Well, T-3 days until I get to talk to the best family in the world! Words cannot even begin to describe the joy and excitement I have for Christmas day! :) All of the missionaries in our rama will be going to Chavez house to skype their families and have a Christmas lunch with them. Hermana Chavez is so excited to have all of us over! I'm so excited that I get to be with them as well. :)
Cute Christmas Stockings!
This week I had to say goodbye to Hermana Francis. :( It was so hard to have to drive away from transfer meeting without her! It is going to be really weird to do missionary work without her BUT her missionary style has pretty much rubbed off on me. So many times I say something that she would have, or done things like she would. So she is always with me in heart ;) I'm so grateful for a wonderful trainer who became a wonderful friend of mine. :)
This transfer there is only two sets of Hermana training leaders. So Hermana McGlothin and I cover 2 zones. Even though Hna Rodriguez left for a new area, I'm still her hermana Training Leader! :) I'm so happy, I love her so much! All of the hermanas are training this transfer so it is going to be really fun to go on exchanges with them.
On Wednesday was Hna McGlothin's birthday! We celebrated by going to her birthday tradition - In-N-Out. There was a member there who came to talk to us. It's always fun when members say hi! We also served at the senior center on her birthday and everyone sang to her! It was really cute.
Peter and Rebecca are doing really well. They love us coming back to teach them the lessons. This week we went over the Plan of Salvation with them. Peter is so smart and remembered almost everything that we taught them before their baptism. Peter prayed that they would remember everything that we had taught them until they died. But then he said, "But I don't want to die soon, but if i do, I'll go to the spirit world so it's okay." It was super funny. Hna McGlothin and I tried not to laugh. But it made us happy that he understood God's plan for us.
This week we knocked on a former investigator's door - Mariana. She opened the door and said, "You're the LDS missionaries right? I haven't seen you in a long time. Come back at 6pm on Monday because I'd love to keep learning." We were a little shocked but quickly agreed and we are excited to go and meet with her tonight! That was a huge miracle!
We had our first coordination meeting with Hermano Portillo. It was my first meeting all in Spanish! It was really fun and I was super happy to understand and participate in the meeting. Hno Portillo talks super fast though so I had to really pay attention to what he was saying. He is full of energy for the work!
As a district this week we have been caroling in each other's areas. It has been so fun and so successful. It is amazing how much the spirit comes when we sing hymns. Everyone loved it and it made sharing the gospel that much easier. After we sang we would give them a card. When we caroled in our area, we found 3 new investigators! These three people let us in right then and there to teach them more. So many wonderful miracles!
We taught Marili and Rosie the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity. They understood both lessons super well and committed to live both of them. Marili told us that she had given up coffee just a few weeks ago because she was noticing that it was giving her headaches. It is so cool how the Lord prepares people to accept and live his commandments. I love these girls so much! Marili told us that she knows the Church is true with all her heart, but her older sister is trying to persuade her that it isn't. It has been really hard for her but she says that if she knows it's right she has to keep learning about it despite what her sister says. Marili is so courageous! I look up to her so much!
This week we have talked about discovering, embracing, and sharing the gift as a district. Since this is the last email before Christmas, I thought I'd share a few more things on it. :)
There are so many ways that we can Discover the gift of Jesus Christ. I'm sure we all have different things that we are doing. But why do we need to discover Him? President Thomas S. Monson said, “By learning of Him, by believing in Him, by following Him, there is the capacity to become like Him. [Our] countenance can change; [our] heart can be softened; [our] step can be quickened; [our] outlook enhanced. Life becomes what it should become." I know that is true! I love the promise that as we learn of Him, we will become like Him.
We embrace (in Spanish it is accept) the gift by understanding his divine role as our Savior. As we change and repent, and as we rely more deeply on His love and support, we will feel his Atonement more deeply in our lives. Linda K Burton said, "The enabling power of the Atonement . . . gives us power to continue on the strait and narrow path leading back to the presence of our Heavenly Father."
We can share the gift by simply being like our Savior and helping others along our way. President Monson said at the last conference, "May we follow the mandate to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees." The best way that we can share the gift of the Savior's love, is by showing His love to those around us. This really struck me this week as I realized that sharing the gospel really is all about love! Sister Harriet Uchtdorf said, "You … are vibrant and enthusiastic beacons in an ever-darkening world as you show, through the way you live your lives, that the gospel is a joyful message."
So go and share the joy of the gospel! :) Share the love of Christ with everyone!
Feliz Navidad! Yo se que Jesucristo es nuestro Salvador. El es la dadiva a todos nosotros. Con amor, podemos tocar las corazones a nuestras familiares y a nuestros amigos. Podemos sentir del Espiritu Santo cuando servimos a los demas. Amo a mi Padre Celestial y se que El nos ama tanto. Tenga una buena Navidad y recuerda de su gran regalo a nosotros. Estoy agradecida por el Plan de Salvacion, y que podemos regresar a nuestro Padre Celestial como una familia eterna.
Con amor siempre,
Hermana Buxton
"Feliz Navidad, prospero ano y felicidad!" :)
A yummy take on Top Ramen!