Merry Christmas! :: December 21, 2015

MERRRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying Christmas time! Christmas in Guatemala includes a lot of fireworks, tamales and parties. We are enjoying the hot Christmas in the tropics.

This week, we had a Christmas Devotional with President and Hermana Ruiz. It was really nice to be with other missionaries and feel so much love and feel like a big family. We had a lunch, games and some spiritual messages. Ihave attached some photos of my companion and I at the lunch. We got some gifts and celebrated and celebrated some of our achievements and made some goals as a mission.

We have been visiting people and teaching of Christ and seeing the miracles every day. I love singing Christmas songs! Being away at Christmas is weird because as amissionary, you feel so much joy and happiness to be part of the work but it is also hard to be away from family during the holidays. But, what is so cool is that we have the opportunity to look deeper for the Lord´s hand in our lives and really see that we have everything we could ever need. It is really beautiful. Gratitude changes everything and allows the Lord´s spirit to penetrate our lives and help us,no matter where we are and what we are experiencing.

I think of all the people who are alone at Christmas or who do not have family or are extremely afflicted and really, being away at Christmas for a season is a blessing so we can better understand others and have more compassion for ourselves and those around us. Some are with family but they feel very alone and are struggling inside. Some will never know what it means to have a family. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle. Life will always be hard in some way and that is the point, so we progress and learn, but because of the Savior we can always choose to have hope, love and to act in faith. Always. No matter what the circumstances are, we can choose how we react and how we will feel. I hope for everyone to have a Merry Christmas, to remember the real meaning and to enjoy where we are, the people we are with who God has given us to love and to just love every minute. We were made to have JOY, especially at Christmas because OUR SAVIOR LIVES!!!!

I just want to thank you all for your support and love, for the love you all give to the world. We are all on this journey together. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows us and loves us perfectly. We are on the Earth for just a moment and He is with us every step of the way. We just have to ASK, and because our Savior came to the Earth and died for us, we ALWAYS have him, and He understands us perfectly.

I hope that we can all reach out to others this week during Christmas and always, remembering to judge less, love more, and live every moment, because that is what the Savior would want us to do with the great gift He has given us of His atonement. ENJOY!!!

Love you all!!!!! FELIZ NAVIDAD!!

Hermana Jessop

Photos!

Christmas Time :: December 7, 2015

Hello!

It has been a great week. Some days I cannot believe that I get to be here in Las Flores and to be a missionary! It is still surreal and I am grateful for this amazing opportunity. I sometimes look down and see my nametag and realize I am part of something so much bigger than myself. Missionary work is amazing. Anyone questioning a mission, just do it. Go on a mission! It is incredible and something everyone, if they have the opportunity, should experience.

It is hot here and there is not snow or many lights, but I feel the Christmas Spirit. I thought it would be weirder to be away for Christmas but I feel the spirit, and it is because of Christ. He loves us and He is everywhere and as long as we remember this and seek Him, he will fill our hearts with love and joy! I love Christmas!!!

I have been thinking a lot about change. We moved two houses this week and have been all over. Nothing is going to stay the same in life, and this is why we must learn to thrive on ambiguity. The only way we are going to learn and grow is with this change we experience, by jumping outside of our comfort zones. The Lord knows this and this is why he gives us opportunities to jump and learn and change. This is part of His plan and as long as we have the Lord with us, this change is bearable and we will learn and grow in the best possible way. He is with us every step of the way!

This week, we were able to experience two baptisms. On Friday, Family Muy got baptized.. well, the parents. They got married and also baptized. When we first came to their house about a month ago, the mom let us in, but she told us that she was very strongly catholic and would never have let the missionaries in, so she does not know why she did it. But, after meeting with them again and again, they prayed and read and came to the answer that they needed to get baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is truly a miracle. In the course of a month, we have seen this family almost every single day and we have all become one big family. The kids are amazing. The dad has been clean of smoking and drinking and wants to continue on this path and stay this way for his family and children and their future. They are completely different people. Their home feels different, the kids are better behaved. So many changes. It is truly incredible. I am in awe and so grateful to be a part of their journey.

The other baptism was with Hermano Manuel. He was sitting on the street one day and we started talking to HIm and in the first discussion, he decided he wanted to be baptized. It was super incredible. He is so special. He is someone who was prepared and searching for something else in his life.

This is God's work. He is changing lives. I am grateful to be a part of it and wake up everyday to a new adventure. Jesus Christ lives. He will carry us if we ask Him to. He is always here and He loves us tremendously.

I want to hear more of your missionary stories, in your lives and with people who have served missions. Share them with me please!

Merry Christmas Season!
Hermana Jessop