Mexico Pachuca - Week 58 - December 22, 2014

(Excerpts from his email)

He is the gift is really cool. We have been contacting with the cards and sharing the message with everyone. President told us something when we started December. He said this is a great opportunity to be able to talk to people but the message has to change you first. You need to accept the gift and understand it before you can share it. I think i maybe for the first time in my mission understand it. We have been talking to so many people i have kind of overcome my fear of talking to strangers and its really cool to talk to everyone. This week we had 12 new investigators from just talking to people in the streets or on buses.  but its also super weird to find a bunch of people who don’t believe in Christmas and all that and its just sad

M: Is that common in Mexico, to find people who don't celebrate the season?  I would guess they don't believe in a God? 

EP: no it’s just weird they’re like nah but he didn’t get born on this day or a bunch of stuff it’s weird.

M: well, technically he was not born on this day so they are right, but you will always have those.  I think that's why it's hard to get into the Christmas spirit sometimes, the real reason is hardly recognized and then when you get down to details it's just a day and time that someone chose.  I am sure there was a reason for this date, maybe that's when the Wiseman came, but it will be amazing to know all things one day.

EP: haha the reason for the date is cause it was a pagan holiday that celebrated the birth of the sun god and when the romans took over they used the same dates and made them Christian haha.

Um i think the best thing about the week was the Christmas devotional. The theme was cool. President talked about the rich young man who went to Jesus and asked him what he needed to do to enter the kingdom of God. He said keep the commandments. The Joven said i do all that and then he asked the million dollar question. What lack i yet? He had kept the commandments and lived a good life but he asked what more do i need to do. We then focused on what we need to do in our lives. There is always a little more we can do every day. 

M: How do you know all of that? 

President is right, there is always more that we can do.  When we relax and rest on the things we have done, we become stagnant and lazy and complacent.  When we are constantly learning and growing and trying to be better, we find things that need to be addressed, or ways that we can help others.  This morning I read an article in the ensign, the last page and it was from an apostle from the past and he talked about meeting the Savior in a dream and how he will never forget the smile that was on the Savior's face and the joy and happiness he felt when the Lord embraced him.  The apostle said that he never looked at the Savior on the cross the same again, he would always see the smile on the Savior's face and remember how he felt.  He also said that he would give up everything to be in that place again, to embrace the Savior of the world and feel of His love.  We need to do all we can to be in that place when it is our time.  We can only do that by looking at what we need to do to be better, every day.

EP: an investigator told us. He asked why we celebrate Christmas and told us the whole history and blah blah blah but we just told him we know it’s not this day but we celebrate his birth not necessarily on this exact date.

ya i read that too in a liahona. It’s a cool story there’s a similar one in our search for happiness. 

M: Are you good son?

EP: Thank you yeah it’s a little harder at Christmas but I’m happy and it’s awesome. I love you guys, see you Thursday

Love,
Elder Park