Feliz Navidad!!! It's Christmas. En espanol mas means more so, the word Christmas means more Christ. Hopefully this Christmas we can all think about how we can have more of the spirit of Christ. I am learning more and more that comes from serving others. This week was incredible.
Jose was baptized. His mother Luz has been a member since age 15 but hasn't been coming to church. Since she started coming back her face has changed. She has changed. As i've seen the Macdonalds the Senior missionaries here do everything they can to help her get on her feet with work, food, and shelter I have learned of the joy that comes from serving others. Jose's baptism was as cool for Jose himself as it was for his Mom. It was a new start for both of them. Incredible blessings are to come in both of their lives if they keep living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. An 11 year old boy has the opportunity to change the whole course of his life, through one simple act of faith and a desire to follow Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ has been and will forever be the center of my life. He is the reason I have seen countless miracles. Hna Wagner and I were talking this morning about how we don't feel we have done anything to bring about the baptisms we have recently seen together. It has been the desire we have seen in people and the desire on our part to teach them about the tools that will help them come closer to Christ. It all becomes a little more clear...those who are prepared and have a desire to follow Jesus Christ are those we need to focus on. We have a very clear and distinct purpose, "To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End." I asked Rebecca yesterday when hna Wagner was saying goodbye to her, how has your perspective of Jesus Christ changed since we started coming. She said, I feel like I knew all of these things for the most part about Jesus Christ, but now I believe them, now I feel them. That is the coolest thing ever. She is happier, and she knows God loves her and that makes me so HAPPY! And..Rebecca's 2 kids told us they want to get baptized so we are super excited about that.
The other night we went to eat dinner with a family whose 4 kids we helped get baptized this summer and the Mother started telling us how she isn't coming to church because she is embarrassed about the fact she can't stop drinking coffee and how she and her Husband are having problems and considering divorce....WOW! As soon as someone gets back on the path the adversary works so hard to get them off again...sometimes at first I don't know what to say when they come to me with such huge problems...then I start talking about Jesus Christ and his Gospel. And if we live it we won't fall. Helaman 5:12. It always comes back to that. And to become more like Christ and live his Gospel we have to serve Him...by serving others we are serving him and we are happy. So we invited her to help out with our project Christmas of collecting clothing and toys to give to families who are struggling right now. And she got right on it and is doing way more than I ever thought possible. We are going to wrap everything with her family and then deliver them this week. If your down and depressed I am learning the service helps you forget about your problems~the problems are replaced with the spirit of Christ.
This week we went to an apt and the person wasn't there. There was a little girl standing down the street waiting for someone or something. We started to talk to her and asked her to introduce us to her parents. She led us to her Grandmother. Her Grandmother had a pretty irritated look on her face but we began to talk to her about her family and who we were. She then went on to explain her daughter..the young mother of this little girl had just passed away. She expressed that she now believes in nothing. How can God let such a thing happen? We went on to explain that God has a plan for us and that this life is not the end. We read to her from the Book of Mormon about where we go when we die and bore our testimonies of how much peace and hope come from knowing that God loves us and our families and has a plan for them. Hna Wagner has an older Sister who just a year or two ago passed a away in a car accident. Hna Wagner explains how at first she was somewhat angry with God and couldn't believe how he could let such a thing happen. But as she relied on the Savior she was able to replace that anger, confusion, and sadness with peace in knowing that God is aware of her and her family and that in the end they will be together forever. Her testimony has touched many people who find themselves in this state of depression and anger.
I don't understand all the time why things happen the way they do. But there comes a time where the why becomes more clear after a step of faith is taken.
I know the Savior lives. I know what true happiness feels like and it is the Spirit of Christ. I hope all of you will feel the Spirit of Christ this Christmas.
I love you all so much. Enjoy the Holidays! :)
FELIZ NAVIDAD
Les quiero mucho
~Hermana Holland
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