FELIZ NAVIDAD Y AÑO NUEVO

I hope everyone had a perfect Christmas, ate a lot of food, spent time with family, and took time as a family to remember the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. I was able to talk to my family Christmas Day over Skype, and it was really fun to see their faces and hear their voices!

It says "Rap is Life."

Here in Bolivia, and I think probably most of Latin America, Christmas Eve is really the big thing. They all stay up until midnight, then eat dinner and open their presents. And we had special permission to eat pork on Christmas, because usually we are not allowed to, because a lot of people get sick from it.

We ate dinner Christmas Eve with our pensionista, the lady who usually feeds us lunch and dinner, with the secretaries and another set of sister missionaries. it was really fun. Then, when we got home, the family we live with invited us to their dinner. They made piquana, which is like a soup that Bolivians eat for Christmas. The granda dressed up as Santa to drop off presents for his 5 year old grandson, so Santa was there when came in. But the 5 year old was already asleep, and he didn´t want anything to do with Santa. it was really funny.

We were not able to find a whole lot of people to teach this week, because everyone was with family or busy getting ready for Christmas, or traveling. It was a little hard. But it was a really good Christmas. My first and last in the mission!

I hope everyone is doing well!

Hermana Wingate and her Companion, Hermana Worthy.

Elder Secretaries, Hermanas and family.

#ShareTheGift

Hermana Worthy and Hermana Wingate

She must be riding this to the wedding! ;0)

So, I am not sure how popular this has been getting, because I only use the internet once a week specifically to email my family. BUT, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been doing a Christmas campaign of #ShareTheGift. As missionaries, we have been showing people the He Is The Gift video, on Christmas.Mormon.org , but there is also a video getting around of the World's largest Nativity scene. Featuring return missionary David Archuleta. If you haven't scene it, you should look it up! It's really precious.

Also, I would like to take this time to announce my engagement to David Archuleta. You are all invited to our wedding when I get home, August 2015. And it will be in the temple, because he is a return missionary. If anyone wants to call David and let him know, too, I would greatly appreciate it.

Last night we had a Christmas Devotional with our mission president and all of the missionaries in Cochabamba. It was really beautiful. President Hansen quoted part of a talk by Elder Bednar, that was talking about missionaries not being home for Christmas, and he said something that really impacted me. Something along the lines of "let your absence this Christmas serve as a witness of your testimony of The Savior Jesus Christ." And that really is what it is.

I will not be home this Christmas, because I know that Jesus Christ is my savior. I know that he died for my sins, or for the sins of everyone who is willing to repent and follow his commandments. I am so grateful to be able to share this testimony with others everyday for these 18 months. I miss my family, and I love them, but I wouldn´t trade this time for anything. I will go home and go on with my normal life, but I am only here as a missionary for this short time. I know that Jesus lives. I know that God loves me. And this Christmas, I am here to help others know these things are true.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, and that you can take time personally, or as a family, to thank God for sending us, His son, Jesus Christ.

I don't think she has been leaving leaving graffiti!

Hna Hansen, Hna Hullinger, Hna Santego all went to the MTC in Bogota, Columbia together. 

Hermana Larsen from The DOES Stake back home.

Oh, Tupiza

Merry  Christmas!

So, today is my last day in Tupiza. I am a little sad to be leaving after 6 months here. But, I am ready for a new area, new people, and new things to learn. I am going back to Cochabamba, in an area in the city. And I am going to be with Hermana Worthy again! She was the white girl companion I had for 2 weeks before I came to Tupiza. And she goes home in January.

Yesterday, before church, we went by someone´s house to go to church with them, and when we turned onto their street, there were Jehovah´s Witness EVERYWHERE! I don´t know how it is in other parts of the world, but here in Tupiza the JWs are super faithful. They have their church services Sunday afternoon, so Saturday all day and Sunday in the morning they go visit basically all of Tupiza. It was so funny. There were literally like 20 in this little street, and we felt so weird walking past all of them. And then, the person we went to visit wasn´t there. Oh well.

A lot of the members have been asking about transfers and if I am leaving, since I have been here for a while. It is really sad! There are so many people here that I really love, and it is hard to leave them. Especially because there is a good chance that I won´t come back here. Or, at least not for a loooooong time.

But, I am excited for the change. I have done my work in this area, and God needs me somewhere else now. He has other people for me to meet and to help in Cocha.

ALSO, I hope everyone is getting excited for CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! I am so excited. I love Christmas. And the church has a really beautiful video out for Christmas. It´s called He Is The Gift. You can watch it at Christmas.Mormon.org it is super beautiful, and really helps us remember the reason we celebrate Christmas, to remember the birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I hope everyone is doing well!

A member burns the items that she does not need.

Relief Society , members brought items they made thru the year.

Quiriza

Today we went to Quiriza again, for p-day (personal day). It is the first chapel in all of Bolivia, and where President Spencer W. Kimball prayed to see if they should open the church in Bolivia. It´s kind of a big deal.

Also, I feel like a lot of people must be wondering. Since, now, I am halfway done with my mission... I still can´t roll my r´s. It is a real shame.

So, I think everyone and their dog knows that I have been sick, because my mom talks about it all the time. And I have been a little down about being sick. But, I have been praying a lot, and I fasting this weekend about it, and I honestly am feeling really happy. I know that God knows how I feel, and I know that he is helping me.

I can honestly feel people praying for me, and I can feel God helping me, giving me strength that on my own I do not have. I have been truly blessed time and time again. And I know that God is always there to bless me if I am willing to be obedient to His commandments.

It really is beautiful to be serving a mission. I have grown so close to my Savior Jesus Christ, and have truly grown to understand how much God truly loves me, and loves all of His children.

I hope everyone is doing well at home, and is getting excited for Christmas!

IT´S DECEMBER!!!!!

That is so weird. I left my house in February, and now it´s December. And this month I get to call my family for Christmas! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay! And, to celebrate, I am wearing a Christmas shirt (that I brought from home 9 months ago, because I love Christmas), and today my companion and I are going to help a member put up her Christmas tree!!! I seriously love Christmas!

Also, I am pretty sure the Christmas Devotional of the church is this Sunday, but I could be wrong. Either way, everyone should watch it! You can watch it on the internet, I am pretty sure, or you can go to your local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church). ( December 7, at 8 pm)

This week we started teaching a lady named S. She is about 24 years old and has a 4 year old daughter. She is super nice and was really interested in talking to us. When we first taught her, she said she felt a warm, peaceful feeling in her chest (the Holy Ghost) and that she felt like what we were teaching her could really be true. We invited her to pray, and she said she felt the same thing, and really believes that our message is true and that this is the true church of Jesus Christ.

She accepted a baptismal date for December 27, which is after transfers, so I probably won´t be here for it. But I am so grateful for the opportunity I have right now to know her, and be a part of her conversion process.

Being in the mission, I have had so many beautiful experiences. I have met so many great people, and truly witnessed miracles. I am so grateful to be here, and I learn so much everyday. And I have truly grown so close to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I wouldn´t trade these experiences for anything.

I know this church is true. I know the it is guided my Jesus Christ, though His Prophet Thomas S. Monson. I know it with all of my heart, and I am grateful to be able to share it everyday with people here in Bolivia. With my Brothers and Sisters.

I hope everyone is doing well at home!