This Christmas will definitely be different, but I also expect it to the best one yet. I don't have a tree, I will have a few gifts, I am not with my family (well I am with Hermana Christensen who has to be distant family), I am surrounded by heat, Spanish, sunshine, zero snow, no basketball, no sugar cookies...essentially an unfamiliar Christmas, but with a familiar Savior! He is the reason for the season, as cliche as that sounds. The joy we have at this season and everyday eminates from Him, His sacrifice, and the perfect gift that He is. Remembering Him is what makes this season so special and different. I have been enjoying reading the gospels, reading the past Christmas devotionals of the church, and studying one name of Christ a day to draw nearer to Him.
Some good and special things that happened in this past little bit have been...
- the baptism of our friend Andres and his birthday celebration after. He has 86 years and has taught me that the message of the gospel is pure joy! He welcomes us into his house and always thanks us for bringing him the gospel and throws in some "como no's (why not)", "pasen! (come in)", and "bastante bien (fairly good)" every time we visit him. He gave the sweetest testimony at his baptism too.
- we are going to have at least 5 baptisms this next month, which will be so special! Hermana Christensen and I put the goal to help 7 people be baptized and enter the covenant path this last transfer, and God knew we would need more time together so He let us stay togeter for another transfer to get this goal! People have been helping us to know their family members who aren't members and to help them come to church.
- we accidentally took a bus ALL THE WAY TO THE CITY the other day. We were out in the boonies the other day and busses hardly pass so we got on a metro without even thinking and we lowkey fell asleep and wound up in the city...so yeah. It was a fun little detour, but I got to see the canal from the road!
- we ate with a member the other day and we honestly haven't been doing that for some time and they served us potato salad...needless to say this is my least favorite Panamanian typical food. Mayo has never been my fav. Anyways, I insisted that the member show me her house in the middle of the meal and Hermana Christensen hurriedly eradicated half the food on our plates in a baggie she carried. It was so funny. But, life saving. Let's just say Panamanian food does not like me too much sometimes.
- the other day we were trying to visit our friend, Johan, who is going to be baptized. He wasn't in the house, but his aunt was who we have been teaching. Her boyfriend is a member too, but has never listened to us in the past month that we have been visiting them. He invited us into the house with his girlfriend and was like, "ok yeah I'll listen". We taught him about the Book of Mormon and after 15 years of hardly associating with the church, he came on Sunday. God has perfect timing. Never count anyone out.
Basically I think I am really liking being a missionary...of course there are harder days (and sweatier...it is not going to rain until May, holy moly) but I am excited for what the Lord has in store for me and am here to give Him my all! 100%%
The time we accidentally took a bus ALL THE way to the city instead of home...just two white girls in Panama
In Albrook (the central bus station in the city) after accidentally taking the wrong bus
The protests are OVER!! Let's hear it for celebratory banana. (We couldn't get bananas because the roads were blocked because of the protests.)
Literally searched for an hour and a half to fine this lady, and we show up and she says "yeah I have a bad spirit in me". Oh Khimlany
So slick that I literally slipped UPHILL
Walking through rubble and my shoes break a tidbit
Random lady who always says hi to us in the street
Exchange with Hermana Hatch <3
Surprisingly, there is quite a few houses with lights
Happy birthday Andres!!! 86 years!!
Filling up the baptismal font and doing personal study in the bishops air conditioned office
Filling up the font
Andrés baptism PURE JOYYYY
A little birthday celebration as well
Filling up our water jugs because the water here is not too safe
Classic Panamanian meal
Member lessons with Raquel Riasco! She got back from her mission 5 months ago in Nicargua
Eating lunch with the district after district council
Bathroom photos through the doorknob hole
Counting our money and literally we almost had nothing it was so funny we planned poorly
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