Week 44 - December 22nd - The very best time of year

To quote a friend, I thought Christmas was months away. And then I blinked. 

This week was our Christmas activity with the zone and as such, I need to thank the Activity day girls in the Hedges Creek ward, because they inspired us to make the dresses that we gave to our zone as part of the activity. (Hermana C was sick on Tuesday so we entertained ourselves nicely with folding and decorating). 

As part of the activity, we had a variety show - Hermana Coronado and I ended up on stage a few more times then planned. We presented how to make the paper dresses, sang with the elders in our ward (it was goofy. Expect no appearances on Mexico's got talent from us) and did a sketch with the assistances about the differences between Elders and Sisters. 

It was a lovely day full of laughter and cheer and Christmas joy for all to hear. And after the tostadas for lunch, it culminated in going to the temple. That was the best part. No where else is anything like it. 

I love the lights at this time of year. I love the togetherness at this time of year. I love that of everything I could be doing around now, I get to talk to people about my Savior every day. What better way to celebrate His birth than invite others to come to know Him? 

Have an even lovelier week than normal. Know that I love where I am, what I'm doing, and I love how much I see the Lord's influence in my life every single day. He always helps us do what we need to do, even when what we're expecting when we follow those impressions is different from the result. 

I love my Savior. I love His Gospel, and I love being a missionary. 

Hermana Juliana

Week 43 - December 15th - This Week in Mexico

I learned that I'm going to become more photogenic this transfer. My new companion, Hermana Coronado, likes taking pictures and looks good in them (she's quite a fashionable person). What I love about pictures is remembering upon looking at them the story of what was going on, and where we were, and everything else that went into getting us to that precise moment for someone to click a button and capture a small snapshot of our personal history.

What we see in the people around us are also snapshots. Our daily interactions with people are so brief in comparison with the time our spirits have existed and developed and learned. I love our area book (where we keep track of people's contact information and what we've taught them) as a missionary because it provides a tiny glimpse of what some of these people have experienced with the Gospel. We don't know what people have experienced or what they are experiencing (those things don't show up in photos) but one thing I do is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what we all need. 

Pictures are static. The pictures I have when I had braces and too-short bangs that I cut myself in middle school don't accuratly represent who I am now. Give people the chance to move beyond the snapshot you have of them. 

There's my two cents. This week we discovered a set of cliffs because the plants that had been hiding them had been cleared out. We also spent Saturday in Plaza Crystal (a mall) inviting everybody to watch Él es la Dádiva. If you haven't seen it, go to christmas.mormon.org right now! Almost all of the missionaries in the city were there, and a choir from all three stakes was there as well. It was really fun. 

Have  lovely week!

Hermana Juliana

Week 42 - December 8th, 2014 - Sewing, sewing, and exchanges, (And transfers, too)

It was a pretty busy week.

 So here's the news: After three weeks of learning about why Superman is actually pretty cool and laughing A LOT, and speaking much too much English, Hermana Van is going to San Cristobal. My new companion´s name is Hermana Coronado.

This week we worked on a project that the assistants gave us - making costumes for a Nativity that will be part of the mission Christmas activity. It was thoroughly enjoyable. We went fabric shopping with Sister George, then spent the better part of a day sewing in the mission home. I like sewing, because you see the process of making something, acheiving something. I never liked at home having to press and measure (mostly the pressing) because I felt like it was slow and boring, but I know now that those small steps are essential to a clean finished product.

For example, Hermana Cook (the tall blonde super adorable one on the end in the second picture) is MASTER violinist. She can listen to a song she has never heard before and begin playing it. That's the end result of 11 years of study, and practice, and she's still going to get better and better because she will continue to practice. Not once a week or just whenever, but consistently and diligently.

The Lord gives us so many opportunities to make ourselves better - every day we make decisions and can become a different, better person. He doesn't expect us to do it by ourselves, or even quickly, but He will help us get where He needs us to be, and become WHO He needs us to be. 

Have a lovely week, and remember who you are. He created EVERYTHING, and asks us to call Him Father, of all the titles he could have chosen. 

Love,

Hermana Juliana

Week 41 - December 1st, 2014 - Who's on the Lord side?

Hi everybody!

Happy December, the Christmas season has begun. Put up your lights and be happy, and always, always remember who's name is in Christmas.

There aren't many things better than seeing people change - sometimes they are small changes, sometimes they are large, and sometimes you don't even see the full impact of the change while you are there with someone. Sometimes the change is just a light coming on in their eyes, or remembering something they used to know, like happened with a family who hasn't been to church in years that we visited this week. 

The Christmas season is a time when we get to specifically remember the one who makes it possible for us to change. We can become more like Him everyday - and we can forgive those around us who are also imperfect, and striving. 

Enjoy the first week of December! 

Love,

Hermana Juliana