Feliz Navidad!

Feliz Navidad!

This was probably one of the best weeks of my mission so far. We have really been working really hard and searching for the people prepared and trying to get the members and leadership in the church involved and we were very blessed this week.

Ramona came to church this Sunday with the Familia Rivero and we were kind of nervous because she had basically said that if she felt good at the church, she was going to continue and get baptized. So I was nervous but I had no control cause she was sitting away from us (which was actually better) but I prayed she would have a good experience. Today was the week of missionary work in Sacrament meeting so I gave a talk. I talked about the pure love of Christ and how as missionaries we always tell people we have a message of love and that I say it all the time, but when you really think about it everything in this gospel is about love. So I talked about that and the atonement and then read the scripture that says "as I have loved you love one another" and challenged them to show their love for someone in someway before Christmas. And I stressed about forgiving people who have offended you and asking for forgiveness because a problem we have here is that the members can at times be offended pretty easily and can also offend. I was basically finished with the content of my talk that I had planned when I just looked out at the people and felt the strongest love for all of them. I told them that I loved them and that this love comes from Jesus Christ and that I truly want to help them and that the Lord has blessed me with the ability to love. It was pretty powerful and I came pretty close to crying. Afterwards, some people told me that they had cried or were close to crying so I hope they felt the spirit strong enough to where they will act and change for the better.

But back to Ramona. We have an awesome gospel doctrine teacher who is super animated and exciting so I wasn´t worried about that class. But then she went to relief society and we went to priesthood and our meeting went long so we didn´t have a chance to talk with her after. But we talked to some of the members and one lady said that Ramona gave the closing prayer! And we talked to her afterward and she told us she just felt total peace and tranquility and the love of God the whole time. We are so pumped for her! And we are hoping to get the rest of her family to come this next week. We had a good lesson with her and her husband and  he told us as well that if he had a good feeling at the church that he would be baptized. Pretty amazing!

The Lord really is blessing us so much. Today me and Elder Muñoz listed the blessings we have received these last 5 weeks and then I made a little sign that says "Las Bendiciones Son Reales" and we are going to hit it with our hand every time we leave our apartment. The greatest blessing of all is that we are becoming more like Christ and helping others do the same. It is really amazing to see these blessings and to see that if we exercise our faith, through actions that the Lord will bless us EVERY time. I love you all! Merry Christmas!

Con amor, Elder Hawk