December 21

Another week in history! I LOVE being a missionary in the Christmas season.  I think it helps we live in Mormonville and are spreading christmas cheer .... but seriously ... it's the best! Pretty much every door we go to we sing! Most are people we know and then some .... are new found friends! Right now instead of asking members, "do you know anyone who we could teach" (ok that is not how you ask for a referral ....) we ask, "who could we go sing to?" and we've gotten some referrals from people! Horray!

The line "tenia miedo" is from Friday. As a missionary I've lived in 3 peoples basement now.  All of them I have worried about falling down the stairs as we are constantly running up and down them.  I was on the phone Friday with a member and hung up and swung around to bajar and completely slipped, sliding down the bottom 4 stairs. My first thought was, "well that didn't sound good" and then I realized after such a traumatic experience the only thing that hurt was my pinky finger that smacked the wall. No worries though, my two angel companions came in a heartbeat to hug me and help in whatever way possible. In that moment I knew I never had anything to worry about ..... I always have them to take care of me! They laughed when the first thing I said was, "tenia miedo" .... "i was scared" ..... the rest of that being .... "of falling down the stairs .... and it happened!" We all just laughed!

The only downside of christmas is the fact that no one has time for ANYTHING. That's ok though ... we'll sing at your door, wish you merry christmas, remind you to read the Book of Mormon to feel this peace everyday, and set up a time after christmas! That's life though!

We saw a family a few months ago that we knew we needed to go teach and this week that came to an end. Oh how sad to be dropped by someone. They're a young couple, Reyna and Manuel, with two little kids who are adorable. they don't really have a religious background except catholic by tradition. We had a few quick visits with them and were super excited after a great lesson last week answering questions they had ...... but went to the appointment and Reyna didn't even open the cage (pretty much all places here have these "cage" "storm" doors .... definitely NOT a fan. They scream get away from here) and just said, "look, my mom is Catholic and she got mad at me as to why I would be learning about Mormons if I'm not Mormon. So, don't both coming back." Oh it was sad. First experience for Hna Juarez with that as well and it really suprised her. todavia, we love God and others and this work will go forward. I love Alma 32:39.  la semilla will always be good. The BoM will always be a good seed. If you don't fertilize it though ... you don't give place to be good in you. you cannot have that joy if you don't nurture it.  But in the end .... it's good! No matter what! One day they will act on the Spirit they recognized and receive more blessings!

We had a branch activity on Friday where we ate elote (i don't know how to spell it .... corn with mayo and cheese .... for the record it's REALLY good!) and hot chocolate at Pioneer park across from the temple.  We had about 20 people there to eat and then go walk around the christmas lights at the temple. We had some investigators there but felt that they were in good hands and we could go try to contact some more of our referrals we haven't contacted yet.  We said goodbye to everyone and walked away, only to return about 5 min later with a family we met in the park and invited to eat! How fun it was to just meet people and say, "hey, I know you want some hot chocolate and elote. come eat some! we have plenty!" The branch was super welcoming and they accepted missionaries in their home - saying they had some living across the street from them but had no idea what they were! HA but yeah! We walked away knowing, without a question, that we are missionaries. No matter where we are, we are doing this work! It was so fun to be able to do that and invite them to join the branch!! It felt like one of those movie experiences ..... you always wish missionary work is like that!

We went to the temple on Thursday with half our mission! Before and after we sort of had zone conference ... in anycase learned from President and Sister Ellsworth. We have banished the idea of counting TTIs because it takes our focus away from our purpose of baptizing ... as we're just focusing on talking to people. Now our focus is on new investigators and bringing them to baptism.  It's a REALLY good change for the mission. I remember coming in the mission and being bewhildered as to why we were counting how many people we talked to each day - it's a measure of how big OUR effort is as missionaries .... not to the progression of the people we're teaching. anyway, it's good. Really nothing changes because we still talk with everyone!

We stopped and talked to a woman yesterday that testified to us that we were sent to talk to her. The reason WHY we were sent to talk to her apparently wasn't so important though because she didn't want to hear our message. Do those not go together?

We have wonderful families we're teaching right now! One family committed to be baptized but are praying about a date. They also decided, in front of us, to get married!!!! They are wonderful - the brother of the woman just got home from his mission a month ago. Sadly though, they are moving out of the branch and so at the very least we are praying to prepare them with this firm desire to be baptized!  We were there saturday at night though and it was a little depressing hearing about lost hopes with the law not passing. Ay what a sad thing that that law did not pass. You could feel the broken hearts in people in telling us it didn't pass. Ohhh!

Christmas is here! We will also be helping out in the calling center in the Visitor Center to call the referrals received from Christmas lights!!! Now I get to do them in Spanish - in the MTC I couldn't get past "hola, mi nombre es Elizabeth." hahahaha We're excited! I'm still conducting a small group for the song "What Child is This" for New Years Eve when all the missionaries sing for the last night of Christmas lights. Ohhhhh man I am soooo excited! it is a beautiful song, the missionaries are good singers, and that night will just be amazing!

This is the Lord's work! With three of us it's always a party, but it's also the chance to talk to more people, more ideas, and bless more people! FELIZ NAVIDAD! Jesucristo vive! I love you all!!!! Talk to you Saturday! Love always, Hermana Clark