Happy New Year!!

Our first letter of the new year didn't disappoint. He's busy and happy and we couldn't ask for more. Here is a little bit of what he's been up to. Happy New Year!!

Happy 2017! This week was really good. I'll give you a play-by-play.

On Monday (last P-day) we had a little Christmas party with the Sisters which was really fun. We had a secret Santa thing and I had Hna Fernandez and I got her a bunch of catholic themed things because I'm a funny guy. I got a Newtons cradle and a stuffed dog and a little blanket. It was really fun.

Tuesday we ate with the Plazas and they are always so nice. Then we went to go see my favorite little people and I love them with my entire heart. They wanted to take us out to food but we couldn't because we had an appointment with Nelson and Rosalina. They said they want to be baptized! So we put them on date for this next month. Nelson's a homie.

Then on Wednesday we saw my girl Marta and she made us this really yummy honey lemon drink and we talked about daily blessings and on Thursday we went to go see Justo and Celia. I love those people. I told Celia that I would probably be leaving next week and she got really sad. But we talked about getting Justo baptized and he's literally so stubborn. He was like "Yeah I need to be baptized!" And we were like "YUP" and then he said "But we just don't know when that will be..." I don't think he understands that it's a choice. He said he wants to learn to read and answer questions in Priesthood before he's baptized lol. But we have a lesson with them again this next week. And then we had this bomb lesson with Mirna. Mirna is a homie. Her daughter is baptized and she wants to be baptized so bad. But there are all kinds of road blocks in the way.  We brought the Plazas with us and I was blown away at how many people they know to help her. Here's the lesson report I wrote in the Area Book, "We taught the Plan of Salvation and Erika and Victor shared a really awesome testimony. Then they started talking about all the things that Mirdna can do to get her life  started here in the states. Our members got those hook ups yooooooo. Super clutch. They also took Mirdna to church this Sunday. $$$$$$$$$$$." I like making funny lesson reports. But it was awesome. And next time we meet with her we're bringing a member who knows how to get her and her husband married. And she came to church this Sunday and loved it. She's super prepared and is going to be baptized within this next month probably if we can get everything worked out.

Then on Friday we found this super chill investigator Fernando that is super interested in everything we have to say. He is super nice and reads the BoM every day. And also on Friday was perhaps one of the most heart-touching lessons I've had. We went to Marta's house to give her a blessing because she's been sick for like 3 months. Elder Dove anointed and I sealed. She cried for a really long time and told me that I was sent to Red Bank to heal her physically and spiritually. And that really touched me.  

And on Sunday we had a ton of people that we've been working with come and that made me happy. When I first came here the ward attendance was super slim but now they're going to be made into a ward instead of a branch! That makes me feel like I've done what I was supposed to do while I've been here. It's just been a really good and touching week. 

I didn't take a lot of pictures this week but attached are a few videos of Elder Dove and I being dumb and also us eating five guys and also us trying to balance a small tree. None of these I really have an explanation for.

I love you. your boy -Jack