🌴 Christmas in Paradise 🌴


Iaorana a tout le monde et joyeux noël! 


This week I will be spending my Christmas in  Paradise....





which is the name of the Spanish ward in the Ontario Stake. 


That's right folks. I'm back baby. 

No hablo Español pero estoy en El Barrio de espagnol.
(That last sentence was written without Google translate so I will hopefully survive another Spanish filled week.)

Sister Dailey went home to North Carolina, leaving me companionless. 
It was hard and sad to say goodbye, but I am SO grateful for the short time we were able to spend as companions. 

1. And God told Noah to build an ark
It rained! And oh boy did it rain. 
I went on exchanges with Sister Lundberg in Mira Loma! In the rain showers, the hilly dirt roads of Mira Loma turned into ponds and lakes. 

Sister Lundberg got a little power hungry driving our car, but luckily I survived the ship voyages we underwent. 

Once we reached our location, we decided to go door knocking. We hopped and skipped and slipped over the puddles and my shoes only got a little ruined. 

We knocked on a door: 
Woman: "I can't believe they make you go out in weather like this." 
Ma'am this was our decision. We knew it wasn't a good idea. 


2. "El Bautismo es un Bautismo Hermanas"
In the Spanish ward, Lorenzo and Mario, who the Hermanas taught, were baptized! 

We ran into some difficulties because Mario and Lorenzo are very small men and the only jumpsuits we had were larges and mediums. However, to quote the Hermano baptizing Lorenzo while wearing an XXL jumpsuit even thought he was a small, "a baptism is a baptism Hermanas." 
The baptisms were amazing! 

3. Rob and Rich, our honorary uncles
Sister Dailey and I taught Rob and Rich again! They are so amazing and I really love teaching them. We finished teaching the Plan of Salvation and explained the Book of Mormon to them! 

After Robert asked a question, Rich said the following statement while pointing to the Book of Mormon: 
"Robert. THIS is truth."

4. Sister Hatch v Lorenzo
Just one hour after Lorenzo entered the waters of baptism, we got into a war during a Christmas party.
Lorenzo asked us on a scale of one to five how good we were at cooking. After I said 3, he scoffed and shook his head, bragging about how HE was a FIVE. 
A few minutes later, we asked Lorenzo about his favorite Guatemalan Christmas traditions. He told us about tamales they make out of banana leaves. 
Me: "can you make them?"
Lorenzo: "no"
Me: "But Lorenzo I thought you were a 5." 
Why am I like this. Who am I.

Later, I tripped over Hermana Lander. 
Me: "Lorenzo she's trying to kill me!"
Lorenzo: "don't try. Do it."

Ouchy 

I think he won this round.

My spiritual thought is a quote from Elder Joseph Wirthlin. Enjoy! Love you all!

We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won’t, for He sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities.

Je vous aime! Noela oaoa et Feliz Navidad!

Love, 
Hermana Elise Navidad























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