Happy Christmas!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

This is the most amazing Nativity I have ever seen.

It is even more beautiful in person... and all of the pieces are handmade here in Perù.

Mom, if I could fit one in my suitcase for you, I would. 

Goodness, I am just feeling the Christmas spirit today. I was feeling it yesterday, too. Well, and the day before.

Okay, let's be honest - I have just been FEELING it this week.

We spent 4 hours during service on Thursday decorating the house of our pensionista for Christmas :) Hermana Emma is the wife of the Stake President, and she is wonderful. She is like our mama away from home. She has a son in the mission right now in Argentina, and all of that missionary-mom-love just gets shoveled on top of us. It's great :) We love her!

CHRISTMAS DECORATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We live in the Stake President's house (well, downstairs), who just happens to be the co-president of an extremely wealthy international company here in Lima.

Their house in gorgeous. Nothing like I have seen in the rest of my mission.

And we made it even more amazing with CHRISTMAS decorations :))))))

HA LLEGADO LA NAVIDAD!!!!

This week was FULL of work - we have been running on "star-power-mega-speed" since I got here to Villa El Salvador. There is just SO much to be done here in the Lord's vineyard! The ward is great, and we want to work with them as much as possible. The last couple cambios here in this area have been almost lost because of disobedience. It makes me sad - but things are changing. We are starting to gain the confidence of the members again. It might take a while, but we are willing to serve and sacrifice until they trust us fully again to work on the same team. 

On Thursday, we went to the TEMPLE! And GUESS WHAT! Here in Lima, we go to the temple EVERY SINGLE WEEK with converts and rescues :) It is beautiful. I really love the temple. WE work with 2 whole stakes - when the Elders bring their convert or rescue for the first time, they get to come to the temple as well. The miracles in retention are real. I love this part of my calling. The Lord is hastening His work on BOTH sides of the veil, and we have to help Him... on both sides.

The Christmas devotional last night was perfect :) I loved the songs that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang. I felt the Spirit so strongly. I love hearing from prophets, seers, and revelators. It just gives me comfort to know that the Lord loves us enough to send His word through them.

Nos ha nacido UN SALVADOR :)

The doctrine is true!

Hermana Sintay :)