"Semena Santa" - The Holy Week

This week was a little rough I kinda getting the same energy drag that you mentioned Kodi. Sometimes its just a longing but mostly I just getting tired of walking. Ha Ha! I walk a lot :) Anyway here is the letter. It is a little short this week but I hope that it finds all in good spirits :)

This Week started of the Semana Santa. The Holy Week. Everyone here, to some degree, respects it. For example you can not find a single piece of meat here that isn't fish.

The week passed by quickly with almost no one willing to listen but almost everyone willing to talk about Jesus. They had strange processions in the street where they whipped actors like Jesus carrying the cross. The ward rented the video the Passion of Christ with Mel Gibson were there is just a lot of blood and death. All in all this week has left a bad taste in my mouth.

We passed this week visiting families with a lot of problems but unwilling to make changes in there lives; like studying the scriptures or praying, children who disrespect there parents and parents who refuse to get married but are unhappy with life and their family. I cant help but wonder. In all of this talk of Semana Santa, they have forgotten about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I gave a talk Sunday to a group of 95 people. That is the biggest attendance we have ever had! I bore my testimony that Jesus lives. It is through the little things and the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can be saved through truly repenting and changing our lives. After giving my talk one man who we have been teaching, a member for 10 years, was interviewed to be sealed in the temple. He passed and has a goal for this June to receive the Priesthood (if he can pay his tithing). I also taught primary, because they were short a teacher. I remembered a lesson my primary teacher had given. I drew a picture of a family and on the back of a picture of Jesus Christ. I told them if they were mad at their family they could hit them. So they all started hitting them. I then flipped it over. They all felt the Spirit for one second until one little devil cried "crucify him!" ( I suppose it is all of these movies and its just culture) Then the little devils started hitting Jesus.... 

To all of my primary teachers .. I am sorry.

Elder Grow