Cinnamon Roll Christmas :-D

ESPERO QUE TUVIERON UNA FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Y COMIERON MUCHA MUCHA COMIDA PARA MI!!!!!!!!!

How is everything going in the good old Brigham City??  It looks like from the pictures you enjoyed yourselves!  For us here in Juarez it was AWESOME!!!!  It was quite the strange few days but it all turned out great and well the best thing is that we didn’t forget what our moms had taught us... and we made CINNAMON ROLLS!!!!!!!!!  So let me start from the 24^th , because that is pretty much Christmas here for everyone!  So we went to the family Bencomos house and Hermana Bunderson talked to her family and so did the other missionaries!!  It was fun to see all of their families!!  Then we helped the Bencomos make lunch and we all ate together! T HIS FAMILY IS AMAZING!!  I know that I have said that about a million and a half times but really it was so fun to be with them and to feel in home!  We ate ham and lots of good food and banana cookies for dessert!!!  YUMMY!!!!  We then went back to our house at 5 and we had the rest of the night to clean and to relax!!!  So we came home and made a chocolate cake for our neighbor, cinnamon rolls, and watched “The Legacy” about 5 times!  Hahaha  And I got caught up on my journal and we just hung out!!  IT WAS FUN!!  :)

 Then we went to bed and on Christmas morning the sisters came to our house early and we ate together and opened a few little presents!!  And off we went to a meeting with the President ALL DAY LONG!!!!!!!!  IT WAS THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT!!!!!!!!!!!  IT WAS LIKE A SPIRITUAL OVERLOAD!!!!!!!!!!!  It was just a meeting with the hermanas (cuz the president likes us the best!) and we talked about, pretty much everything you could talk about!  All the general authorities the president knows... Sister Derbez and his story.... the mission and his advice.... how to prepare to be good moms.... ;) and well just about EVERYTHING!!!  There also was an hermana there who cut everyones hair!  All 40 hermanas here in Juarez!!!!  It was really awesome and we had a lot of fun! 

Then on the 26^th ... well I think my comp partied too hard cuz she was sick all day!!!  Soooooo once again we were inside!  Cleaning and watching “The Legacy” about 50 more times!!!  But she is feeling better, and you had better believe that on Saturday I was SOOOOOOOOOOOO ready to work!!!  (3 whole days inside, I thought I was going to have a panic attack!)  hahahahaha  but the weekend was great too!!!  We sang again at Misiones (mall in Juarez) on Saturday and then again on Sunday!!  And we had even more people than last week!!!  It was super fun and well... what do I say!?????  I AM JUST A HAPPY MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Well also I just wanted to tell you guys thank you so much for the 12 days of Christmas you sent and also the little package with the quote book!!!!  IT IS SO AMAZING!!!!!!!  It really just put the cherry on the Christmas!!! (by the way I like cherries now...)  hahaha 

…1…  How was your Christmas and what did you do?
See above ;)

…2…  Are you allowed to venture out on New Year’s eve/day?
HMMMMMMMMM - we aren’t doing anything too different I dont think!  We are just going to leave a little bit later on the 1^st  so we dont have to deal with all the drunks....

…3…  How are your investigators doing?
AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!  We had an amazing experience yesterday at church!  A family that we are teaching came and in gospel principles they LOVED IT!!!!!!  We talked about baptism and WOW I have never felt the spirit so strong in a gospel principles class!!!  The brother asked how long he had to wait to be baptized....  SO WE ARE STOKED!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY ARE REALLY PREPARED FROM THE LORD!

…4…  Can you get amazing breads in Juarez like we did in Puerto Vallarta?
Hmmmmmm - YES indeed - they do make some pretty great breads here!!  It is such a temptation every time we go to the grocery store!!  BUT YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO ENJOY LIFE RIGHT!!!!!!!!! ;)

…5…  Do you need anything from us?  (money, prayers, etc.)
NAH!!!  I am doing great!!! :)  Prayers are always welcomed and well I am actually enjoying being a poor missionary!!!! ;)  But I am doing great!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful NEW YEAR!!!!!!  (Can you believe that it is already gone????)  Thank you so much for everything you have and are doing for me!  This literally is the biggest blessing in my life, to be able to serve my Father in Heaven 24/7!!!  I am loving it!  And I am working harder and harder every single day!!!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  AND HAPPY 2015!!!!!

