Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places: Week 78 - Florence, SC

Hola Familia y Amigos!

How's it going? Happy New Year by the way! I can't believe it's already 2015. This is crazy.

We spent the first part of the week inside, due to Sister Gardner's illness and being on lock down on New Year's Eve. I had a lot of time to think about the past year and what I can do in the upcoming year to be better. While I was doing this, I came across a DVD that had the "Because of Him" video on it (easter.mormon.org). I watched it because it's my favorite video that the church has put out and I had a cool realization. Each new year, we think of ways that we want to change. It's not because it's a new year that we can change, however. It's all because of Him that we're able to have a clean slate and a new beginning. I'm so grateful for our Savior making that possible for each one of us!

Brother Owens is doing great! We are very excited for him to come home this week so we can get members in his home and have more of an interactive lesson with him. Sometimes phone lessons just don't cut it. We taught him the Law of Chastity this last week and he told us he didn't have a problem with it because he's 70 years old. Then we asked him what are some ways that we can live the Law of Chastity and he told us "Get old!" Hahaha. He's hilarious!

Also the reason behind me starting this email with a Spanish greeting is for this reason. We have been making a lot of visits to members and teaching them the lessons so we can help strengthen their testimonies and they can help us find people to teach. We went to this family, the Ortiz' and the father was so open to our visit. He told us he has been meaning to speak with some missionaries because his 8 year old daughter, Jennifer wants to be baptized but doesn't know too much about the church. Brother Paz (Jennifer's step-dad) said that he wants his whole family in on the missionary lessons too! The problem is there is a slight language barrier. Brother Paz' English is very good but Sister Ortiz can't speak much English. I think this is the Lord telling us that we have to start simplifying our lessons. Haha. We are so excited to start teaching them though even though Jennifer isn't technically a "convert". It will still be great to help strengthen the ward!

Well that's all I've got for this week! I love y'all! Have a blessed week!

- Sister Amy Christensen