Hola familia,
I am super freezing so my hands are struggling to type. Here in Mexico, they don't have heaters, so when it gets cold, all the houses are just made out of cinder block and cement, so that is why I am soooo cold!! The gloves I had, the thumb started ripping and now I don't have a glove ha ha I just have one!! We have had rain for like five days now and I have cold wet feet. ha ha
My week was good. I loved talking to you; mom and papi!!! For Christmas, we ate like in every single house we visited that day…we can say I don't want to eat for another week and a half… ha ha ha ha it was GREAT! We also had a baptism this week, her name is Liliana Dolorez Ruiz Honorato. I will send a picture next week. We are so excited for her.
So this Christmas time, I have been thinking a lot about the promise that the prophet gave us; he said that if we would change the word from Christmas to "Christ" "mas" mas meaning more, but in spanish. I have thought about the word, the word Christ means our Savior and Lord, whom we love and serve, it means that we are willing to be followers of Him, meaning that we are also christians. Now, if we are christians, and members of the only true church on earth, whom really possess the sacred privilege of the priesthood, then we are going to show our faith through our actions. When we do this, it allows us to really find our testimony in the only true religion here on earth. Christ is the beginning and the end, He is our lawyer before the Father! He loves us more than we could ever imagine! Now the word, "mas" in spanish, it is the word meaning,"more", putting more with Christ, that means that we are willing to put what He would do and to put His gospel before our own wants, thus making the word Christ-more. I know that if we can accomplish this then we will receive amazing blessings from the heavens! I can testify of this from just one of the little and amazing events of my Christmas this year. This year I have been trying to serve as the Lord wants us too. I was able to have a strengthened testimony that this is how Christmas should be spent; in the service of others so that they can have a great time. Thinking of that, this Christmas we had a guy come with us, he is always wanting to go with us, he wants to go on the mission. Well the last week, he told us that he wanted to go with us all the week long, I was thinking it was just to be with the spirit, and besides that, he is the only one who is a member in his family, his dad has told him that if he goes on the mission, he is not allowed to be part of the family coming home. He just said, well, I have to go, it is what the Lord wants! So, after Christmas, he was with us, I asked him what his family did for Christmas? He quietly said that they really don't do anything. Now, I felt the spirit testify to what we had possibly done for this young man, my heart was touched and I knew that the Lord wanted us here to help him to have a good Christmas in the way that the Lord wanted! I testify to the truthfulness of service! I love seeing a change in others faces and I know that they can feel the real love of Christ in their lives! I know that the gospel changes lives and makes us better people! I can testify of that because I have been living it and I have seen the changes take place. I want you to all just please search for someone to serve in this year that is coming up. Search for the ways that you can change someones life, but through the small and simple actions everyday, first start in the family, but don't let your efforts end there, find at least one person every month to say that you can change and help by subtly saying hi, helping to push a cart, or just helping with the snow or leaves. They are not big things, but they are the things that the Lord wants when He says in the scripture, "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass". I promise you with all the spirit and love that I possess, that you will be more happy in just the next year that comes. I make this promise and I also promise you that you will find more love for the gospel and for others! I promise this and give all the love I have, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen.
I am going now, so I love you with all that I am and I want you to go to the temple this week!! Be amazing!!
I love you and keep being strong in your callings, so that you can keep helping other people. Tell Darby to let me know where she goes, I am excited for her.
Love, Elder Hancock
and p.s. Mom, I love you most! I WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
