Quote of the week:

"The Lord doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called"


Monday, December 24, 2012

Week 73, Venado Tuerto, Argentina

"Video of us singing Oh, Holy Night"



                         
                         Our Christmas "Shrine"

Elder Haderlie and his new companion Elder Millheim


 "I ate a burrito!!!! There's like a little hole in the wall that claims to have mexican food. It wasn't that great, but it's the closest that I've had to a real burrito!"
My District


Our District at our Christmas celebration with President and his wife on Dec 18th



Merry Christmas!!!

As we celebrate this Christmas season I don’t know what could be better than explain what Christmas is for me. These past three Christmas´ have been different for me. I say three because it all started when I was up at BYU. That was when I really came to understand the true meaning of Christmas and became grateful for season. When I was up at BYU we were assigned to read a book called the Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox. By reading about, understanding, and experiencing the Atonement in my life, it opened my eyes to what Christmas really is. I learned that Christ was the reason for the season. I started looking past the gifts and decorations and became more focused on the symbolism behind them. I remember coming home from BYU and finding people stressed about presents and time for this and that. Although traditions are great and fun, we must not let them distract us from the real meaning of Christmas. Seeing this craziness kind of set me back. As sons and daughters of God we owe it to Him. Without the birth of our Savior and Lord, we are nothing. There would be nothing to celebrate if he hadn’t been born in a manger. That year at BYU changed my view on Christmas because I learned to understand the Atonement.

Then last year, I learned the importance of Love and Family. With the help of an awesome companion, I learned how to be grateful for the littlest things. I learned that we are so blessed and fortunate that it’s seriously not even funny. I learned that the best thing we can give is time, love and a smile. We shared lessons with families about Christmas and even got to help a family decorate their two-foot Christmas tree. Then receiving a photo calendar from my family was the best thing in the whole entire world, seeing that it was my first Christmas away from home. I learned that Christmas isn’t the same without family but through emails and a phone call, I could feel their presence anyways. 

This year I think I’m learning how to give and give special attention to people. I’ve felt more of the giving spirit, which is pretty rare for my thrifty self. I don’t write this to jactarme, I don’t know the word in English (he meant boast) but anyways there’s a family here that is sooo great and so special. They are also very poor but you wouldn’t know it by their smiles. They both gave us a little present that we haven’t opened up yet and I kept thinking and thinking what could I give them! So.... I gave them the little tree that you sent me! haha I felt so good! We also found some Christmas lights in the apartment so we gave them those too. :) I love Christmas and hope we can all really focus on what matters. Gifts come and go but Christ’s Atonement doesn’t. Lets take advantage of this season and give Christ something or some part of us. Lets read his story from the Bible and allow it change our lives. 

I love all of you guys and cant wait to SEE YOU tomorrow!!! woohoo!!


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