Feliz Navidad!

Hola mi familia!

So this week I finally heard that song (Feliz Navidad!) down here and it was strange for two reasons....1) I actually understood the words of the song 2) it was 85 and we were sweating while listening to it! Thursday, Mercedes had a Christmas parade and it was just the odd cherry on top of the odd cake that makes up a Christmas down here in the south. It felt and looked like the fourth of July (some floats even threw candy) but it sounded like Christmas. Elder Marble and I were stuck from crossing to the other side of town so we walked up for part of it and ran into some people we'd contacted during the first month here and saw some members watching as well! It was pretty interesting to see pretty much the whole town out on the sidewalks watching. There's a big high rise (7 stories....big for South Texas) in Mercedes and occasionally we'll run up the stairs in the mornings for the exercise to see the view...seeing so many people at the parade was an experience that kind of made me stop and ponder for a while. It was a lot like seeing the town from the high rise building but seeing the town in terms of faces and people not houses and miles. Heavenly Father sees us in terms of faces and people, and even beyond that; He sees us in terms of hearts and potential!

We've been blessed to find some really wonderful people in the past two weeks. Last night as we were going to visit the Gonzalez family (the mom and two kids who were baptized my 3rd week here) we passed a house with some kids playing outside- we'd seen the kids before and talked to them about a week before- but kept going. Later we came back by the house and we felt prompted to stop! We were able to talk to the Mom (her names Janelle)! She was so friendly and we even had the chance to sit down and teach her. She just recently separated from her husband and has to provide for the 5 kids (all under 9) on her own...she had such an open heart and a willingness to learn and listen! It really strengthened my faith that Heavenly Father puts prepared people in our path and makes sure we don't miss them! I'm also grateful for D&C 1:19-23. I definitely feel weak and simple but I'm grateful that Heavenly Father chooses to do His work this way. I'm so grateful to be born in a home where I was taught the gospel...that I knew I could find answers to prayers...and where I was taught to always give my best! I love Mercedes! Heavenly Father has blessed us and trusted us with so many of His sons and daughters here and it makes me so happy! I'm grateful for the Savior, for His birth, His life, and above all His sacrifice for us! He lives and loves us!

Con amor,

Elder Cook