I Have A Story

Hello everyone!! This week was good! Merry Christmas to all! I just want to share one story that happened to me this week. Enjoy.

I title this story "Juan Fransisco Garcia [something] from Chicacao Guatemala and his dead bird."

     As we were walking home, this man drove past us and said god bless you! We waved back to him. Then he drove a little further and stopped, backed up, and stopped next to us to talk to us. In the middle of the road by the way. He was talking about God and his family and we said do you speak spanish? So then he started talking to us in spanish. He showed us his bible and said he loves God (we were like awesome!) so Hna tea started writing our information down on a pass along card. We were standing in the middle of traffic and people were trying to drive around us so he motioned us closer to his truck. Then he told us his truck was his home and his church and his friend and then he told us he wanted to show us something... then he turns around and pulls out a dead bird. A dead bird. In his hands. And it looked like it had been dead for a while because it was deflated and the feathers were blowing off in the wind toward my face. (If you didn't just say "ew" then idk what you're doing.) We flinched to say the least and backed up a few steps. I turned to Hermana tea and I was like "we are not giving him our phone number." He told us that the bird was his brother and he found it so he could bury it because God loves the bird too.... mhm okay nice. Then he put the dead bird away and we ended the conversation. Or so we thought. He drives a little further and then stops again, gets out of his car (which is still in the middle of the street), goes to the back of his truck and pulls out a rotten pineapple and then came to give it to us. He handed it to us and said "here, when you eat it, always remember Juan Francisco Garcia [something] from Chicacao Guatemala." Then he proceeded to tell us that in Guatemala he would always give food to the poor people. He said "jesus said when people are thirsty...? We give them what?" Us: "water" him: "good! And when they are cold?" Us: "a coat" him: "perfect! And when they are hungry?" Us: "food" him: "good. So here is this pineapple and when you eat it you will always remember [insert name again]" then he told us to eat the pineapple a few more times (we obviously did not because he has dead bird diseases on his hands) and then he said goodbye and drove away. A very sweet man and I will never forget him. 

     

I hope you have enjoyed this story. 

Now a quick spiritual thought!

I was reading a little thing my sister gave me that has a scripture on it on it. I had read it before but this scripture really touched my heart this week.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Beautiful!! "For the joy that was set before Him." That joy was our salvation! He did it for us. So let us fix our eyes on Him. He is the light. He is everything. Turn to Christ. My dear family and friends I know Christ lives. Isn't that awesome! We have a Savior. All is not lost. Imagine if we couldn't fix our mistakes. Man that would be rough. But we can. We can be happy. And clean. And find joy. Through Jesus Christ.

Okay I'm done. Sorry for all of you who cringed at that but I just wanted to share a little bit about Christ.

Love y'all! :)

Hermana Eastman

Enjoy this picture dump! Notice me clutching my hand in that one pick? Yeah Hna tea accidentally kicked my hand when she jumped and I thought my hand was broken lol😂 I legitimately thought to myself "what if I can never write again and my career is ruined?" Haha I'm good now

Hi parents!

Hello!

Dad

How are the slopes? I wish I could go skiing with you! Dad we are at the same place in the book of Mormon!! I actually highlighted that scripture you sent me this week. And thank you for your thoughts because I need them right now. Our teaching is so slow. And our finding is even slower. And from what I've heard it's gotten worse just this last transfer... the transfer I got here. And me being me I can't help but think that if I were more experienced or tried harder or was more dedicated or never took any breaks, that I could be doing more good here. And maybe that's partly the cause but I highlighted verse 30 because sometimes that's just the way it is. I love D&C 122:17 "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

Now clearly Joseph Smith said these words under a different context but I feel like it applies to me. Do what you can. But the Lords plan is over all, so stand still and trust that His purposes will be accomplished.

Anyways thank you for your words because that has been a struggle for the past few weeks.

Mom

First, can you use almond milk for cheesy ham casserole?

Second, thank you for reaching out to Mallory! It means a lot. I miss her very much as well. She is my best friend and I feel like I wasted months that I could have spent with her. I do get to talk with her every week and I'm very grateful for that. Be diligent with school!! I know that its rough, especially online, but I love school and I'm happy you get to continue your education! And congratulations on accomplishing your first lesson!!👏🎉 did you use breakout rooms? I also think that helping others is a lifestyle. I really believe that greatest stumbling block is selfishness and pride. Really. Pick a problem and trace it back to one of those two. It's not that difficult to do. That's something I've been trying to do for LITERALLY years. "Eradicate pride." And selfishness feeds pride. Service is a great way to counteract that. 

I had some wacky experiences this week. (I will put one in my weekly email so stay tuned. Sneak peak: a homeless man showed us his dead bird and gave us a rotten pineapple.) I'm pretty tired and trying to figure out what it means to "do good." Sometimes I think to myself "am I even doing any good?" Theoretically I know the answer is probably yes but theres no measuring stick that i can use to figure out where I'm at. But all is well here in Texas. The Lord lives and what else could we possibly hope for?

Love you!

ps good luck with your shot dad, I hope they use needles and not super powerful airguns.

I took this picture of a tree. Thought it was pretty cool.