that try to distract us from them. Faith, Repentance, Baptism, The Holy Ghost, and Perservering...Simple. True happiness. The means of change. What do you think we could do as a family to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ have more meaning in our lives? At the end of Elder Cook's talk he stopped and said with such sincerity, "I want you to know that the Savior loves you." From a special witness of the Lord on the day of his Resurrection...It was impossible not to feel the Holy Ghost testify of the individual, unconditional and indescribable love the Savior has from me and for every single one of His Children...as i've said many times but it never ceases to amaze me.
We also have been teaching this awesome lady named Maribel. She is like a pinapple..I may have said that before I don't know. Inside she is the sweetest person but on the outside sometimes she can have a little attitude:) Shes a little prickly but sweet on the inside! Anyways...every lesson with her you just feel the spirit filling your heart. She told us after one of lessons holding back her tears...My brother has been praying that the Lord would send someone to help our family. Perhaps...he has sent you. She is reading the Book of Mormon and believes all that it says. She is starting to recognize the hand of the Lord in her life...and really we had a cool moment where she began to open up about her internal struggles which were very similar to my own. The Lord places people in our path that we can relate to. So that we can become an answer to each others prayers.
On a lighter more comical note, yesterday we walked by two drunk men...they started talking to us...as we handed them a passalong card the one said, "I drink a lot of beer, but I love the Lord." (with this awesome sort of toothless accent haha) Oh my goodness.... Also, I don't know what was with this week but we sure ate adventurously. It all started with Chicharrones (Pig Skins) in Green Chile...oh my gosh. Spiciest things ever and extremely hard to put down. I've had it before but this time it was a large bowl and one of spiciest things i've had eaten...we were eating with the Elders eyes watering..noses running...doing everything we can to put it down. hahaha oh the joys. I love this family we eat with usually once a week but it always is a fun adventure :) Also, I had for the first time Pata de Pollo en Caldo...Chicken Feet...like the actual feet. Weird. Not too bad actually. More of a mental texture thing.
Okay back to the important stuff...
All week long I have been studying the life of the Savior in his final days. Remembering what it was like to walk the streets he walked with his own cross. Sitting in the very Garden where he suffered for each and every one of us..even our hidden pain that nobody else can see or understand. I found myself in almost a struggle as I tried to learn more about how I could apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ in my life. It all comes down to my faith and ability to REALLY trust Him. I remember the Love I felt as I sat in the Garden of Gethsemane and bore my testimony of the pure infinite Love of the Savior...and there developed the desire to share that Love. To be a representative of Christ and do what he would do if he were exactly where I was. He is perfect and we will not live a perfect life...that I am learning more than ever. And more than anything trying to learn how to give it not carry it...because the reason he did what he did was to be able to carry it. Easter is such a happy holiday. Because He Lives. The Savior Lives...and he can work through each and every one of us if we let Him.
Les quiero mucho. Feliz Dia de Pascua. Gracias por su apoyo y amor en todo. Ojala que uds sean felices....en sus vidas muy ocupadas y mas que nada...que uds puedan recordar Su Salvador Jesucristo Siempre. El le ama.
Love you all,
Hermana Holland
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