Perserverar Hasta El Fin

First off~ Heavenly Father knows you and knows what you need.  Sometimes it isn't what you are expecting or what you would think.  But he is always doing what is best so trust Him.  That is what I am trying to do.

Have you ever not known what to do, how to express yourself, or what to say and decided to just write?  Because it works!  And what it all came down to at the end of the page...I will never give up.  It is true what was said by an apostle of the Lord, often when we write what or how we feel we receive revelation for ourselves.  

This has been a week unlike any i've ever had in my whole life.  I am grateful for it.  Heavenly Father has blessed us incredibly with two incredible baptisms.  The two kids of Rebecca who was baptized about a month ago were baptized.  It was such a cool service.  The boys only invited a few families they knew because they wanted to keep it small.  The Simpson family was practically the whole program.  But...about 20 min before the baptism we get a message that everyone in the house is fighting and the daughter who was going to give the talk ran out of the house and they can't find her.  Hijole...so I didn't worry too much, I knew they would get here.  They walked in just a few minutes late, and the daughter who was going to give the talk had been crying and was fighting back tears.  I asked her if she wanted me to give the talk.  She said she could do it.  She got up there and bore her testimony and I think that was the best medicine she could have asked for.  When you least want to turn to God is when you need him the most.  Those who learn to do that in their weakest moments are those who overcome their problems faster and a lot easier.  Through Christ.  I am striving to do that very thing.  And it is not easy. At the end of the baptism Rebecca offered the prayer.  It was one of the coolest moments of my life.  She said something like, "Thank you for the day Nov 28th when Sister Wagner and Sister Holland knocked on my door and gave me what I wasn't expecting..." She began to get emotional...and this is not Rebecca to get emotional.  She was saying to us a couple of months ago...I just can't see myself crying.  The spirit of the Lord touches peoples hearts if they move forward in faith and try to be close to Him.

Joselyn the cutest jovencita i've ever met was also baptized this weekend.  She is an incredible girl.  Her family is all inactive but she is so incredibly faithful.  I love her so much and will forever be her friend and hermana.  I am so grateful the Lord has given me the privilege of knowing such incredible people.  His children who are prepared to accept His Gospel.

It has not ceased to amaze me how aware Heavenly Father is of all of His children especially His missionaries.  This week we had a training meeting in which the first thing President Miller said was...  We are all unique works of God.  Everyone is extremely different and we are to appreciate the differences and make a rich experience with those differences.  Be positive and patient with those around you and yourself.  I then went to church where I heard both in Spanish and my native language...a message Heavenly Father wanted me to hear.  Unity...Charity...God loves you.  Don't forget that.  After a marathon Sunday of 2 wards back to back and a week of racking my brain and praying my heart out to know how to help my companion, be a better comapnion, and stay focused on the work I was still amazed at how well my Heavenly Father knows me and is aware of me.  As he is of you whoever may be reading this.  God gives us trials so that we may be stronger and learn to put aside our will and submit to His.

Moroni 7:45 is my motto these days.  Mas... que haria Jesucristo.  

Tengo que perserverar hasta el fin cada dia.  Me siento como cada dia es un nuevo aventura y en el fin del dia tengo que decir a mi Padre Celestial yo he hecho me mejor por favor aceptar este trabajo y ayudame ser mejor manana.  Cada dia es una lucha y cada momento una oportunidad de ayudar alguien mas.  Se que el senor vive y quiere que seamos felices.

Les quiero mucho.  Have a great week!

Hermana Holland

No Entiendo Todo Pero Sigo

Buenas Tardes!  Quisiera compartir una escritura con uds que me ayudo mucho esta semana~ "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and the great condescensions unto the children of me, that we have power to do these things." (Jacob 4:7)  I notice that every good thing that happens in the work has happened because I am willing and striving in my many weaknesses...He makes it happen and I am available and willing to help.  If we did not have weakness pride would make this practically impossible.  But it isn't impossible because our weaknesses can become strengths through Christ...and we will see it is not our doing but His.  This week so many good things happened along with some hard things.  But I couldn't help but think at the end of it all last night when we ran through the pouring rain to our truck...how did all that just happen? Jesus Christ. Patience. Not Giving Up!

