Voy Camino de Belen!

Feliz Navidad!

Everyone here knows about the song Feliz Navidad, which we sing to pretend we speak a little Spanish. I can confirm that it exists here, as a funny little song where you pretend to speak English. 

Wild week honestly. Started out in Lanzarote at the beginning, had a great lesson with José and his family. I can't remember if I've talked about him but basically his wife and son are members already and he just opened up to the gospel. We had a great lesson on commandments, Efigenia was there, and they absolutely destroyed us all in dominos. José was really closed off when we met him, but now he's listening, learning, and reading the scriptures. It's a miracle to be honest.

Less miraculously, we had to fly to Madrid so I could do some residency stuff, but now I'm a legal resident of Spain for the next year or so. It was cool to see the office elders again, and I got to see my friend Elder Harvath for the first time in a while.

Got back to Fuerteventura on Thursday, and had a few scattered lessons the rest of the week. I like to think of it this way- if someone is willing to take time out of the week of Christmas to talk to us, it means they're sincere and willing to learn. 

We received the info of a woman named Melisa. The referral message had a big notice that told us she found her way to the church's website on her own, and specifically asked to be put in touch with missionaries. So lots of potential. She told us that she's trying to get closer to God in her heart, not just action, because she's seen how easy it is to just do things without feeling them. It's pretty exciting, and she wants to keep meeting with us!

Met with Carmen again, she actually invited us over for lunch on the 24th. We shared with her and her family some of the things that the Book of Mormon says about the birth, life, and mission of Jesus Christ. We read them Alma 7:10-13:

"10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

   11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

   12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

   13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me."

These verses hold an important message about why this season is so important. We celebrate Christ because of everything He made possible for us. And He has felt every kind of pain or sickness we can or will feel, so He knows how to help us if we let Him.

Slice of Life

Me being me and Spain being Spain, I NEVER expected to have a "too spicy" story at any point of my mission. That being said, the Barerra family fed us some chicken soup. They passed around a jar of this chili looking stuff, and I love chili sauce so I took a spoonful and dumped it in my soup. Instantly the whole table freaks out and insists that I take it out. I'm a little confused but pull it out. I keep telling them I like spicy food. The chili turned the broth a little bit orange before they pulled the chili out so I figured all was good. Turned out it was pretty intense. Went down fine but I started coughing after every bit. Eventually they told me "Elder, pride kills" and gave me another bowl of soup. Later, they talked about how they grew the "pimento fantasma" themselves in their garden. Ghost pepper. I added a giant spoon of ghost pepper to the harmless chicken soup. So yes, I have limits.

Good soup though.

On the 24th (they call it Nochebuena) our branch president and his brother in law Abinadi and their families invited us over. Christmas dinner was sausages, cured ham, shrimp with heads, and seafood noodle soup. It was awesome. They wanted to play a game they called "Watch Elder Curtis try to sing children's Christmas songs". Unlike the little kids there, I didn't know how to sing songs like "Campanas de Belen". They put on kareoke videos and everything so they could watch me try it haha. It was awesome. 

That's about it from me! Feliz Navidad!

Merry P-day to all, and to all a good *morning-because-of-time-difference*

Elder Curtis!