MERRY ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!

Familia!!

My Obispo (bishop) asked me if I could teach his son Gustavo how to play the piano. I obviously said yes, that´s not a problem. And my companion got super stoked because this meant that she could learn as well. In the back of my mind I was thinking, "what in the world did you just agree to' You can´t teach someone piano, let alone without any books and in a different language." Haha. But I´m going to try so wish me luck! Adventures.

It was also hilarious because I told my companion that I want to go to try and find some beginner piano books to help and she said, "Look, it´s not that hard, you just have to show us where the notes are and when you play the black notes versus the white notes". I laughed and then told her that I took piano lessons for 10 years. Her eyes got big, "10 years??" Ha, yes companion. Then next time we were in the church I taught her “Mary had a Little Lamb” on the piano, and I think between that and me telling her I took lessons for 10 years she realized it´s not as easy as she thinks. Too funny.

Some funny things about El Salvador or fun memories this week:

-Everyone just goes pee wherever they want. Okay, not everyone, but all the little boys and lots of grown men. Hilarious. Today we walked up to a house and a little boy was out front peeing, so we waited until he was done to go to the front door.

-we saw these two kids who were using the outside of old TV´s, like the plastic covering part, as slides and were sliding down this huge road that was paved. It was pretty awesome. Made me want to try it. I then snapped a couple pics and gave the kids cookies for letting me take pics. 

Well since Christmas is in 2 days I thought I´d share some thoughts I had this week about Christ. Our Hermanas leaders gave us a list of things to study each day about Christ to help get us in the mood for Christmas. The other day I was reading about Jesucristo y su expiacion (Jesus Christ and His Atonement) and testimonios of Him. And the Spirit was so strong during my personal study. I felt the love of Christ so strong. It was pretty amazing. Studying scriptures and focusing only on those scriptures about Him was something really special. And I felt it. Strong. I wanted to cry I was so happy. It´s just amazing what Christ did for me personally, and for you personally. It wasn´t just a general suffering. That´s the beautiful thing about the Atonement. It´s so incredibly personal. Christ suffered for me individually. Personally. He suffered for my pains, and my sins, and my sicknesses, and my weaknesses, and my struggles. For me. Why? Because He loves me. He did this all out of love. Charity. The pure love of Christ. And I was just overcome with that feeling of pure love and I never wanted personal study to end and I felt it so strong.

As I was sitting there reading scriptures and studying what Christ did for me, I thought, "What am I doing for Him? What can I do for him? What will I give for Him?" 

Christmas is an amazing time of year. I personally love it. I love being with all of my family. I love all the homemade food and goodies. I love spending time and seeing people. I love the snow and vacation. It´s an amazing time. And in some ways, that sounds delightful. But the truth is, Christmas is more than that. Christmas is about Christ and we need to remember Him. So do something nice for someone else. Serve someone. Love someone a little more. Help someone when you don´t want to. Have a little more charity and help others feel the pure love of Christ. It starts with you and me. And as we can do this, that´s when we´ll really feel the true Spirit of Christmas. That is what will bring true happiness. 

I know Christ suffered and died for us. But I also know that He lives. That He loves us. That He is the only person who can completely understand our hardships and struggles, because He suffered through them for us as well. I know that through Christ and His sacrifice is the only way we can return to live with God again. But we have to choose Him. We have to follow Him. And serve Him. Our goal is to become as Christ. Each and every day we can grow to become a little more like Him. And I know that as we do this, that´s when we´ll find purpose in this life. I know this Church is true and I´m loving this adventure every day. 

Love you to death familia!! Talk to you soon...literally.

Love,

Hermana Wright

"Look what I found!"  :)