The work is taking off again here in Horizon.  We have 3 young ppl set to be baptized this weekend.  The kids of Rebecca who was baptized in December and Joselyn the cutest sweetest little girl i've ever taught!  The support of the members this week was amazing and for that reason MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING!  Also, I learned once again sometimes you just have to wait for people to come to you and stop trying so hard.  There is a family I taught back in July or Aug the neighbor of a member.  Awesome family..but they kind of disappeared.  I have just always felt the need to keep going to back to try them but then came to the conclusion that maybe we just need to knock this street...maybe its the street.  So the other day we were walking down this street after knocking the father of this family we had taught was outside.  He said, We need to meet when can you come over?  So we set up a time and had an awesome lesson with the whole family.  Last night we had a family night with their neighbors who gave us the referral and they came.  After the FHE the Dad told us, we read the chapter you left us.  We prayed before and after together.  We liked it. We are going to keep reading!  WOW!  Que suave.  Bendiciones.  This family is awesome and I am excited to see what comes of it all.

Church was so COOL yesterday!  We got our 2 little jovencita friends there...well Sarai did, the most incredible ward missionary ever went to pick them up...they were both asleep but she woke them both up and brought them!  Also, a former investigator showed up to church with her kids and her oldest daughter came up to me and said, I want to be baptized.  Also, a man who we had contacted during the week and said he would be at church came.  Heavenly Father sure does bring those who are prepared to church.  Just to show you how incredible Sarai is, we were out with her husband and little 3 year old daughter to go do a visit.  Her daughter is usually like our  best friend, but when I got in the car next to her she was just looking straight ahead with this really focused angry look on her face.  Then after a few minutes, she just started to throw up...big time.  They pull over, get out let her finish then get it somewhat cleaned up.  Meanwhile Sarai is like...man sorry we are going to be late to the apt...I hate being late! Haha...she was like they can just wait in the car.  WHAT! no way...I insisted they take us back to the car and we could just go over.  The apt ended up canceling right then so it was no problem but seriously this woman is just about as crazy as me.  I like it.  There are some incredible members here and I am so grateful for their examples.  I didn't understand before being a missionary how important member support is but it will make or break it.  

The week was filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows as is the the life of a missionary.  A young divorced single mom of 6 children who seemed so open, so inviting...we taught 3 or 4 times then all of a sudden after giving everything I had to teach them the plan of salvation practically by myself because it was in Spanish tells us she is going to her church on Sunday and isn't really interested in us coming back makes me wonder what did I do wrong until I remember i've given my best...my whole heart and now it is in the Lord's hands...to a family that approaches you and asks when can you come by and teach us, then reads the scriptures and prays as a family for the first time...there is nothing like it....not to mention witnessing a seriously passionate mother daughter fight...in Spanish I might add..and being the only one that understands what is going on. ...not knowing what to say when a parent asks you for parenting advice.  Turning them to the scriptures and most importantly the Lord Jesus Christ being my role in all of that.  Eating some of the best Mexican food of my life...those are my thoughts.  This is all something else.  How to love when you don't feel loved back....praying your way through the day...and trying to be like Christ. 

Yo se que la obra misional esta en las manos del Senor.  Lo que yo quiero aveces no es la voluntad de Dios y por eso tengo que aprender como dar todo a el para que su voluntad sea mi voluntad.  Nunca he sentido asi como estoy dando todo que tengo hasta al punto estar en mi cama en el fin del dia y sentir como no puedo mover ni pensar.  Mi mente esta en "overdrive" pero esta muy bien por que todo que estoy haciendo es por las personas aqui y en realidad el senor.  Yo se que el evangelio de Jesucristo ayude a los padres saber como ayudar a sus hijos.  Es un tesoro.  Un tesoro que necesitamos compartir.

I love you all so much.  Be happy. Smile...and have a GREAT week!

Les quiero mucho.

Hermana Holland

Truly Happy

Buenas! Como estan?!  Feliz Ano. Ojala que todo pasara muy bien para uds.  Ya estamos en 2012..ni puedo creerlo? He sido una misionera durante 3 anos...ja ja ja. Ok pues noticias de la semana!

Just want to start with this...2 Ne 28:32 "I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord of hosts."

This week the Lord has kept me going.  Coming unto him is the key to overcoming trials...really being truly happy.  It doesn't take my problems away, but it sure does strengthen me.  This week we set out to find new people to teach.  We found lots.  In Spanish lessons I basically am teaching the whole lesson by myself because my Companion is an English Sister.  It is a challenge, but we are working on the basics for Hna Harlan to be able to testify and pray.  I don't think she is fully convinced she is serving in Spanish right now for a reason.  I truly believe there is a reason for all of this.  President Miller told me if we weren't together right now, Horizon would not have missionaries.  Horizon City needs Missionaries so I am grateful and willing to be here.  

