¡Cena Navideña y casí el tiempo de Navidad!

Well, hello there!

This past week was pretty cool. We had a "Cena Navideña (Christmas Dinner)" this past Friday in Quito. We had the chance to receive vaccines for a sickness going around, listen to Elder Walter F. González (of the seventy), and put on skits for all there. We also recieved a gift of little Nativity figures from the Mission President. 

I also had the chance to listen to every talk by Elder Jeffrey R Holland this week. There's 52 (plus one my older brother sent me so 53) and it adds up to less than 30 hours. I expected to here a lot about the Atonement, but it was more about families and Mothers and Fathers and the fact that we can return to a state of love from any place. I wrote down the ones that stood out to me, and would like to share them (though all of them are awesome):

• Sanctify Yourself
• The Other Prodical (that ones really cool)
• "Within the Clasp of Your Arms" and "The Hands of Fathers"
• Look to God and Live
• Miracles of the Restoration
• Our Priesthood Legacy
• "Because She's a Mother" and "Behold Thy Mother" (both great and about mothers)
• "Personal Purity" and "Place No More for the Enemy in My Soul"
• The Tongue of Angels (another cool one)
• None were with Him (very powerful)
• Safety for the Soul
• Because of Your Faith
• We Are All Enlisted
• Laborers in the Vineyard (another very powerful and cool one)
• The First Great Commandment (Great as well)
• "Lord, I Believe"
• Like A Broken Vessel (about depression)
• Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You
• Be Ye Therefore Perfect-Eventually (makes me feel better)

(I plan to do the same with more of our leaders)

  

I feel good. I actually want  to pray my Heavenly Father. I love long prayers, and have tried to make each one different (as to not be boring ;p). Our investigators are progressing, even if it is slowly. Christmas seems to have slown progress a little, but it's still fun. My Spanish is good enough to converse, but there are those days when I'm less patient and feel like I can't speak it, hahaha.

  

I hope y'all's week is great!

  

¡Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año!
Élder Sharp

  

I forgot the stanza for the month of December last week, so:
"Hurrah for Israel! Six months have now passed!
In the service of Him who is both first and last!
I've grown so much;and though I'm a debtor,
I pray and strive every day to be better."

 

 

Six months!

Hello all,

It's been pretty cold this past week. It hasn't rained a whole lot, which is surprising. It was hard, in terms of the work. A lot of people couldn't meet with us, and we didn't find anybody new. The people that had a baptismal date for the 8th haven't been able to get married, so we needed to move the date again.... but aside from that it's been fun. We did Service in Huambalò Saturday, which was harvesting potatoes. they gave us a ton and so we're gonna be eating a lot of potatoes hahaha.

I got my Suit today!!! It's awesome and I'm super grateful to have it.

 

All-in-all, a pretty normal week. I'm really doing well, though apparently I'm thinning out a lot, hahaha. The holiday season is getting to me a little, but prayers help. Hitting my six month day this week made me realize the time is short, which helps battle home-sickness. We are gonna have a Christmas-dinner in Quito this week, so that should be fun.

 

Have an amazing week, and merry Christmas, y'all.

Èlder Sharp

 

 

(inside the jacket - the Ecuador flag!)

 

 

 

Three Weeks Until Christmas! (Más o Menos)

Another week!

This week was more of the same. We did have a Spanish Class on Saturday where I realized just how many contractions there are in English, hahaha. Teaching English is harder than Spanish, in my opinion. Especially here where they don't feel a need to learn it, really. But I was surprised I could speak well enough to even teach it, so there's a bonus.

Today I was able to pay for my new Suit!!  We also went to "Mr. Joy" again and played Laser Tag.

I pray a lot to help me accept teachings and go through trials with grace while I'm here. I've noticed a lot of "hidden pride" that I need to overcome, and I'm grateful for it. Our Heavenly Father really does want the best for us, but sometimes getting to that "best" isn't very fun. But, I like to think that's what separates me from "boy" to "man", so I won't complain.

Have an awesome week, y'all!

Élder Sharp