EE 14

how are yall !

 I hope that all of the Christmas things and activities went well! it was awesome to talk to yall on the phone and hear your voices and be able to know what’s going on! This week has been really long for me.  But wow we have worked harder than we ever have. Each missionary has his style ya know. My new comp is a machine at this thing called missionary work.

We were out on the 26th and had a couple lesson planned but some of them fell through and usually Jensen and I would call someone else that we could go to but nope not with Elder Alexis.  We knocked on the neighbors door and taught them! It was awesome! We went for 4 hours almost contacting and found 3 menos actives (less active) and three awesome people.

He is teaching me to not have any fear honestly and it sweet – living on faith.  He is funny, every time we get to sit down in a lesson he looks around at the people in the room, asks them their names and according to their age he says.... you’ll be a priest.. you, a deacon .. and, when are you going on a mission!! hahah It is the coolest thing because after those questions we explain what those things are and it wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable anymore with them because they knew more about us and what we expected out of them .

We had a Christmas activity in the church and it was the funniest thing in the world. Everyone came thinking there was going to be food and drinks. But, after the spiritual message that the Bishop shared, they just cranked up the music in the church and expected people to dance. Usually... most all of the time, Dominicans are just fine with dancing but, not this day ! haha It reminded me of 7th grade where all the boys were still hiding from the girls!. Everyone was just sitting in a circle starring at each other! haha I’m kind of glad that we didn’t invite our investigators!

We ate Christmas Eve dinner at the house of the Castillo family and they were awesome but a little bit to anxious to faten me up!  There was enough food to feed the whole city of Santiago! So I had one plate and while I was eating it they kept telling me and my comp to eat fast and eat more. I got done with one plate and they had another one ready for me! I have a tiny stomach and don’t like much food but it did not matter to them.  Wow, it was a funny experience.

We met a kid in the street when I first got to this area and he has always been there to just give us a high five and ride away on his bike.  I never knew his name and never really paid that much attention to him other than just trying to be friendly.  But yesterday I stopped him and asked him his name, where he lives and if his parents were home.  He told me yeah yeah they're home go over there and see them. So we went over there and told the Dad that his son sent us to his house, he laughed; like it’s happened before. But, we came to find out that he and his family had been baptized and had been inactive for about 2 years. They live in a house that we always passed by and never thought to stop.  But on this day we went because a 9 year old kid wants his Dad and family to go to church again!  

Its way cool what gets put into our way when we apply faith and listen to the Spirit.  I think that sometimes timing is everything.

Thank you for making my Christmas the best by talking to me!  It made things way fun!  I love you guys and hope you have a happy new year and make good goals and do good things and light fire works and.... don’t die. !@!1 bye

Oh, can I just tell you that Christmas baptisms are awesome!

ELDER GRINER

"Faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth. . . .Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and without power there could be no creation nor existence!"  -  Joseph Smith