Christmas

What a WEEK! Man I love Christmas. Christ lives and God loves us SO much that he gave us His son so that our imperfect little human selves can have a way to repent so that "mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircle  [us] in the arms of safety". We can be clean and joyful and live with God again! (Please read Alma 34, it's so beautiful). God wants you back more than anything. I know that the "great and last sacrifice" that Jesus Christ made really was a sacrifice, it was unimaginably difficult  It was nowhere near easy. This quote helped me understand:

"Joy is powerful, and focusing on joy brings God’s power into our lives. As in all things, Jesus Christ is our ultimate exemplar, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” Think of that! In order for Him to endure the most excruciating experience ever endured on earth, our Savior focused on joy!

And what was the joy that was set before Him? Surely it included the joy of cleansing, healing, and strengthening us; the joy of paying for the sins of all who would repent; the joy of making it possible for you and me to return home—clean and worthy—to live with our Heavenly Parents and families.

If we focus on the joy that will come to us, or to those we love, what can we endure that presently seems overwhelming, painful, scary, unfair, or simply impossible?"

-President Nelson, Joy and Spiritual Survival, Oct. 2016

He did it so that mercy could satisfy the demands of justice, so that we can have faith to change our very beings even when we know we can never be perfect. My other favorite quote I found (haha lots of quotes):

"Live according to the best light you have; and if you do you will receive all the glory you ever anticipated"

-Brigham Young

We are so blessed to have the light of the gospel in our lives. The gospel doesn't mean we are perfect nor does it expect us to be perfect. It is the PROCESS that helps us to live according to the best light we have, in any given moment, and that is all that God expects :)

Ok thanks for listening! That was long this week haha.

So Christmas week. Pretty exciting! And monumental. We look forward to Christmas so much, I can't believe it came! And went. I can hardly believe it.

 The Christmas culture here is a little different, maybe because there isn't snow, or maybe because the city isn't quite as homey, or maybe because most of the Hispanics that we work with actually celebrate Christmas Eve, not really Christmas day. It's just different. But was fun!

 

We had a district white elephant activity and dinner on Monday, our Elder from Mexico made some legit carnita tacos, bien rico. 

Christmas Eve! After district council we had some little lessons with a few people we are teaching, then went to B'more (ice cream place) for the last time (it closes for the winter)  with a less active member who was having a hard day. 

Then we got to help some members made tamales! Well, we were only there to help cut up potatoes, we didn't actually get to do the rolling part. But it was still fun. 

That night was actually kind of crazy, we were supposed to have a big dinner with a family but it wasn't ready in time so we had to leave and then our bus never came and then we had to run from a creep and we got home super late. Haha that'll be one to remember. 

Christmas was so fun to talk to you all! I am SO grateful for all the super thoughtful gifts!! I felt so much overwhelming love. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Christmas we made some sugar cookies (I can't believe I didn't get a picture, they were beautiful! (thanks to grandma Swan's Christmas cookie cutters!!)) and took them to people that we were teaching with a little Christmas message. We also got to eat some tamales which were super good. We had dinner with Mary at a little taqueria and it was so fun but I underestimated how spicy it would be and was basically crying the whole time haha. Miracle there, we were waiting outside and we found a man named Roberto! He's cool, hopefully we'll meet with him again soon. Then we gave our leftover cookie bags to the homeless people. It was a special day. 

The rest of the week was honestly not the easiest week I've had, things were kind of stressful. We had a relief society Christmas dinner but the person bringing the food was two hours late because of work, and we had someone we were teaching come so that was awkward and stressful to make her wait two hours. But we think she's ok hopefully. 

We taught English class on Saturday, that was fun :) I love the people who come, they are so great and learn so quick. I love to hear them learn to pray in English, it's so sweet. 

We had some really awesome lessons this week and found several people! Miracles. God is in even the little things, like the fact that we didn't have dinner one night and we were knocking doors and someone was so sweet and gave us tamales! Haha yes lots of tamales. Good thing they are way yummy. 

God loves us so much! Please read the scriptures to feel His love. This gospel is His and it is for all the imperfect and hurt and broken so that we can through all, still find joy. 

I love you!!!!! So so so so so so so much!!!

Love, Hermana Peck