We had some cool finding experiences this week.  We went to teach an older couple who had come to church but are always in Juarez and found their sons girlfriend there.  She was so interested and grateful we were there.  She expressed her desire to change her life and to come to know her Heavenly Father.  Hna Harlan didn't understand anything but afterward she told me she just felt the spirit so strong.  She went to Juarez for the weekend but when we stopped by at the end of the week to see her again we found her boyfriend this big kid named Rafael.  His parents invited us in and we started to talk to them, I invited Rafael to come join us but he kind of nodded like he wasn't interested and sat in the kitchen.  I proceeded to read a scripture about prayer and turned to Rafael to ask him if He had prayed before and if he believed in God...He kind of said yes, then tears started to fill his eyes.  I shared with him my experiences of praying at first.  How at first I felt kind of like I was talking to a wall.  He said, ya..that is how I feel.  Obviously this was really bothering him. I then shared how as I continued to pray...kept trying I came to KNOW He really was listening.  It isn't until after the trial of our faith that we are shown the blessings.  It isn't easy, but it is worth it.  

The Lord prepares people. I know that.  Sometimes things don't work out as I expect.  But I know the Lord has a plan.  That will never change for me.  He lives.  He knows us.  I will never ever forget the lessons I am learning right now.  At the end of a long day...I know I always have someone to go to.  That is pretty cool.  Prayer is the coolest thing ever.  Think about it...a 24 hour lifeline.  Many people don't know Heavenly Father.  Many people don't ever talk to Him.  Everyone has aches and pains...so really, why wouldn't you want some extra much needed help?  That is what our Savior and Heavenly Father provide.  And that is what I love telling people about.  What if someone just understood exactly how you feel right now?  There is always someone like that...who understands you perfectly.  Jesus Christ. 

The people here are keeping me going.  Joselyn a young girl who ALWAYS has a smile on her face always ready and excited to listen and read the scriptures.  Rosie Olivas a mexican version of my Mom who has changed so much her perspective of life through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Maricela Trevino who always comes to church with this awesome smile on her face giving me the biggest hugs of gratitude and love...and many more.  These people are blessings and that I am so grateful for.  The coolest part, we are learning so much from each other.

Estamos empezando un ano nuevo.  En este tiempo del reflecionar podemos fijar metas...pero lo mas importante de todo yo creo es para decidir ahora que vamos a enfocarnos en las cosas sencillas en las cosas importantes.  El evangelio de Jesucristo es sencillo y se que nos trae felicidad.  Piensen uds en que pueden hacer para poder vivir mejor el evangelio de Jesucristo.  Estamos aqui para tener gozo.  Y este gozo real viene por el senor y las muchas bendiciones que el nos ha dado.

I love you all!  Les quiero mucho!  Feliz ano nuevo!

Hermana Holland

Photo: Jose and his new train~Gracias Papi

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 

Feliz Navidad!

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

Diligent Efforts and Graceful Moments

Bueno. Ha sido una semana bien interesante. como siempre. Feliz Navidad!

 Rebecca got baptized on Friday.  It probably was one of the coolest baptisms I've seen.  If I have ever met a complicated person before it is Rebecca.  This woman has incredible faith that will forever be an example to me.  I don't understand what Rebecca struggles with but it seems to me lately there really are lots of people that don't quite believe deep down in their hearts that God Loves them.  Without that belief it is hard to feel his love.  But we have seen Rebecca change whether she noticed it or not, and that is one of the greatest blessings I could ever ask for.  I could see it in her face.  In the way she treated her kids.  Insteading of yelling, asking.  She opened the door one day and had her hair down.  She came to her baptism in a skirt we found for her and makeup.  For  a woman who stays inside all day in her pajamas and has a hard time getting out of bed, that was a huge change.  During Rebeccas baptism we sang Be Still My Soul...As I was concentrating on hitting the high notes and worrying about making it sound just perfect for her, I took a moment to look up at her and saw that she was just bawling.  Coming from the woman who said...why do people cry at church when they bare their testimony or talk about how they feel about the Savior? I don't know if that will ever happen to me...I was just completely filled with the Saviors love when I saw that.  I feel like she really had had that change of heart.  There is a scripture in Ezekial that talks about changing a stony heart into a heart of flesh.  I think of it as a stony heart to a softened one.  That change comes through the Savior.  Through diligent effort.  The adversary doesn't like us to think we can change.  But the reality is that we can.  People's lives CAN CHANGE through Jesus Christ!  I know my own has.

Oh and my graceful moment of the week was during Rebecca's baptism.  Oh my goodness!  So, she had just gotten baptized.  We were inside the doors of the font to give her her towel, and she went in the bathroom to change and we went out the doors to where the conductor was standing and talking...and the people were sitting.  There happened to be a little puddle of water outside the door.  I lost traction and did a nice little dance move to save myself from falling.  Everyone started laughing including myself and then the guy directing said something about Cotton-eyed-joe...at least I got a good laugh out of it. haha..

