December 2nd

Family,

I am doing really well.  We have been constantly working and progressing day in and day out. My Thanksgiving was also pretty good, I was able to have dinner with a member family of our ward, la familia H____. It was a traditional american-style turkey Thanksgiving like normal, but I was able to say all the things I was grateful for around the dinner table in spanish. It was different, but I liked it.

I also had the incredible opportunity to ordain A____ with the Aaronic priesthood last Tuesday and so he was able to bless the sacrament yesterday for the first time in sacrament meeting. Not only was he able to do that, but he was able to say it in spanish! It was such a cool experience for him. We also have a temple trip coming up in another 2 weeks or so (around Christmas), so I will also have the opportunity to go with him to do baptisms! It's just incredible to see his spiritual progression and for me to be the one to witness all of it.  

Another great experience I had, yesterday my companion, Elder Gonzalez, was able to baptize F____ H____. The spirit was so strong as F____later bore his testimony in front of everyone after the baptismal ordanance. It was great to be a part of the baptism and to be able to work with F_____, who already has such a strong testimony. 

I'm very blessed to have had the experiences that I've had this past week. I am also blessed to say that my spanish is actually improving a lot more than it has been before. I really struggled for the longest time with the language, but I figured I would try President Hinkley's promise, which was to read the entire Book of Mormon out loud in a different language (spanish- for me). I only started this a couple weeks ago and made it a goal to finish the BoM by the end of the year. I have complete faith in this promise. I know I can do it:)

President Gordon B. Hinckley declared: “Those who have read [the Book of Mormon] prayerfully, be they rich or poor, learned or unlearned, have grown under its power. …

“… Without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts … the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God” (“The Power of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, June 1988, 6; see also “The Book of Mormon,” Tambuli, Oct. 1988, 7).

Thank you guys for all of your messages! I'll continue to pray for those certain individuals in my personal prayers. I'm blessed to hear all is going well. Keep it up. Love you guys.