Hermana Sutton

Hermana Bunderson's Christmas Breakfast

Cinnamon Rolls

Hermana Bunderson is the chef, Hermana Sutton is the taster

Mount Bible near Juarez

12 Days of Christmas

Feliz Navidad 2014

December 22, 2014

HMMMMMM I am in a pickle.....  Since we talked yesterday I don’t know what I should tell you!!  So let me just ramble and we can see what I come up with!  hahahaha  SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...  We are doing great!!  We are so excited for Christmas and we feel so blessed to be serving the Lord right now!  We had a Christmas lunch with all of the missionaries in the entire mission which was really fun!!!  THE BEST PART WAS THE TIES AND THE SCARVES!!!!!!!  A huge shout out to everyone who helped put everything together!!!! :)  You should have seen the faces of all the missionaries!!!!!  THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!  You made this Christmas one we can never forget!!!! :):):):):):):):):):):) 

This week we really did see a lot of miracles; the phrase of the week... “WHAT A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE” ;) hahahaha  But like I told you yesterday we found an amazing family who we really have high hopes for!  The Hermana went to the concert (with our stake president) and LOVED it, and well we have her won over I think ;)  The Hermano is awesome too, his nickname is “Wolf”, and he is a Bromista... (a joker) and he is really receptive!!  It is awesome that our stake president is there for them.  There is a huge difference when the members help, and we feel super excited to continue helping them to come unto Christ. 

Also this weekend we sang at Misiones (the big mall here in Juarez) and everything went really well; we got a lot of references and we hope we are sharing the Christmas spirit the way the Lord wants it to be done!  Especially during this time of the year I am so grateful to have learned how to play the piano and how to sing.  I know the Lord blesses us with our talents to be able to help His children.

HMMMMM WHAT ELSE!!!!  One of the things that we are doing for Christmas is... okay let me explain!!!  So almost every day we take the same route to get to our area (cuz we technically don’t live in our area) so we pass by the same people every day, like the people that sell hamburgers or the crazy lady who yells at us for crossing the street, or the awesome taco guy, just a few of our favorites!  SO what we did this year is that we wrapped up Books of Mormon and wrote in them our testimonies and put stuff about HE IS THE GIFT, and tomorrow we are going to take them around and give them their Christmas present!!!  There really is power in the Book of Mormon!  We are excited to see how it works in their lives! ;)

I loved the pictures you sent of the boys in their pajamas!!!  THEY LOOK SUPER!!!!!!!!!! ;)  I explained the other day to the president about our tradition with the pizza and candle light on our china....  He thought we were a strange family!  SO I THINK HE GOT THAT RIGHT!!!!! ;)  I hope that this year is a great one, make sure you enjoy it and eat a lot of good food for this missionary!!!  My present was definitely talking to you all yesterday!  You are just as crazy as I remember!!!  I cannot believe that Beckham recognized me!!! ;)  What a cutie!!!

I love you all so much!!  And I hope you remember just how blessed we are to have the truth in our lives.  I really just can’t wrap my mind around the fact that Our Father loved us so much that He sent his only begotten Son.  And not only that but that Christ was willing and suffered everything for us.  I love them both, and well I love this season.  I really do think that the world is more open to learning how they can grow close to Christ now!!! 

FELIZ NAVIDAD, PROSPERO ANO Y FELICIDAD!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Hermana Sutton

Links to the Juarez Mall Christmas videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF1GngcaYK0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR17eyLWdZY

Juarez Mall Groups

More Christmas vocals

Juarez Mall Christmas vocals

Future Missionaries

Missionary Sisters

 Hermanas Sutton, Bunderson, Panta, Hernandez

Christmas Angels!!

Missionary Christmas Card

Christmas party & gifts

Juarez Mexico Christmas Concert

Hermana Bunderson & Hermana Sutton

This concert was televised on a local station.

Megan doing what she Loves to do, Sing.

'Twas the Week Before Christmas!!!!

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY FAMILY GAVE TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Thank you so much; I started the days of Christmas and I LOVE it!!!!  Let me just tell you something really cool - yesterday I ran out of q-tips and I thought to myself... well dang - now I have to buy more today at the store!!  BUT NO WORRIES!!!!  My family is inspired and in the present today was a box of q-tips!!  I thought it was pretty great right?? hahaha  But we are doing great here in Mexico and loving the warm weather (I mean - if I can’t have snow, it might as well be warm!)  We are working really hard with sharing about Christ, and we hope that as we start the new year we are going to have a lot of prospects for teaching!!

