¡Feliz Navidad en Febrero!

 6 de Febrero de 2017

Dear Mom and Dad (Family & Friends)!  

I am so glad you liked the letter last week.  It was such a wonderful week, and I hoped that I could express all my feelings in my heart for you in simple words.  Sometimes I feel like Nephi and how he felt weak in writing his testimony in the Book of Mormon or for me in my letters, but that sure made me happy that the letter helped you and especially Sarah. 

Elder Salas eating all his candy in 20 minutes!

Thank also for the pictures mom and dad and for the Christmas Package!  I got the package this Thursday during our district meeting, and I was so excited to open it that night.  Elder Salas and I ate and loved the corn nuts, and the next day Elder Salas ate all the candy in his stocking in 20 minutes.  He loved it but then at lunch said he was a little sick to his stomach because he ate so much candy.  

I also made him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He liked it a lot.  I loved it.  Thank you for the gifts and candy.  It sure was a tender mercy to have a taste of home.  Oh and the cookbook mom is amazing!   THANK YOU!  Wow, I can’t wait to use it to serve the Lord and my companion.  I looked through all of the coobook and it was so amazing to see how many different recipes from the family are there.  Just thinking about it makes me smile and reminds me of how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family.  

                    My Called To Serve Mission Cookbook and the Tim Tam Cookies (my favorite) from Mary and Jason!                          Elder Salas and I are going to do a Tim Tam slam tonight.

 Also, I received such inspiring letters from the Sevy family from Uncle Kent and Aunt Carol, Sean and Melissa. I want to give them a big thank you.  Sean and Melissa’s missions experiences in their letters sure gave me a desire to keep on serving!!

This Tuesday we find out about transfers.  Elder Salas is really excited and nervous.  He has been in la area de Forteleza for 9 months.  And he loves the people and our ward so much and doesn’t want to leave, but at the same time he wants to go to a new area.  I am so excited either way because if I remain in this area, I know we can baptize Hermano Peña in the next transfer, or if the Lord needs me in a new area I will faithfully go!!

One final picture with Adrian before transfers.  He is doing well and coming to church even though his family sometimes says harmful things about the church.

Hermano Peña is reading the Book of Mormon and he enjoys it. Yesterday when we went to visit them, Hermano Peña was faithfully reading the Book of Mormon and the chapter we gave him to read even though it was very hard for him to read because he needs a new prescription for his glasses and they make him dizzy. This sure made me so happy because the Book of Mormon is so key in our testimonios of this gospel for through the Book of Mormon we can know if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and restored the Church of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Hermano Peña committed to continue to read the Book of Mormon with his whole family.  

This is Hermano Peña, his son Georgia, and his youngest son, Javier.

One thing that Hermano Peña needs before bautismo is to get married. They have lived together for 25 plus years and have a wonderful family but aren’t married.  Hermana Peña right now doesn’t want to get married, and if in your prayers you could include her in your prayers that her heart may be softened and that they can get married and be baptized.  I know the Lord loves this family, and I love them so much and I know the Lord can help this family have the means and desire to get married.

Mom and Dad! I love you so much, and I know that this church is true and Jesus Christ lives right now and he directs this church.  Also, I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that as we look for help or answers to our questions or simply need peace, as we read the Book of Mormon, we will receive these things.

I love you so much, and I promise to word really hard this week!

Love your son,

Elder Matheson

The Luna Familia is so wonderful and are the family who we live across from or we live in the extra part of their house.  Josua is their oldest son with Namami the oldest daughter and Janell the youngest daughter.  I sure love them.