Tuesday, December 23, 2014

So Much More Than a Babe Lying in a Manger

¡Hola Familia!

¡FELIZ NAVIDAD! Can you believe its already Christmas time and I hit a week this last week...scary! Well I´m super excited for it to be Christmas and that I have the chance to spend it with the wonderful people of Mexico!! Trust me, they go ALL out with the decorations and they all sing...I´m afraid I´m going to go have seizures walking past the houses, but none the less it is beautiful and everyone puts nativities up, so I love it!!

Its definitely not a white Christmas like it was in Provo, but I´ve been enjoying the warm weather and enjoying flowers that are starting to bloom everywhere! I really am in such a beautiful place!! And I´m loving this Christmas season here, I don´t think I really have felt as GOOD on the mission than I have this month of December, it really is such a special time of the year!

So this month our President asked us to follow the prophets counsel and discover Christ and who he is for us. So to help us discover him, he asked us to read the 4 gospels. I´m just about done with John, and it has been one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission. I have come to know my Savior, but I have felt it on a personal level. As I read each story of him healing, forgiving, and sacrificing, I couldn´t help but put myself in each of their spots and there were times where it really seemed to me that Christ was right there sitting next to me. It has strengthened my love for my Savior so much. He has become so much more than a babe lying in a manger to me. 

Everyday I become more and more grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary. I get to be a servant of the Lord, and I get to share the happiness and all things beautiful I have had in my life with everyone I come in contact with! I hope you all can experience this love this week, and can come to know your Savior a little bit more. I hope you know he is the light and life of this world. Once we discover him, we receive more light and it keeps growing, its AMAZING. He is Wonderful.

I love you all so much and hope you have Merry Christmas and enjoy the love that is in the air this season. Eat lots of food. Drink lots of hot chocolate. And enjoy each others company.

¡Nos vemos en Jueves por skype!

With all the love I can send,
Hermana Pasley

Monday, December 15, 2014

A Prophecy Fulfilled

Family!!!

Man, I just never seem to have enough time to write...today was crazy. We went to the market down town today and it was a zoo and it took FOREVER to get back...so sorry this is so short!

Here in Mexico we are definately feeling the Christmas spirit, even though it is a balmy 70-75 degrees everyday! And I´ve never seen so many virgens hanging up...yeah we´re just not going to talk about the huge birthday celebrations they´ve been having for her this week. They can´t just steal Christmas...ha but I respect them and love them don´t even worry, I´m a missionary :)

This last Sunday they asked me and my companion to speak about Christmas. As I was thinking about what to say Sunday morning, I thought of the counsel our Prophet has given us this month to Discover Christ, accept Christ, and to share Christ. And the famous scripture in Isaiah 9:6 came to mind:

 For unto us child is bornunto us son is given: and thegovernment shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall becalled Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty GodThe everlastingFather, The Prince of Peace.

As I read this scripture, I picked it apart into each name that is given to him and told examples of how this prophecy had come true, some stories are in the Bible, others in the BOM, and others in my own life. As I studied each name out in my mind, I discovered a little more about Christ, I feel SO much more love for him. I want to invite all of you to do the same. Find examples of why is the son, wonderful, the prince of peace, etc. I promise you will find he has so much more meaning in your life!! I felt like my talk went really well and I got a lot compliments after, so I felt good about it!!

We have a lot of Christmas parties this week, so I´m excited to start this week!! I´m glad everyone had a good week and I hope this letter finds all doing well!! Give my love to the Johnson Family, they are in my prayers!!

Also I can´t believe that Brenton is coming home...What?? Tell him I´m so proud of him and wish him a happy birthday for me!! So CRAZY!!

I´ll let you know the skype schedule next week. I still don´t know when I will skype, but it should be some time in the morning!! I love you all and pray for you each and every night!! stay strong and keep the faith!!

Hermana Pasley

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Christmas Spirit is in the Air

Dearest Family,

Before I say anything... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, YOU LIVE IN A ZOO, YOU LOOK LIKE A MONKEY..AAAAAAAND YOU SMELL LIKE ONE TOO!!!
I love you little Joe...well I don´t know if you are really my little Joey anymore...ojala que sí!!! But know I love you so much and I´ve showed everyone you´re picture and have told them that you are getting baptised soon....aaaaand I may or may not have gotten you a girl friend...her names Paola...she´s a BABE...you´re welcome! Have a good birthday little man!!!

Well this week has been a pretty good week!! Sorry I haven´t written you very well the last few weeks, its been CRAZY!!! Good thing that happened...HERMANA MOSER came to Villa for a day and I got to see my friend and Hermana Aguirre...reunited with my Mom!!! It was the BEST day ever!!! Today a sister invited us to go help her make mole today so we could learn!! It is crazy stuff!!! You pretty much just through whatever you got in the house and throw it in the blender, and then mix some chocolate in it and throw in on some chicken...but its SO good...its so weird, but so good!! I have the recipe so don´t sorry you can all try chocolate chicken sometime!!

So we have one investigator that I LOVE and is progressing so well!! His name is Carlos. He is the atheist that I told you said his first prayer the other night...and now he´s praying ALL the time without being asked to, God is a God of MIRACLES!!!! His member is a life time member and he has been listening to the missionaries for YEARS!! Every couple of missionaries have dropped him because he just fights everything. But God has prepared this man, it has taken years, but he has finally accepted this gospel and is taking it in stride. As we have felt the spirit testify to him of the BOM and the Plan of Salvation, he has become more than willing to repent and change his life. The best part is that his daughter is turning 8 on the 26th of December, so those two will be getting baptised together!! It is definately going to make this holiday season a special one for the family! The Christmas spirit seriously is one of our most powerful tools in this time of year!! Take advantage of it and SHARE it!!! The spirit is SO amazing!!! I love it so much!! And as the christmas spirit is settling in...it just gets stronger!! Keep Carlos in your prayers!! I love you all so much!!

Happy Birthday Joe!!! Love you so much!!! 

Stay strong and keep the faith!

Hermana Pasley

p.s. pokemon joke in honor of joe´s birthday. WHy don´t you shower with a pokemon in your house? They might peek-at-you...I hope thats appropriate for a missionary to say!! Happy birthday Joe!

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

He is the Gift

Hi Family!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving week and ate lots of Turkey!! On Thursday I think I ate Mole, so know I was having my own little Mexican Thanksgiving! Well last Monday we got a huge announcement from the Church Headquarters. They have this HUGE project for Christmas. It is called He is the Gift. It is a video to help people understand Christmas´true meaning. It is so awesome!! We watched it all together after district class one day and the spirit was so strong, stronger than I have ever felt and I KNOW that this is going to be such an awesome Christmas!!! We as members are encouraged to share this video with EVERYONE you know. Whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, Insta (?), whatever it is you kids are doing these days. The Prophet has asked us to be missionaries this month of December and help ALL know of the true meaning of Christmas. I´m sorry I have no time to write...the mission is crazy!!! But you all need to watch the video and share it PRONTO!!!! I love you all and hope you have a great week. Stay strong and keep the faith!

christmas.mormon.org

Hermana Pasley