A Labor of Love: December 2014

Hola!

I hope everyone had such a stellar Christmas!

This Christmas was very different for me; for one it was real hot, and two my greatest presents were that we got to sleep in a little, and call our families, two things we NEVER get to do. Christmas is very different here, they celebrate the night before with a huge dinner and then presents and fireworks and midnight! We got to go to a members house for Christmas Eve, and we had a literal entire pig (they literally kill a pig and then put it in the oven), which was actually really good. It was an interesting Christmas, but one I`ll never forget! What a blessing to be serving during this time of year!

This week we had some really cool experiences and taught some amazing people. I learned some cool lessons. First thing that is really happy, Selene is progressing and read 12 chapters of the Book of Mormon in only 2 days!

One day we were out walking (every day actually we are out walking...)and stopped a couple with their baby (the mom is 16... its normal here) , they said we could come visit them. Our lesson with them was amazing. The dad told us that he knows he met us for a reason, they almost weren`t going to leave that day, but then decided at the last minute to go. He also told us how recently he quit drinking and has been thinking a lot about religion, the Lord truly does prepare people.

But the coolest experience; in that same lesson towards the end, we gave them the pamphlet of the Restoration, and their one year old baby took the pamphlet and starting playing with it, at first he was just throwing it around, but after a second he looked at the front, where there is a picture of Christ, and then he pointed like he recognized the photo, and was so happy, he just looked at the picture of Christ so calmly and kept pointing. My companion and I were in awe. Testimony that kids really were just recently with Christ. Such a tender experience.

I can`t believe its the new year! I LOVE the new year! A time to reflect on ourselves and the changes we can make and how we can improve and put our lives more in line with the teachings of Christ. A time to make goals! I LOVE goals! In the mission I have learned so much about setting goals! I LOVE this quote..

" To reach a goal never before attained, one must do things never before done." - Richard G. Scott

This entire year 2015, I will be on a mission, a whole year dedicated to the Lord, that is something I have never before done, and I am so excited to see all I can attain! I LOVE being on a mission, yes it is hard, but I am growing so much!

Con Amor, Hermana Matheson