Full of Rejoicing

The sisters taught the youth how to study like missionaries!

F e l i z !

I love Christmas a lot.

People really like caroling. It’s not a very big thing in Mexico, so when we go and sing for people, it really touches them. I love how people answer their doors in the usual apathetic, uninterested, brusque Yucatecan way-- usually: “Quien.” (Who?) -- but after we start singing they turn into real people. Love is a converting factor. :) Maybe we can’t always serve people by teaching them the truths that will change their lives, but at least we can help them feel loved.  I like singing with Hermana Wilson because we blend perfectly.

Setting up their Young Women class display.

Abril y Luis fell away. I’m not even sure how, but this week we found in the street the coolest family. We almost passed by Gabriel y Jimena because they were working in their garage, but the way that Gabriel said “hi” to us when we passed was so unusually friendly and familiar.  After a couple seconds I turned around and went back. I don’t think we even said anything to them and Gabriel invited us into their house to meet their two kids and see their baby (this is very unusual behavior, usually the rest of the family tries to hide.) Their house and family are strikingly beautiful, but what impressed me the most was the feeling I had when we walked in their home-- it was feliz. They are a genuinely happy family. I hadn’t felt that in a home for such a long time that it really impacted me.

Gabriel and Jimena are Christian but bashed on their church the whole time. They built their entire house themselves and do all of their projects by hand. They don’t go to church, but are constantly helping people out (like letting people live in their house, paying for other people's hospital treatments, etc.)  Not to mention they are both young and gorgeous. All their kids have crazy beautiful eyes.

Flor, the coolest ever,  is going on a mission in January.

We sat down in their garage and taught them while they were painting their do-it-yourself deck and they were totally on board with the Restoration and then... THEY CAME TO CHURCH THE NEXT DAY. Yesterday was a Christmas miracle. For this entire transfer, we haven’t had a single investigator come to church but yesterday we had SIX.

In response to Mom’s question: 'Dádiva' means 'gift'. It's like 'regalo' means 'present', 'dàdiva' means 'gift'. I have talked to like two people here who know what 'dadiva' means. :)

Hermana Wilson and I are going to stay together in Chuburna for another transfer! We were full of rejoicing. I'm really excited to spend Christmas in this ward. I love Barrio Chuburna, there are a lot of solidly good people in this ward.

Much love,
Hermana Ludlam