It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... or should I say springtime...

Hola familia!

More miracles! They just keep coming!! I love missionary work. I wish I could just tell you everything. So the Sanchez family are progressing so well, it's insane. They act like they're already members, it's so cool. They've come to church every week along with all the activities and they're even feeding us tonight. We had a lesson with them last night and they asked us, "Can you sisters come over every day? We really want be as prepared as possible for our baptism because it's coming up!" We were planning on telling them that we needed to come over every day anyway but they were just one step ahead of us. So solid.

Manual is another one of our super solid investigators. We had a lesson with him last night as well and the first things he said to us was, "Hermanas, I read the chapter you assigned me, and then I loved it so much that I read the next chapter. Then I read it again." What?! Haha I have never witnessed such prepared people in my life! We invited him to a baptismal date and he prayed about it right on the spot and then accepted it. He is so awesome, he's this super intelligent 54-year-old Cuban guy that has traveled all over the world! His family lives back in Cuba. But this guy knows how to dance! We had our ward Christmas party this past Saturday, and he came and showed everyone down! It was so cool! I'l try to send a video. But he told us that right when he walked in the church building and saw the painting of Jesus Christ, he thought to himself, "This is my place!!" Haha so prepared. So solid.

Randon stuff this week:

--I got to go on exchanges with Hermana Hughes last week!! It was quite the reunion! It was cool to see each other's progress since we were companions two transfers ago. We saw a lot of cool miracles with her investigators. Loving investigators and everyone is the most important and most effective way to be a missionary. Hands down.

--We went Christmas caroling to some of the members' non-member friends last night and it was so powerful! So many of them cried! Spreading the gospel through music around Christmas is the best!!

--The weather has been so perfect lately! Last week it felt like Utah but this week it feels more like Spring or Summer. Try not to get too much frostbite up and Utah and I'll try not to get too sunburnt down here in Chula!

During this week, I want you all to imagine yourselves being present at the birth of Jesus Christ. What gift would you have given him? What would you give him this Christmas? My amazing companion asked this question to a less-active family in our ward and they committed to coming to church one time before the year is over as their gift to Jesus Christ. So cool and powerful! So I just want you to think about what you want to give Him for Christmas this year. Maybe more time? More service to others? Jesus Christ lives! I love you all!

Hermana Barnes

Pictures:

1) My awesome companion and I.

1) My awesome district at the ward Christmas party!

2) Some people leftover after the dancing showdown (no missionaries allowed). Manual is the tall guy in blue in the back'