Hace mucho desde hablamos!!

 December 28, 2020

Hola mi amada familia!! It was so weird to not talk to you guys last night, i was liking the daily contact haha. It really was a good week here! Christmas was great! The highlight was absolutley getting to talk to you guys. That was so fun to see everyone on Christmas. I was a lil sad for just a sec which was the first time I have been sad honesly since those first few weeks. But we got back into the work and had some really good things. I love the people here and I've seen I'm always happy when I'm focusing on them. Ive talked so much this week I feel like you guys know whats been happening so I just wrote some things from my studies and then a couple things from yesterday. 

Alma 1 Nehor comes, starts preachcraft or superchería sacerdotal, lesds away many people, kills Gideon so sad, but then they are brought before Alma. Alma asks the Lord. Condemns Gideon to death and commands all his followers to repent or have their names removed

Alma 2 Amlici leads away many people. They prepare for war. Alma leads his people. They humble themselves! They recieve strength from the Lord. Alma defeats Almici himself. Retreat and return with Lamanites, army almost as 

numerous as the sands of the sea. They again are strengthened by the Lord and win. 

Alma 3 Amlicites marked themselves w the red on their foreheads. I remember the lesson here of Dads mission presidents wife. Present yourself as a representative of the Lord.

Alma 4 the people mourn at first fod their great losses. Many people join church. But shortly after, many fall away just a couple years ñater. People becoming more wicked and prideful. So Alma steps down as cheif judge  so he can focus if being high priest and preaching the gospel. I loved the last two verses so much, they have really been on my mind. 

19 And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them.

20 And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy

I love how he said bearing pure testimony!! Also how we consecrated himself to focus wholly on the work, and then how he preached according to the Spirit. Thats huge.

Alma 5 Wow! This has to be one of the best chapers in the whole book of Mormon. Almost interview at beginning, asking the people, but really us, Have you recieved this mighty change of heart. Have you recieved God in your countenance. Will you be able to look Him in the eyes on Judgemente Day. If you've felt this change can ye feel so know? So powerful. And then at the end he bears hisbpure testimony. He says ai know that these things are true. Said he fasted and prayed manyy days to know they are true. Not just his conversion w the angel. And he talks about his witness of the Spirit that has made these things known unto him. Power of the spirit in him. Loved it 

Alma 6 meet together oft. 

Alma 7 Valle de Gedeon. Buena gente!! Hes happy with them and that they are "founded on the path of the Lord" rough translation maybe. But i really like that thought. The covenant path! And then Alma gives the incredibly powerful testimony, pure testimony, of Christ. He will be born of Maria, a virgen, a worthy vessel. He will come to take upon himself the pains, temptations, sicknesses of the world. Not just sin, but every pain and hardship we have he will tske upon himself so he can know how to succor his people. The most selfless act ever. More love than anything. All for us. He knows us personally, perfectly, wants to helps us. And then Alma gives some more counsel to be humble, patient. Keep the commandments in all things! So that we have faith, patience, and charity and we always abound in good works. At the end he talks about how is speaking according to the Spirit that is in him. Start to finish such a good chapter. 

Christmas Eve

Started off as a normal day, workouts, studies, weekly planning, all the good stuff. Called home during lunch and that was fun!! Then we watched the Chosen, had a lesson w Waldo, he is a YSA and his mom is a returning memnber. He has some pegit mental illness so idrk know how to help him exactly but we went over and talked to a while. Went to the Duran and ate soo much food!! Best tamales I've ever had. 

Christmas Day

Basketball

Breakfast

Games

Call home

Dinner

Instuitute 

Call home

Open presents

Dad always says we need something to look forward too!! Entonces 

Things to look forward to

Mom's Bday

Easter

Conference 

Argentina

Calderon

Fernando, Juana, Gustavo, todos los demás amigos

Sunday 

Couple miracles!!! 

First off Fernando came to church!!! He was a media refferañ about two weeks ago. We reached out to him and he said he felt sad but that was all he said. We continued to call him but his phone was terrible. Said he couldnt pay for it or something, just thought he was going to blow us off. But then we get a call from a random number on Christmas Eve at like 9 and it's him! Haha he got a new phone and wanted to meet. We set something up in person but that fell through actually. But we dropped off a pamphlet and rescheduled. We talked for a sec Saturday evening and he said he wanted to come to church!! He actually lives way close to the church. He walked in about 5 minutes late and I was helping pass the sacrament but Hno Gutierrez corralled him to Elder Woods. He said he really liked it!! He said he felt free. It was super cool and Hno. Gutierrez was there talking to him too haha hes so good he was super upfront like this is the true church but they got along really well actually. We are going to meet with him again Tuesday!! 

Another milagro! I was getting ready and thought randomly hm maybe i should bring some oil. I have in on a cabeener thing so i thought it wouldnt look the best but just threw it inside my pocket and went on my way. Well after church hno Alva comes over and asks if we have oil! Luckily I did so I went with him and annointed an hermana and hno alva sealed it. It was way cool, especially in spanish. Ive never done it in spanish, there havent been many opporuntites to give blessings here because we cant really go out at all anways. But it wasnt even until after that I realized that I wasnt w Elder woods! He was with Hno Gutierrez and Fernando, I was with Hno Alva so I guess it was like a 10 minute exchange with the ward mission leaders haha whoops. It was still a really cool experience, definitely a tender mercy to have brought my oil, which by the was is the same stuff that trey gave me.