Cristo Vive

Hola otra vez!  It was so good to hear your voices yesterday.  I'm glad you all had a Merry Christmas.  So I told you all about my new companion Sister Harlan last night from Nebraska, but for those of you who don't know...  She is the lots of fun, and is part of the Living Legends Young Ambassadors groups at BYU.  She is Native American and Mexican but doesn't speak Spanish...and wasn't called to speak Spanish so that presents a very interesting challenge/adventure.    

The day Hna Harlan arrived here our ward mission leader had set up an appointment for us to go visit a man he and his friends were talking to a few days prior.  We took with us one of the ward missionaries and had a very interesting encounter with a group of Apostolicas.  Oh my goodness.  When we first got there it was just a woman she was very nice and welcoming... we sat down.  By the way this is all in Spanish so Hna Harlan has no idea what is going on.  Thank goodness Sarai is with us~she can speak spanish.  So when her husband arrives the woman takes out her scriptures and her head shall.  All the woman put on a little shawl over their head when they pray or study the Bible in this religion.  In my first area we had a lesson with a group of these people and they invite the Hermanos from the church to come...and so that is what happened the other night (Hna Harlan's first night here) one by one people started to come in and join the lesson.  We started with a prayer and for me, my goal was to share the message of the Restoration and bear my testimony.  That was not their goal.  Their goal was to prove what we were teaching incorrect with the Bible.  It was a bit difficult as it was my first experience with Sis Harlan teaching the first lesson by myself.  I just remember that when I bore my testimony of how the Book of Mormon was true and the Bible and the Book of Mormon go hand and hand, the spirit was there.  I tried to bring every doubt or concern back to the message of the Restoration.  We invited them to read it, then pray about it and find out for themselves if we are crazy or not.  I walked out feeling like maybe I could study the Bible a little more, but feeling no different about my beliefs and what I know to be true.  It did not shake my testimony, because I know through prayer what is true.  I know the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.  I know the Savior lives and through both the Bible and the Book of Mormon we have the fullness of the restored Gospel.  Hna Harlan pobrecita was just fighting to stay awake after catching a 3AM flight and being thrown into Spanish world.  Nevertheless, it was a very eventful first day in the Mission field for her.

Christmas was great.  Because Christmas is about Christ and that is what my life is all about.  We were able to deliver Christmas to a few families in need with the help of members.  Also, to spend time with all of the recent converts and their families was incredible.  I feel so blessed to have a family here in El Paso, I love these people so much.  Also, it really was a white Christmas here.  Christmas Eve and Christmas it snowed!!!  Last night we visited Rosie and her family.  Ate some incredible tamales and shared a Christmas message. her husband has always been uninterested...he just claims he doesn't feel anything...he told us he basically lacks faith.  There is a lot more to it than that but last night we were talking to them and then asked each member of the family to say why they were grateful for Jesus Christ.  It was SO cool.  Her husband talked about how he could feel the Spirit of Christ.  Her son who she is struggling with talked about  how he was grateful for the parents He had given him.  Rosie began to tear up.  The spirit bore witness to the fact that a family centered on Jesus Christ is a family that is stronger, happier, and able to overcome the trials life brings. 

We started teaching a boy named Abner.  He is about our age and came to church a couple of weeks ago with tons of questions.  We had a really cool lesson with him this week...he expressed to us that he was just confused about what God wanted him to do with his life.  He was confused about why there are so many religions in the world if there is only one God.  It was so cool to see a young man with the desire to do what is right and to know what God wanted him to do.  Honestly, I haven't met to many boys my age with that same sincere desire.  And as we shared the message his questions and concerns became clear.  I learned again the importance of listening. ...of letting someone speak and express what they feel.  Sister Harlan has a way of relating to people...a way of sincerely sharing with them how she knows how they feel and how this will help them.  It is really cool. Every single Missionary I have met has something unique and special that adds to this work.  Depending on our efforts and trust in the lord, that unique thing grows and grows into more and more gifts to share with others.

I'm going to be honest, this situation I am in right now, I don't understand all the reasons why...Why in my last 2 transfers I am teaching an English Sister fresh from the MTC Spanish which I am still learning.  But I do know and trust the Lord has his reasons.  It has been a hard week for Sister Harlan.  She is getting frusterated not being able to communicate and I remember that all to well.  But this morning I realized that despite this week being so hard...in terms of the work, teaching solo...trying to figure out how to help my companion...trying to say everything in Spanish and English to her so she can learn...Not thinking about the fact we both were sick....I was at peace.  And we laughed through the whole thing.  As Nephi said, I don't know the meaning of all things but I know God loveth His Children.  I know that is true.  I know with all my heart that is true.  I am doing my best to help my companion with her personal struggles in adjusting to this new life.  I have so much respect for her, this is quite the hard and unexpected transition.  But I will do all I can to make it happen.  And the way it will happen the best is by losing ourselves in the Work of the Lord.  

Se que el senor vive.  Quiero encontrar las personas que estan batallando en la vida y necesitan el amor y misericordia del senor.  He visto los cambios en algunas personas y se que es real.  Jesucristo es el ejemplo de humildad, caridad, fe...pues todo.  Y yo continuo mi jornada en llegar a ser mas como el.  Cada dia veo que cuando estamos en el servicio de los demas estamos en el servicio de Dios.  Si estan tristes.. sirvan a los demas. Prometo que van a sentir mejores por el amor puro de Cristo.

Thank you for all of you Christmas love!  I am so blessed to have such an incredible family (Knudsens included).  I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas  and I wish you all a very Happy New Year!  2012.  wow.  

Time flies.  So enjoy it.  I am trying to do the same.  

Los quiero mucho.

Hermanita Holland