… 1 …     Tell us all about the Christmas Celebration!!!!!!!  (we like details especially what you personally had to do – hahaha)

SOOOOOOO.... this was the week of the El es La Dadiva concert!!!  AND IT TURNED OUT REALLY GREAT!!!!!!!  It was a huge miracle; at the beginning of the week I got a really bad cold and sore throat!!!! (Yikes!!)  But miracles happen and the day of the concert I was feeling great...  Oh but the day after, I think Heavenly Father was making me pay ;) hahaha  But it all turned out great!!!

Okay, so I will give you a little over view!!!  (It was actually on TV hahahahaha - we are so cool ;))  So we started with a few videos!  (There was a huge projector and screen!!!!)  The first video was an overview of the church and the Book of Mormon and just some of our basic beliefs!!  (It is a Mormon message of a black bishop from England!)  Then we watched “Because of Him” :):):):):) and then “El es La Dadiva” (He is the gift!!)  Then we went back in time to like the beginning of the church and sang a few songs as a choir - “The Day Dawn is Breaking” (a really cool arrangement) and “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer” (it was all high-tech and the lights looked great!)  I kind of felt like I was on Glee! ;)  Then we went into the life of Jesus Christ, about how we have to follow Him and sang about that and "Our Saviors Love" with a cute little girl playing the violin!!  And then there was a song about baptism (a primary one).  The whole time they were showing pictures behind us on a big screen!!!  IT WAS SWEET!!!!

Then an actor came out and acted out the part of when the angel came to announce the birth of Christ (that was cool) then we went into Christmas songs!!!!!  Hermana Ellsworth played beautifully “What Child Is This”, then we sang “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, and then a mix of a whole bunch of Christmas hymns.  Then an Elder and I started with “O Holy Night”, and the choir joined in on the chorus!!!  Then the actor explained how we can give a gift of Christmas, (focusing on the Book of Mormon).  And under the seats of the whole audience were Books of Mormon!!!  We closed by singing “Joy to the World”!!! :):):):):):):)  The whole time we had a little orchestra playing and our director was really great!! :)  The spirit was super strong, and after the concerts was over, we wanted to continue it into the street!!! hahahahaha It was so fun to actually perform again!!!!

I doubt that made any sense to you.... but in a few words....  IT TURNED OUT GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! ;)

… 2 …     Are you able to call – SKYPE – next Sunday?  (If so, details – what time, etc)

Yeah!!!  I talked to the President and he said he wanted to go to Hawaii too... ;)  But said I could call whenever you guys would like!!! :)

… 3 …     Do many people put up Christmas lights in Juarez?  Any other decorations?

Hmmmmm - Yes, there are actually a few houses that do have Christmas lights outside!!!  I was surprised to be honest!!! :)  Everyone and their dog put up a Christmas tree!!!  Actually this week we went to the house of one of our investigators to help her put up her tree and decorations!!!  What happened was 5 years ago her husband and mom both died and ever since then she has never put it up...  But she told us it was going to be different this year!!!  We helped her and her granddaughters put it up!!  It was fun to be with her and she told us some really awesome stories of her family and her life!!!  

... 4 …    Where are you all having your Christmas party?  (At the President’s house, church)

Hmmmm the details about the Christmas party we are not sure about yet...  There are rumors that it is this Saturday, but we still are not sure!!!  But I am sure it will be great!!! :)  I am getting all the ties and the scarfs ready so it should be a HIT!!!!!!!!!!  THANK YOU AGAIN FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

But everything is going great!!!  I am happy and enjoying this wonderful life as a missionary!! :)  I am learning SOOOO much and meeting so many great people!!  I really do feel in family here; the gospel really does bind us together as one!!!  This Christmas I have had the goal to get to know my Savior better.  I have been studying the life of Him and reading about Him, and really trying to be like Him!  And I really do feel a difference in my life!  I know that Christ is our Savior and that He was and is the perfect example for us.  I am so grateful for Him for the amazing gift of His life; the atonement inspires me to be better and to return to live with Him.  I am so grateful for Christmas!!!!  Of course, right??  IT’S THE HAPPIEST TIME OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):)

Have a great “week before Christmas”!!!

