Monday, December 22, 2014

Christmas Week

Monday, December 22, 2014

Hola!
Crazy to think it's Christmas this week! One, because it doesn't feel like Christmas here at all haha. There are some decorations here in some places and some people have trees but Argentina just doesn't have the same Christmas spirit as the states and not to mention it's super hot right now.  Like you just can't have Christmas during the summer. Also because I remember just last Christmas when the Elders came over to our house to Skype their families. It's weird to think that now I'm in their shoes and will be Skyping you guys and in the home of a family.  So we are planning to go over to the Berrondos at 3:00 p.m. Argentina time so 10:00 a.m. your time to Skype. So yeah be ready around 10:00 a.m. your time for my call.

You`ll have to tell me about the insulin pump on Christmas because I still don't really get it haha.

That's super awesome that you are responsible for the missionary work in the stake!! It's cool that you`ll still be serving and working with the missionaries so we can have similar experiences. That's great that you had your first lesson Mom (with the young women), are you enjoying it so far?

Yeah not much news right now on the mission change because President Thurgood knows just as much as us so I guess more information will come with time. Crazy to think there's a possibility of me and Elder Pribyl ending up in the same mission especially because he could end up in Buenos Aires South Mission too.

Yes I got the letter with the General Conference Ensign and the birthday wishes from Facebook along with more stickers and the missinoary stuff which is really cool thank you!!

This last week we had a zone conference and combined with two other stakes. It was like any other zone conference in the beginning, the Assistants and President taught us and then afterwards each zone had some time to do something. We did our skit.  Another zone did a skit too and the other zone did a video of their testimonies. It was still spiritual but also some fun and Christmas in it too.

On Saturday we had a cool experience. Elder Killian and I prayed about some streets we should tract and do contacts on and on the first street after about 7 or 8 houses a woman let us in and we taught her and we have an appointment with her on Tuesday. We really need new investigators and we prayed that we could find one this week and we did. I have faith she`ll progress but we`ll see what happens. Either way it was cool and strengthened my faith because from a list of about 20 streets we both individually prayed and selected 5 and from those 3 of ours matched and it was on the first street we met this lady. We`ll see what happens though.

Today we had our zone activity and just played soccer and dodge ball.

It`s hard being away, especially during the holidays and for Scott and Erika's wedding but then I think of why I`m here. During this Christmas  I'm learning a lot more on the true meaning of Christmas. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."   Jesus Christ is the Gift. He was the first gift of Christmas and the best gift we can receive in our lives. During this time at Christmas we should remember why we celebrate it in the first place. - why there are gifts and Christmas trees to begin with. It all begin with our Savior, Jesus Christ who was born in the most humble of conditions--in a manger. Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, who before he came to the earth lived as a God with our Father in Heaven, who created the earth.  The King of Kings and he came to earth not in some grand entrance with glory but in the must humblest of ways, born as a baby in a manger to a virgin and a carpenter. He is the best being to have ever lived. He lived a perfect life and he gave us the perfect example. In the end He completed the Fathers will and died for us. He rose from the dead and through that all might be resurrected. The other part of His gift, is conditional on our acceptance though. We must accept the conditions of the atonement and keep them. Through His sacrifice, we can be forgiven of our sins, guilt can become peace, sadness can become happiness, we can become clean and start over, everyday. We can have faith and hope in a better future, a hope and knowledge that through His sacrifice we can change. Through his sacrifice, he knows exactly how we feel and because of that he knows exactly how to help us and what we need. If we just turn to Him and accept Him and His atoning sacrifice in our lives we can have joy and peace in our life right now and for eternity. I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior, the Redeemer of all mankind, He is the captain of our salvation, and He lives! May we all remember the true meaning of Christmas and may we try to be more like Him and follow His example for it is the only way to true and everlasting happiness. I love you and miss you all! I cant wait to Skype in a few days!. 

Love,

Elder McFarland

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