Monday, December 23, 2013

FELIZ NAVIDAD!


 
Feliz Navidad!! Do you know what that means? I GET TO SEE ALL OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACES IN TWO DAYS!!! WHOOOO!!!
 
So to address your questions/concerns. Mom, don't you worry I got the package all taken care of and the presents are sitting under our beautiful paper tree. So thank you very much! And Hna. Driesel also says muchisimas gracias a ustedes por el stocking. I have no idea what that is in Spanish. But really, thank you so much! Also, I got the Christmas card in the mail and that made me really happy too. We've got a great little family, don't we? And yaaaaay! I get to talk to you! So we are going to our Relief Society President's house and we are going to use Skype. I'll be calling you at 2:00 our time, so whatever that is your time...I'm not really sure if we're behind or ahead, but you can look that up right? And also, I think I will call you on the phone right before so we can get everything figured out because I don't know if I remember my skype account. So I might have to create a new one, and also I don't know yours either to call you. haha So I will call you on the phone right before and then we can figure it out and then I'll see you all! Whooo hoooo! Okay, so now to telling ya'll a little about my week.
 
First off, I'm in the last week of my second transfer right now, I am one week away from being done with my training. How did that happen sooo fast? We have no idea what will happen at this next transfer as far as companions go, but all I can say is that I sure am grateful for the opportunity I have had to work with Hna. Driesel and to have her as my trainer. She seriously is the epitome of love. I have been so incredibly blessed to learn from her amazing example.
 
So, one or two things I'd like to tell you about this week. Here's a little miracle for ya! We got a referral from an Athiest, and now we have two new investigators! haha I think that's pretty great. Even though He's an athiest, He's still working for the good side right? Even if he doesn't realize it. And Mom, you asked about church yesterday. We had a pretty normal sacrament meeting, two speakers and a musical number. And guess what? The musical number was Hna. Driesel, a girl in our ward, and I! We sung silent night and had 3 parts on the last verse! Alto for me as always. haha and then, Hna. Driesel and I sung Divina Luz (Lead Kindly Light in English) at a baptism last night too! I was pretty terrified, I'll admit it--there were about 60 or 70 people there, but it actually went really well. The first verse was unison, second I sung alto and she did soprano, and third we did parts acapella. It was good for me to have that experience to say the least, and I think it was pretty good with the exception of my voice being a little shaky, but what can you do? haha but yeah so I just thought I'd tell you that!
 
This past week has been full of so much that has happened, and I just want to say how grateful I am for prayer. We have seen so many miracles this week and I owe it all to prayer. I don't have time to share all of the examples with you, but the power of prayer is remarkable! There have been multiple times this week where appointments have fallen through or we didn't have set plans--we had no idea where we needed to be. But the Lord always does, and when we ask Him for His help and direction, we can know! We have been in the right place at the right time a lot this week, and I know it is because we were seeking direction from the Lord and trying to accomplish His will rather than our own. That is when we can witness miracles in abundance! When we align our will to His. And that is exactly what I want to talk about with Christmas being this week. Think of the incredible gifts that we have been given. Our Heavenly Father sent His son to this earth, knowing that He would take upon Himself the greatest of all suffering and die for us. How difficult that must have been. What a gift that is for us. Our Heavenly Father prepared the way for us to receive the greatest of all gifts, eternal life, and Jesus Christ was willing to go through all of the agony and pain so that it would be possible for us to achieve that. Read Mark 14. In verse 33 and 34 it reads "And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch." The pain that He encountered was such great suffering that even He was taken aback by the burden He would bear. I cannot even begin to comprehend what the Savior went through for each of us, but what I can say is that I will forever be grateful that He did. I know that it is only through our Savior that we can return to live with God again one day. I know that because of what our Savior went through for us, we do not have to face life's challenges alone. We will make many mistakes, we are far from perfect, but we can overcome any pain, doubt, sadness, or sorrow that we may feel because of the Atoning Sacrifice of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. We will never be able to repay Him completely for what He did for us, but we can do one thing. We have received all of these gifts from them, so what can we give them in return? Taylor sent me a quote a few weeks ago that says it perfectly..."Everything that you have to give to the Lord, has its origin in Him, except one thing: your will. He does not have your heart, nor your mind, unless you give them to Him. It is the only gift you have to offer that He does not already have. And so when you give yourself, you truly give everything to Him.” This is the greatest gift that we can give to our Savior, the only thing that we have to give that is not already His! I know that when we give our will and desires to Him we will have a stronger relationship with Him. Please think about that during this week, and throughout the entire year. And remember amidst all the gifts that you will receive this Christmas, there is always one that will stand greater than the rest: The life of Jesus Christ. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
 
Con Muchisimo Amor,
Hermana Hoj
 

No comments:

Post a Comment