Fiestas Navideñas

Last week the Christmas festivities began! It started out with a lot of cooking on pday last week. My companion, the other elders in our ward, and I decided to make some treats for the people we are teaching and go caroling! On Monday last week I baked cookies and Elder Mahler made popcorn. Tuesday we went to the Hidalgo lights! There is a big park across the street from the church that is decorated for Christmas. Tons of people go and look at the lights. The church was open almost everyday for an open house so people could come inside and warm up! Tuesday was the day our ward was assigned so we went and helped. There were a lot of people that we were able to talk to and get to know! On Thursday we went caroling to a bunch of our people that we are working with and gave them goodie bags! We saw so many blessings from this activity!! The next day (Friday) was the ward Christmas party. There were 11 non members there from our area and 3 or 4 less active families!! The other elders also had a few non members and less active families. It is the best turn out to a ward party I have ever seen! I've never been so confused at who to sit with because there were so many new/unfamiliar faces! 2 of the families that are non members that came we went caroling to the day before! One of the families is the Garza family! Two of the kids are members but the parents and the 3 other siblings are non members. After caroling Thursday they came to the party Friday and loved it! Then we had a super good lesson at their home with a member family that we invited and then the mom came to church with two of her kids the next day!!

caroling

baking! 

Hidalgo lights!

the license plate on this car translates to wash me

Here are some photos from our video chat with Elder Blackham on Christmas morning.  We loved having him be part of our celebration!

La Programa de la Primaria

It's been a while since I've participated in a primary program but that's what we did this Sunday! The primary asked if we could sing with them. We have been working hard this week with the members to try and help them to invite their friends to the Christmas service this upcoming Sunday. The work has been going well. We keep finding people and a member brought their brother in law to church and we are going by tomorrow to visit with them!

Classic tamale dinner

Speed limit for the bikes?

A passionate Catholic

Elder Blackham mentioned in his phone call this week that he heard of a second family he taught in Alice that has been baptized since he was transferred.  It has been incredible to see the growth in that area since he first arrived in that struggling branch earlier this year.  It was also wonderful to hear that Leroy has been a big part in fellowshipping the new members in that area.  The sisters in that went to the MTC with Elder Blackham went home this week as he has reached his 18 month mark.  Time is passing quickly and he's happy to have another 6 months to serve!

Día de Pavo

As you all know this past week was Thanksgiving. We celebrated with two member families and ate Thanksgiving dinner with both of them. The week before the ward had a Thanksgiving party and we were able to bring a family that we are teaching!

Lucas. He is a member of a part member family that we are teaching. He was able to come to church this past week and hopefully the rest of his family will come next week! 

We volunteered at the food pantry the week before Thanksgiving.

Ward party with the Acensio family! 

Exchanges! Now for exchanges both of us go to our leader's area and work in that area. So when your apartment is small and there isn't any room you end up forming a megabed.

Service project! We helped the Chavez family move our of their home Thanksgiving morning. It's sad to see them move they are a great family.