Merry Christmas

Hey familia!

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas full of love and christmas spirit! We had a nice Christmas FULL of tons of work and busy stress. Gotta love that! But we ended the weekend with 5 baptisms and 4 confirmations. Haha. A little sad, but we’ll get one of the girls confirmed next week. It was a beautiful service and I felt the spirit very strongly. I’m definitely grateful that Heavenly Father let us see that huge miracle and blessing.

Funnies this week:

1. Pretty sure we found a tarantula in our water sink thing. (don’t know what its called in English) but its our source of water. Yup a tarantula. Good thing we have a brave papa cruz to fish it out and the dog to kill it. Hahaha. MLIAIH

2. We get to the branch Christmas party on Wednesday and the branch president asked us to do a special musical number. No preparation. Practiced once, sang, they loved it. MLIAIH.

3. So the end of the year tradition in Honduras is that before Christmas almost everyone repaints their house, because the paint wears and stuff. But they don’t worry about repainting the same colors, they just pick a new one or two colors and get at it. Its all good because I mean who likes to have the same color house forever, but its confusing when we read an address and it has a house color on it that has changed. Haha that method of finding peoples house just went out the window. MLIAIH

4. Another Christmas tradition is that the kids make these dummies out of pillows and soccer ball heads and stuff, put them in the street, and then pull a rope across the street and when people pass by ask for money. I’m still trying to figure out the connection. What I’ve investigated I think they are asking for money to buy fireworks and blow up the dummies. I’m still working on it, so I’ll get back to you when I figure it out. MLIAIH

5. The other day we were bringing this cute little family to church but we were a little late, so we were getting the kids to walk fast. The 3 year old kid had his new pants on but they were a little big and forgot a belt. So as my companion held his hand, the 8 year old brother held his pants, but a little too strong so he was walking all funny. Hahaha it was the funniest scene, especially cuz this kid was just laughing his head off. Oh I wanted a picture. MLIAIH

6. Best thing about Honduras: they sell egg nog all year round. (or is that normal and I’ve just forgot?) anyway I love it. MLIAIH

Well I’m certainly grateful for all the funnies I had this week, because it wasn’t that funny of a week. Haha. We’ve had some really huge trials with some families that we’re working with, so its been a not so funny week, but I guess if we look for the negative, that’s what we’ll find right? I guess I’ll keep looking for the funnies.

But I am learning a lot about why Heavenly Father gives us trials. I mean I still haven’t figured it out totally yet, but I was studying this morning and realized that there are so many promises made to the people who are persecuted and go through trials, that we should consider hard times blessings because then we deserve the blessings. Hope that makes sense. Its hard, but its so important to keep an eternal perspective and realize that maybe lifes not fair, but if we know we are being obedient we have nothing to worry about. After all, the wicked will be much worse off!

I hope you all can take some time in prayer this week and ask Heavenly Father the things he wants you to do in this coming year. Remember he knows what is going to happen in 2011 and can help you prepare, if you find the personal revelation. That’s what I’m hoping to do this week. Lets make some goals and accomplish them! Hehe.

I love this gospel and I love the Lord, that’s why I’m here!

Love you all, too!

Hermana Smith