Feliz Navidad!

 

Wow. I love the work. This week was super crazy, and filled with so many miracles and so many lessons to be learned.

 

Here in El Salvador, the tradition for Christmas, is a little different than what I am used to. Here the tradition is a huge dinner in 24, Noche Buena, which consists, of chicken, rice, potato salad and bread… They also have fireworks, firecrackers, and a ton of small devices to lite on fire. I was on my toes all week long, and I was so startled a couple times. It sounds like world war three here.

 

Anyways, In Noche Buena we had dinner four times! I felt like I was going to explode! I honestly never want to see chicken again in my life. But I am so grateful for this ward and all of the support that we have received.

 

Our Christmas miracle came when we went to visit a family that was recently baptized. They live in a tiny community behind our house and have some neighbors that we have tried to visit, but weren’t super positive. Well, we were walking by and the sister shouted “Hermanas! Come here! I have a question!” We went over and asked her how we could help. She is a beautiful young woman and has a young baby and her boyfriend. Well the first thing that she said was, “Hermanas we need your help to get married, we would like to be baptized.” I honestly had no idea what to say. It was the perfect Christmas miracle. The Lord is so merciful and this work is so beautiful.

 

We have been trying hard to get people to come to church. With so much going on, it is easy for people to make excuses to not go to church. Well, yesterday Hermana Avila and I went to church without a single investigator. I felt so bad and was having a major self-evaluation. Well just before I broke down into tears, one of our ancient and eternal investigators walked into the chapel. My heart stopped. I love this little old man. He is kind of super crazy, but he wanted to come to church, and thoroughly enjoyed himself. Wow… How merciful our Heavenly Father.

 

Wow, what a week. As we get closer to the new years I have tried to dedicate myself more to the basics of the gospel and missionary work. I was reading a general conference talk from Dieter F. Uchtdorf and I loved this quote, “Your testimony of the Living Son of God… may not come as quickly as you desire but I promise you this: if you do your part, it will come. And it will be glorious.” This work is so glorious!  It really helped motivate me to start over, and make sure that I always do my part.

 

I love you all! Thank you for your love and support!!

 

Hurrah for Israel!

 

Love Hermana Hipol