Thomas S. Monson

Happy 2014!!! I wasn´t planning on staying up until midnight to welcome in the New Year, but my companion wanted to. Hermana Manalo, Morales and I stayed up laughing and talking until midnight then gave each other hugs and went to bed. I am still working on my goals for this year. 

Carlos came to church again yesterday! He is solid and has a baptismal date for January 25th. We had quite a few investigators come to church yesterday! We also helped a mom haul her three kids to church and entertained them during sacrament meeting. During Sunday school she put her baby in my arms and ran out of the room to help her little boy. I just sat there rocking the baby, nervous to death because president was in Sunday school and missionaries’ are not supposed to hold babies, but secretly loving it. It’s a hard rule, not holding the kids. They are just so cute.

A funny experience that we had this week was we were teaching a woman the restoration. I asked her what a prophet was. She said something and then her teenage niece that was in the room smiled and said a perfect definition and said, "An example of a prophet is Thomas S. Monson." I was confused because it was the first appointment we had with them and no one has ever responded like that. I just looked at her and said, "what did you just say?" Apparently, she lives far away and is receiving missionaries in her house. 

Thought of the week: In the scriptures it talks quite often about knowing God. I have been thinking about how one comes to know God or Christ. It is interesting because in Spanish the verb to know is divided into two verbs Saber: to know facts or how to do something or Conocer: to be familiar or acquainted with someone or something. I like this distinction because we can know of Christ without really knowing Christ. So how does one come to know or be acquainted with Christ? 

Scriptures I like about knowing God:

Mosiah 5:13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?

Alma 22:18 ...And if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee...

Caitlin sent me an awesome package with a Utes shirt (hence the photo). Thank you, thank you Caitlin. So happy for my girl Hillary... married! Sooo crazy. Love you so much. Have a good week. 

Meg