Christmas in the MTC

OH MY GOODNESS! OH MY GOODNESS! I am so very excited. This week was sick.  Okay, let me start with the devotional.  I got to be in the choir and that was SUCH a beautiful experience, but that also meant that I got to sit pretty close to all of the apostles.  When they walked in I felt such a strong, comforting spirit.  By that point my week was already made, but get this:  Elder Richard G. Scott LOOKED AT US and gave us a THUMBS UP.  I would know because I was staring at him the whole time.  What a precious man.  I finally got to see him in person!! Oh, how GLORIOUS! Elder Russel M. Nelson looked at us sisters in the choir with an astonished grin and said to Elder Oaks (I could read his lips),"Wow! There are so many of them!"  He seemed surprised to be looking at so many sister missionaries at one time :)  I mean no disrespect by saying this... but the general authorities of the Church (among others things) are some of THE cutest men alive.  Is that bad to say?   I'm sorry.  I just so much enjoyed seeing them in person. 

At the broadcast!

Anyway, yay for the use of more social media and things!  I'm loving life without it all, but if it is going to further the work I'll have to manage.  So, something has really been bothering me.  EVERYONE in my district is taller than me.  I am by far the smallest person and sure... in the real world, maybe you could say I'm average-sized... but here in my district I am the baby of the group.  They actually call me Cara Bebe (baby face).  I don't know how I feel about that... Anyway :) Life is looking up here in the mission field.  Our pretend (but still very real) investigators Josue and Lydia and taking well to our visits.  We've had some very spiritual experiences with them, but I figure... for lack of time I'll only share the real life ones when they come.  If I'm even allowed to share a little about those kinds of things... what are the rules for that stuff anyway?  I'll find out. 

My District :)  Notice I'm the shortest

So, yesterday was half Christmas!  We made a tree, sang Christmas songs all week, decorated as much as we could, our whole district wore red and green, and the best part is: SANTA CAME.  Us missionaries don't have much, but we all put together little presents and snacks and woke up to them under our tree!  Conveniently, a special someone provided us with cinnamon rolls and sparkling cider :)  (Thanks Kel!)  Oh and on Christmas Eve we were blessed to have a little bit of precipitation.  Not exactly a white Christmas... but a wet one :]  For the past four days, the sisters in my district have asked that I tell them stories in my baby voice and whistle them to sleep.  The first night, that nonsense lasted for almost a whole hour and a half.  We've been more responsible since. Hahaha, sister missionaries... They are easily pleased. 

Christmas in June! (Half Christmas!)

My Spanish is coming very well.  Now I know what I need to know, feel me? Listen to these crazy connections in my district:  I am going to Chicago-- Hermana Fisher is from Chicago. Elder Remund is from Utah-- Hermana Fisher, Elder Reis, Hermana Lawrence, and Hermana Arnell are serving in Utah.  Elder Smith is going to New York-- Guess where I'm from? New York!  Hermana Lawrence is from Missouri-- Elder Keine is serving in Missouri.  Hermana Woolstenhulme is going to Arizona-- And that is where Hermana Carr is from.  Isn't that cool??  We are all so close.  They're a huge blessing to me :) 

Sleepy at 9:30 p.m.

Some words of wisdom for you all:  If you are ever discontent with life, please count your blessings.  If you ever feel alone, write down all the ways you've seen God's hand in your life.  I don't want to have to say it again... but I will :) WRITE IN A JOURNAL! It is such a blessing; however, the blessing is magnified when you consistently reread your journal.  And don't forget to practice self-mastery.  Deny yourself of all ungodliness and focus on overcoming the natural man.  When you're tired and you should be working - keep working.  When you want to eat that third mint brownie - No no no. Get some cantaloupe.  We all can have faith in God because He can do anything and everything, but have some faith in yourself as well... because of your faith in God.  You can be so much better than you are and do much more than you are doing. 

As the army of Helaman...

Oh, and here's my personal thought... You can kind of gauge how close you are to the Lord by how much peace you have in your life.  Satan is the father of all lies and imitates every kind of emotion, but the one thing he can't imitate is peace.  Find the peace that only comes from Christ and turning your will over to Him.

If you want to find greater happiness, charity, faith, strength and peace: READ the Book of Mormon.  It is what it is.  And it's wonderful.

Love you all!

Hermana Sanabria