Hola de Hermana, 5/12/11

Hola mi familia! 

First, Thank you for your emails!  I'm able to copy and paste them into a word doc and print them, and love reading them!  Even if I don't respond to the details!  Thank you!  Also, Mom, I got your letter from the MTC Nov 29th, and Jane's letter she sent Oct 9 on Nov 29th, and please tell cousin Hazel I got her picture and love it!  (I got it Dec 3).

Thank you for your iPod!  I didn't realize how much I'm grateful for it until yesterday morning when it froze for a bit and we didn't have music.  Thank you!  I can imagine how crazy your power outage for three days was!!!  Way to go to all of you for your service!  And I'm so grateful you are all safe!

Email time is great--I just didn't realize how much time it takes to write to Pres Bautista and copy and paste other stuff...  So I'll copy and paste some from his email and to Mom.  I also am not able to mail my letters to you consistently--when we pass by the national mail office.  I did email a letter to you either Wed or Thurs, and hope to get todays in the mail today or tomorrow.

Candi wasn't able to attend church yesterday, and as such we need to move her baptism date.  Saturday night we called to check up on her and she said her mother's brother had died two hours previously.  We bought some flowers and booked it to her apartment where we were able to meet with her and her mother and her mother's sister (a member).  We sang Families Can Be Together Forever, read Alma 40:11, and sang Mas Cerca Dios a Ti.  Candi was really happy to see us and has kept her reading commitments.  We're excited to meet with her this week and hope more of her family will want to listen.  I'm excited for her.  :)

Usually members feed us for lunch (and then usually meat and no beans :(  ) and we fix dinner.  I've grown to love yogurt and fruit to combat all the white carbs we're fed and also love fast tomato pepper and egg stir frys for dinner.  The blessing was finding that a local bakery chain, Xelapan, ACTUALLY MAKES DELICIOUS CORNBREAD!  I found it about two days after Thanksgiving and couldn't be happier.  I was craving cornbread on Thanksgiving.  :)  We have portable two-burner electric stovetop we use to cook on.  I'm grateful I did so much of my own cooking at college, that's made it much easier. 

Last night we were able to watch the Christmas Devotional broadcast, and I thought about you watching your broadcast too.  And in Dad's email when he talked about you all decorating the Christmas tree, I can hear Peggy Lee singing in my head.  :)  I think my favorite quote from last night was "God doesn't expect us to commit to move mountains, but He does expect us to present to Him our very best." I don't remember if that was from President Eyring or President Uchtdorf, but I loved it.  I also felt touched while watching the wise men make their journey to see the Newborn Jesus.  I felt touched that I too must be willing to make the journey back to Jesus the Christ, no matter how long the way, and be willing to give Him my all. 

I testify that Jesus Christ LIVES!  Glory be to the Father for giving His Only Begotten Son for us!  That through Him we might be saved!  I testify that through Him we may have peace and joy here and now and forever!  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

I love you TONS!

-Hermana Ivy [-]