January 5, 2014

2014!

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Ma chere famille, My dear family

Combien je vous aime How I love you!! I am so grateful for your love and support! Thank you for your emails and letters! They are wonderful and I love hearing from you and seeing how you are doing!

Bonne Année et Meilleurs Vœux tout le monde Happy New Year and Best Wishes everyone! That's what everyone says here for New Years. It's fun. Soeur Tupai and I kicked the year off by working harder than ever before. haha We're finishing together at the end of mars, and we may just run each other into the ground. We are working super hard and having a blast. I LOVE IT. I've never been happier. Or more productive, and it's fantastic!

Right now, we're working on planning for zone conference which is the week after this one. The last zone conference of them all, where we getta eat with President and bear our testimonies and the perk is that Soeur Tupai and I are organizing it and directing. So that'll be fun. I'm pretty stoked about it. 

I was thinking about what I wanted to share about this week, and actually, this week is about the members. Cause in New Cal right now there are not very many members. We combined actually the two wards at the chapel of Riviere Salee, Riv Sal and Ducos because everyone tal toul-ed to the temple!! 

I'll explain. There is not a temple in New Cal yet, and because it's an island, it's not like you can just drive to the nearest one like you could chez nous at home. So, every year, the members save up year round to go to the temple in New Zealand or Tahiti. It's every January. It happened last year too, and that was the one time I did not eat well in Paita because no one was there. Anyways, this year is the record breaker. More than 300 members are in New Zealand right now going to the temple sun up jusqu'a sun down. Every day for the month that they are there. That is the definition of sacrifice to respect our covenants with the Lord. Oh how I LOVE these people! My heart is here because they have changed my life. They are my examples of faith and sacrifice and love for the Lord and they are incredible. And I will forever remember them when I get home. Especially as I go to the temple regularly. And I will go regularly. Because how blessed are we to have a temple 5 mins to less than half an hour away from our house? It's incredible. I love the temple! And I can't wait to go again. And often.

I love my mission. I love these people. I love this work. I love the Lord. I love His gospel. And I love becoming better. I have never been happier. I don't even know what to say! LOVE LOVE LOVE! I just want to work all the time and talk to everyone and use every precious second that rests. 

And I love you all too.. And Happy New Year to you all. May we fix goals and resolutions that will help us grow closer to him and that will help us put off the natural man! This gospel is true. It is the complete truth! And for that I am grateful. I feel pure joy in sharing it everyday. And I just love it! Well, I hope that you have a good week! You are in my prayers! Be missionaries! And read the LdM every day! That will help you open your mouths!

L'evangile est vraie!

Love, Soeur Santos