Thanks be unto God for His Unspeakable Gift

12-1-14

This week has been a good one! It's been really full (like how I was on Thanksgiving).  Hermana Juarez and I were invited to attend MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) on Wednesday. MLC is the meeting that Sister Training Leaders (STLs) and Zone Leaders have with the Mission President, so we were surprised to be invited to it.  We were the only sisters there that weren't STLs (although there were other elders there that weren't Zone Leaders). But Brother Gonzalez and Brother Craig Hill were there from the Church Headquarters Missionary Department were there and gave us a really great training.  I learned so much and was so grateful that we had been invited.  We talked to President Mullen afterwards and he told us that the reason we were invited was because we're the future leaders of the mission and he wanted us to receive this training so we can share it with those we'll be leading in the future. Yikes. That's a little bit intimidating.  But it also gives me a desire to work harder and better myself so that I can be worthy of leadership position. 

And then on Thursday we had a great Thanksgiving! We ate at the home of la familia Esteves. They had a lot of family and friends over, as well as the other missionaries, so it was really nice. And the food was great! It was pretty typical Thanksgiving food, except for a couple dishes which were super yummy as well.  And afterward we went to the stake center and played volleyball and soccer with the other missionaries in our zone.  IT WAS SO FUN.  I miss playing sports. So it was nice to have an opportunity to play for a while and work off some of that turkey.  I was grateful for that.  I'm also so grateful for my wonderful family who has given me so much love and support.  I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to be serving as a missionary in the Spanish language.  I'm thankful for every single person I've been able to meet as a missionary and the relationships I've been able to build.  And more than anything, I'm thankful for our Savior and his Atonement.

                   

2 Corinthians 9:15... "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." 

That scripture sums up perfectly this week and this holiday season.  I'm so grateful for our loving Heavenly Father and the gift he has given us of his first-born son, who suffered all of our pains and afflictions and faults so that we can not only find peace in this life, but return to live with Him in the next life. 

For those of you who haven't seen it, the church has put out a new 3-minute video called "He is the Gift" (http://christmas.mormon.org/) to help us remember what Christmas is all about.  I love the invitations it presents. Discover the Gift.  Embrace the Gift.  Share the Gift.  I invite all of you to discover and embrace the gift that our Heavenly Father has given us.  Utilize the Atonement and it's strengthening powers in your own life and share that joy that you've felt with your friends and neighbors.  If you do this, you'll truly find reason to give thanks to God. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Horne