As for the two families of boys we are teaching and trying to help get back on their feet...the 11 year old, Jose is planning to get baptized hopefully this weekend.  But the coolest thing was seeing him walk so proudly into church with his new white shirt and tie..scriptures in hand.  Like a natural as Dad would say.  He is awesome.  

Yesterday we were teaching Gospel Principles and we decided to change the lesson last minute to Faith in Jesus Christ.  Hermana Wagner showed me a cool scripture in Isiah 64:8 that says 

"But now O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."

If there is one thing I am learning here in El Paso, it is that.  We are all in His hands.  We have to learn to act in faith in order to see changes and improvements in our lives.  This morning we received a text from a young girl in need...who was alone and needed someone to remind her that somebody loved her.  I am learning that there are lots of people out there that feel that way.  That have gotten themselves so low and so depressed that they don't quite feel there is any way out, and are not worthy of Heavenly Father's love.  I know everyone is worthy of Heavenly Father's love and forgiveness.  

Alma 5:33

Feliz Navidad!  Les quiero mucho.  Recuerden la razon que celebramos navidad.  El espiritu del senor es algo bien especial .  Estoy muy agradecida por la oportunidad yo tengo para sentirlo siempre por el servicio.  Si no esta feliz...haga algo para alguien mas.  Se que lo va a ayudar.

Que tengan una buena semana!

Hermana Holland

The Greatest Gift

First before I forget...funny story of the week.  We were visiting this awesome family getting ready to show them this object lesson and I needed a quarter so I asked.  This is all in Spanish by the way.  Then she said one or two and I responded... "One-O" like one and uno mixed together you know the commonly known language here of Spanglish.  Just comes out on accident sometimes switching back and forth all day between english and spanish.  So then they all started laughing like kind of hard.  I was confused because Spanglish isn't that funny...then the dad told me one-o sounds like a spanish word meaning bat poop.  Oh good.  Haha.  So that is my emberassing moment of the week. :) 

 Fasting and prayer really does work, just like the scriptures say.  Miracles happen.  So remember Rebecca the lady who was doing everything we asked her to.  Reading the scriptures, praying, coming to church and was frustrated because she couldn't feel or recognize any sort of answer.  I felt underneath all the worry and brainstorming of what more can we do that it would come in her time and the Lord's time.  We invited her to the Elder's baptism the other day.  She came with her kids. And yesterday at church when we were talking to her alone she told us, I want to be baptized.  When I saw the man getting baptized yesterday I just felt happy.  And then when you guys were singing Nearer My God to Thee I just almost started crying.  And this is coming from the lady who specifically told us, I just don't understand why people cry when they are sharing their testimony or speaking...I just have never felt that and I don't understand.  WOW!  So if anything the spirit has the power to touch anyone's heart no matter how analytical or logical they are if they are open to it.  Rebecca is awesome and hopefully her 12 year old son will be baptized with her.  

One day this week we were out doing visits with a member after an appointment canceled, and we decided to go visit a woman who the Bishop had told us was less-active.  It sure turned out to be something else.  This lady has been through some awful stuff when she was young.  Like awful.  And because of that she hasn't been able to let go and be happy...that spiraled into a whole bunch of decisions that caused her to lose her friends.  She is now married with 2 little boys and a husband in Iraq to be returning soon.  But she doesn't come to church out of fear I think and she knows it would help her.  I asked her if she had ever considered the role of the Savior in helping eliminate her pain.  She said, no.  Hna Wagner read her a few Scriptures in the bible about the peace Jesus Christ offers us.  They touched her unlike any scripture ever had.  She said, when I was young and going to church these scriptures didn't mean much to me.  But now they apply to my life and they mean so much more. 

We've been working with the senior missionaries to help out this family we are working with.  It is 2 single moms with 6 boys.  They didn't have too many clothes or coats for the cold...let alone much food.  We've got some go getter missionaries here who contacted their kids in Utah to organize the sending of boxes of little boys clothes.  We brought them to them this week and the little boys just started getting all dressed up in church outfits.  It was the cutest thing ever.  They all came to church in their collared shirts and sweater vests.  The spirit of Christmas is truly here.  It is so cool to see people reaching out to others and serving.  To see the smile and gratitude on people's faces just makes my day.

Les quiero mucho.  Disfruten este tiempo de Navidad!  Es algo bien especial.  Estoy agradecida por estar aqui ahorita en este tiempo.

I know the Savior lives.  I know he knows us better than we know ourselves.  He is the greatest gift we can give!  So find someone to share His love with.

Gracias por todo!  I love you :)

Hermana Holland