Te hallaré mi querido amigo

This week was a week to remember. We went to a ward activity to visit a old folk´s home...its called a retiredship home in English I think?? But we went and it was interesting...and so humbling. We arrived there and thinking we would just be talking and singing Christmas songs to the old folks...but no...oh no. hahaha we enter we greet them and the workers tell us, "Put on some gloves and grab some clippers cuz we are going to cut their toenails...but dont worry they are cleanly and bathed well." We looked at each other not knowing how to react, but we put on some gloves and we grabbed some clippers and began to trim toenails. Many of the people there are uncapable of speaking nor thinking for themselves. It was such a pity but a humbling experience really. I would begin to take off their shoes and try not to breathe in....but it was a must. Lots of hairy toes, ingrowned toenails, and who knows what....I would begin to trim and then I´ll ask them, how old are you? Then they´ll they me. I´m 92 years old. Wow...I´m trimming toenails off of a 92 year old man. What a priviledge. But really it was. I got more to tell my kids about the mission life. I had already bathed a 80 year old women and now I´m trimming off toenails. The life of the mission...you learn so much haha. A few of them old men blew me some kisses...and tried to hug my companion. As for the old ladies...they gave a good smack on the behind to one of the elders and gave him a kiss on the cheek because she wouldn´t let him reject him....it was hilarious. When we went to visit the old ladies, it was even more humbling to see so many old ladies.....special ladies who are daughters of God. One of them could speak. She was so friendly so I took some time to get to know her. She was telling me how grateful she was to God to have her sent to this place that takes care of her and gives her the love that she needs. But then she began to cry. She also told me that sometimes she feels like her children had forgotten her there and has left her. But overall she is content with life to be able to spend Christmas with others who are left in the same situation. It broke my heart to hear her express her worries and hope of being happy in a place full of others like her. There was also another lady in a wheelchair who was obviously depressed. She told me that many of them suffer from the fact that their children had left them there.....but they are so grateful that we had came to visit them. They asked us when we would come back. We also heard that we were on the news that day......hahahaha. It was a wonderful experience. It broke my heart but helped me to really lose myself to serve others. And mom and dad, don´t worry, I will not let you guys go to such a place like that...no wayyyy jose.

Hermana Rosmery, our pensionista took really good care of us on Christmas. We had a christmas dinner on christmas eve. It was sooooo delicious. The elders danced and sang christmas songs. We laughed all night. Its a tough time here during the holidays, because no one is home and finding people to teach is a struggle. But we are working hard as we can to find people. On Christmas morning I woke up soooooo trunky missing home. I had never felt sooooo home sick before. I hated it. hahaha. I was so nervous to skype you guys that day that I swear I went to the bathroom 12 times that morning. Our bishop was so kind to lend us his house, his computers, and internet to skype you all. It was a blessing. To see you guys, brought me to tears. I was so happy to see each of you. It filled me up with so much joy. I am sooo happy Christmas is over though..hahaha The next day, I took down the Christmas trees that I did and changed things up in our house to start new and get ready for New Years because I didn´t want to think about Christmas and how trunky I was. I want to work. 

To reflect at this time which I had these 10 past months away from home....I have seen many miracles...I was in an appointment with a less active member, her mother in law who is our investigator, and a member who was accompanying us in the lesson. We taught about the Restoration and I did it with all my heart and lots of love....testifying that these things were true. In this lesson, I was able to share the first vision and I held back my tears and I said it and looked directly in the eyes of the sisters. I felt the power and authority which I have in this calling and I felt the truthfulness of the message in my heart. I felt strongly impressed to invite her to be baptized and to be honest, I was always scared of inviting people to have a date to be baptized because they usually have their doubts or they tell us no. But when she had told us that from the very first visit with her, she had felt great peace and love directly into her heart...I knew that the spirit was working through her and the Lord has helped us to achieve to bring the spirit into her life. I looked directly at her and saw her as a spirit and daughter of God dying for us to invite her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized and to receive His many blessings. I invited her......"A medida que ore y reciba su respuesta, seguirá el ejemplo de Jesucristo y sea bautizada por alguien que tenga el sacerdocio?" She told me yes of course....then I asked if she would prepare to be baptized on 31 de Enero..."Tendremos un servicio bautismal el 31 de enero. Se preparará para ser bautizada ese día?" Ella me dijo..she told me. "me prepararé...I will prepare myself". That very moment, my heart was full and the tears began to fall. I was tremendously happy to hear her tell me that she would prepare herself to be baptized...I felt that in that very moment that I was truly an instrument of God and that He has prepared her in this time to know the Gospel. 

I read Te Hallaré mi querido amigo this morning. And i think about that day before I went to the airport..when we ate at Jack in the box and mom and I were crying as i waited to eat my taco. Because she told me about that story that grandpa left behind for us to read and mom said, "They found me". I´m finding those people that I had promised to find in this life to be able to receive the many blessings from our Heavenly Father. I am working on leaving that story with investigators and our recent converts. Its sucha beautiful story.

My companion and I are having a blast together. I had never laughed so hard in the mission before. She makes me laugh so hard that I think I´ll be using my inhaler. haha. We laugh all the time in the day, in the street. She teaches me so much about being a strong person. I was able to know her and her past and her struggles. She has gone through so much and I respect her for that.

With new year coming up, we had made a few goals for the year 2015. As I had set my goals, I had realized of the many wonderful things that are yet to come in this new year. Gabriel will be getting his mission call, Marvy´s gonna be a mom, mom and dad are going to be grandparents, I´m gonna be an aunt!, we´ll be able to do Grandma´s work in the temple..I´ll be coming home!:..and many wonderful things. I don´t doubt that there will be trials...I know that there will be...but I made the goal to put into practice everything which I had learn into my daily life. The mission trains you for life..

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season together! Have a happy new year! Un feliz año nuevo! Thank you for the christmas gifts. For the two trunky shirts...hahaha the chocolates...the card. the letters. My companion and I are going to make sushi today in the house with the things you had sent me. We also have a trampoline at our house from the family we live with....I´m pretty stoked! Hahaha. I miss you allllll sooooo much. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Les amo!!!

Hna Santeco