This past Sunday we had a wonderful dinner with the Roesberrys and the Martinezes, the Martinezes are in our ward, work with us in the temple and also sang in the group at the Christmas Temple Workers Devotional. They are wonderful people and have become great friends. They brought their grown daughter, who is a temple worker, and her boyfriend . Unfortunately we had to hurry as we had coordinators meeting and didn't get to stay and visit.
Monday we had been invited along with the Peñas and the Roesberrys to the home of the Villanuevas for the afternoon for dinner. He has been sick and we had visited them before Christmas. He is doing much better. They are the family who let us stay in their condo in Huatulco last year. They are such gracious and wonderful hosts. The meal was all traditional foods from Oaxaca and very delicious. They then surprised us with gifts and we toasted ( with sparkling apple juice) the new year, eternal friendships, the work of salvation and the temple, families, including ones you choose, the gospel, and life and love in general. What a wonderful afternoon with amazing people. We have been so blessed to have the opportunity to serve with such amazing, loving, and open hearted people. We have learned so much about love, acceptance, and hospitality from them. They are all so giving and loving.
The temple has been busy this week with everyone trying to get a session in before the maintenance closure.We have also been busy trying to get year end things finished and ready to send to Salt Lake, everything ready for the maintenance work and everything ready for when we open back up. Then there are always the little everyday things that require attention and workers that don't come or call or coordinators that don't show up etc. President & Sister Cardenas were gone the first of the week and President &Sister Serrano the last 2 days of the week so Ross and I were in the temple early and late all week. We both got a variety of experiences for the week which is always great, the week went by fast and as we look back it seems as though there are days that seem to pass slowly, all of a sudden another month has passed in the blink of an eye. It is hard to believe that we have only 3 months left here in Oaxaca.
These aprons are the gifts we were given, we admired Sister Villanuevas at an early visit in Dec. We had to take a photo of all of us in our aprons! Sister Villanueva, Jan Roesberry, Me, Sandra Peña, Adele Villanueva (she will be going on mission soon)
Brother and Sister Villanueva with Adele
Fountain with plants in the front courtyard at Villanueva's
We leave tomorrow right afternoon to go to Mexico City, we will ride with the Penas and then come back on the bus. We are excited to see the changes in the temple there as well as tour the visitors center. It was under construction the entire time of our Mission in Mexico City. We are hoping to see a few of the people we served with there also. We will come back on Thursday and spend the rest of the week here in Oaxaca. Then the next week we will go back to Huatulco and Puerto Escondido.
We originally thought our break was in February so we could go to the Ray brother and Sister reunion in Cancun., we feel bad that we will have to miss it, we were looking forward to seeing everyone. Hopefully next year.
Today the lesson in Relief Society was from the teachings of Howard W. Hunter, I was so impressed with the lesson it was about the Peace that comes from our Savior.
For some reason one section just really touched me and I want to share it "As we search for the shore of safety and peace, whether we be individual women and men, families, communities, or nations, Christ is the only beacon on which we can ultimately rely, He is the one who said of His mission, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6)
Consider for example, this instruction from Christ to His disciples. He said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Matt.5:44) Think of what this admonition alone would do in your neighborhood and mine, in the communities in which you and your children live, in the nations which make up our great global family. I realize this doctrine poses a significant challenge, but surely it is a more agreeable challenge than the terrible tasks posed for us by the war and poverty and pain the world continues to face."
As I pondered this statement I wondered what I could do about this and if I even have any enemies, and it hit me that this applies equally to me personally and to all of my relationships, my friends, my family and even my relationship with myself. How often have I gotten angry or gotten my feelings hurt and nursed a grudge. By the way that is an interesting phrase, to nurse a grudge, to me nursing something signifies that we are caring for and nurturing something. I have a problem oft times with nursing grudges and keeping them safe and warm and growing. In reality while it may harm the person I am angry with it also harms me and turns me away from the peace I so desperately need and seek in my life. How important this principal of being quick to forget and forgive is to each and every one of us. Anger and hatred truly is a cancer that if left unchecked destroys. But as we lean on the Savior and follow Him we can always remember His words, "Be of good cheer; it is I;be not afraid." (Matt 14:27)
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