December 29, 2009

Happy New Year!
I can't believe it's already almost 2010. It has been so wonderful to spend the whole year of 2009 serving a mission! We had a beautiful Christmas day here in Cagliari. We hung out at the church with the Elders and watched movies and called our families.
Christmas morning, Maurizio (one of our investigators) called us. He said that most years, Christmas is depressing and is a really hard day for him. But this year, because of the Gospel, he has peace and happiness in his life. It was such a beautiful thing to hear!
Also on Christmas morning, on our way to the church, we ran into a man named Jeff. Jeff and his family are from New Hampshire. He is here for a year as a visiting professor. We met Jeff and his son at the grocery store a few months ago. Then about a month later we saw him and his whole family at the bus stop. The wife knew who we were, so apparently he had been talking about us. Then a few weeks later, Christmas day, we ran into Jeff. He said that he and his wife want to have us over for dinner. Sunday we ran into Jeff and his daughter Isabelle, and she whispered into his year "Dad, did you invite them over?" Hopefully we'll be able to meet with them this week. They are a beautiful family, and we can't wait to share the Gospel with them!
We haven't been able to meet with too many people lately because of the holidays. Saturday all of us missionaries had lunch with a family in the branch, who is in the branch presidency. We ate all sorts of fun things, including cow feet and shark. After lunch we made a bunch of cakes to drop off to less-active families. It was a really good experience. We were able to visit a lot of people, and some of them even came to church the next day.
Life here is great! I love my mission! I've been studying about the Savior lately, since it is Christmas, and I recently re-read some of my favorite verses about Him. In Doctrine and Covenants 45:3-5, it says:
"Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased, behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified, Wherefore, Father, spare these my bretheren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life."
Jesus Christ truly is our Mediator with the Father in the true sense of the word. He suffered for US so that He can plead our case before the Father, so that we might gain eternal life. He is our Savior and our Redeemer. I love Him so much.
I hope you all have a great week, and a happy new year! Vi voglio bene!
Sorella Hawkey