Happy Holidays from Mexico!

      

Happy Holidays!!! These past few weeks have been interesting and a little more has happened. One of the seventy came to our zone and spoke to all of us, and we learned that we need to have a vision, or a plan. Without that, we wouldn't go anywhere. Also we learned that we need to be humble enough to seek help if there is something in the plan that we cannot do. I took a lot of notes and learned a lot, although my comp said he didn't learn anything haha. My comp and I get along well. This will be my third transfer with him, because I had him 4 transfers ago in San Miguel, then received him again last transfer and then we stayed together this transfer again. I guess our president likes to pull pranks on us. 

Nothing really happened for Thanksgiving, but Christmas here is awesome! It's very festive and everyone loves and celebrates it. We recently had a devotional with the whole stake where we heard the choir sing and all the missionaries in the zone sang a song while I played the piano which was way fun! And then today (12/16) we had the ward Christmas party, and the 4 of us and some other sister missionaries sang another song. We also watched some way funny dances and songs from the members. My zone has been practicing for a mission Christmas party too, and we're gonna be doing a really funny sketch!! I'll be sharing that in my next letter, because it won't be happening until the 23rd! I love the members here and they've grown very close to my heart in the past 4½ months. At the end of this transfer, I will have been in the Marqués area for 6 months! It's been kinda nuts, but every day is a new adventure and the ups and downs are what make it fun. 

Spanish is such a beautiful language and it's coming along better. Although I've been able to talk just fine for a while now, listening has always been a little tougher. However it's starting to come along! I think it'll take a little more time to get it 100% down. The weather here is weird,  but it's kinda like Utah in the summer/fall time, with hot days and cool/chilly nights. I'm totally here for it haha! 

Just the other day, Wednesday the 15th, we had an awesome lesson with an investigator that a member was friends with. Her name is Claudia. It was amazing, and I've never taught a more open and interested person in my whole mission so far! We watched her take notes on everything, and she was really excited and loved how our church works. I felt the spirit so strong in our first lesson and and knew exactly what to say and share in every moment and question that she asked. She came to our ward Christmas party and absolutely loved it! The sad thing is that she'll be going on vacation this Saturday the 18th, and won't come back until about the 28th, and I'll probably be transferred out of the area, so I won't be able to teach her anymore. But, that's how the mission is I guess. 

I've really been trying to be obedient out here. Not gonna lie, obedience isn't the top priority for a lot of guys out here. Obedience truly brings blessings, and I've seen it. Being diligent and obedient earns trust with God. Elder Montoya, one of the seventy that spoke to us, said that God truly loves everybody, but He doesn't trust everybody. We have to earn God's trust to act with His power and authority. 

Thank you for being so supportive everyone, and I truly love you guys. I can feel your prayers and support, truly. ¡Muchas gracias! ¡Les quiero mucho!

Elder Spencer Chamberlain