Hermana Sutton

Companion Missionaries

Hermana Soto, Hermana Bunderson,

Hermana Ellsworth, Hermana Sutton

Christmas Tree Assembly

The Christmas Concert Outfits

Hermana Sutton, Hermana Bunderson

Hermana Sutton, Hermana Bunderson

Hermana Ellsworth, Hermana Bunderson, Hermana Sutton

Really, We Are Trying to Change the World!!!!

DEAREST FAMILY!!!!!!!!!

It’s beginning to feel a lot like autumn... and it’s almost Christmas!!!!!!!!!  WHAT IS GOING ON!!!!!!!!??????????? hahahahaha  I hope that Santa still finds us here even though it is only sweater weather ;)  But this week was a great one!!  We were running pretty much with our heads cut off; we had a lot of practices for the choir and just A LOT of work!!! :)  We are so happy to be here and to be helping this ward.  Last Saturday we had the ward Christmas party, and it was really great!!!  BUT WE TOTALLY BEAT THE MEMBERS!!!!!!!  I AM PRETTY SURE THERE WERE MORE NON-MEMBERS THAN MEMBERS THERE!!!!!!!!!!! :)  It was a great turn out; we missionaries sang (with no notice before hand) but it all turned out great!  The primary put on the nativity scene and the youth danced to 80s music!!  It was a great evening!! :)  This ward is awesome; it is going to be a sad day when I have to leave them!!

As for the Christmas Devotional last night, we only saw the last 15 minutes because we were in a practice for the choir, but what we saw was amazing!!  The conference center looked great and the choir was incredible!! :)  I LOVE CHRISTMAS IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!

As for everything else, the work is moving forward, we are working with the Lamar still for his baptism and also with our new investigators we found last week!  We are hoping we can have a baptism before the year comes to an end.  But only the Lord knows the timing!!

…1… Have you had your missionary Christmas party yet?

We haven’t had the party yet as missionaries!!!!  I think that we are going to have it like the 19th or that weekend...  WE ARE GETTING EXCITED PREPARING ALL THE TIES AND SCARVES!!!!!!!  We are hoping the President makes us dinner and we get to be with all the missionaries, but who knows right!!  You just play it by ear!! :)  But I know it is going to be great!!!

…2… What’s the craziest thing that happened this week?

Hmmmmm the craziest thing.... I am not sure!  To be honest my memory is getting terrible.  I have to write things down during the week so I don’t forget to tell you guys.  Really I can’t even remember what we ate yesterday!! hahahahaha  FORGIVE ME!!  I will try to think of one this week!

…3… Did you ever get your 4 generation genealogy we attached to an e-mail?

Yes, I sure did, and it was perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!

…4… Tell us more about the 'El es la Dadiva, it’s new here and no one knows much about it.

ARE YOU SERIOUS - THE MISSIONARIES AND THE WARD AREN'T DOING ANYTHING THERE?????????  IT IS HUGE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!! :)  THE WHOLE CONCERT WE ARE DOING IS FOCUSED ON THAT!!!!!!!  Well anyways, we have the video (that I hope everyone has seen) and we are sharing that with the members and with pretty much everyone we meet.  Then we also talk in the street to everyone about the “spirit of Christmas” and the DADIVA!!!  We invite them to learn more and let us go to their house.  It is pretty much the same as missionary work, but with more focus on Christ and how to make this Christmas different.  REALLY WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)  Nothing else....  But it is awesome!  Really this is the most amazing time to share the gospel!!  And not just for me, but for everyone!  Think about when you do a gift for the neighbors - maybe put a scripture in there or the video. 

But great things are happening here in Juarez; we are seeing people open their hearts and change.  

Just one little thing before I head out.  Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting. The Hermana Patlan had told me last week that she wanted to share her testimony but that she was really scared.  We practiced and I told her I would go up with her and share mine too!  So we went up together and she did AMAZING!!!!!!!!! :)  She really was so scared, but she spoke so simply but powerfully!  The WHOLE congregation was crying.  SHE IS A REAL CONVERT!!!  She has been changed by Jesus Christ.  It is amazing, and I am so grateful that she and her family are part of my life!!!

I JUST FEEL SO HAPPY AND GRATEFUL!!!!!!!  HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton

p.s.  Pray for us and our big concert on Friday!!!!

Do Mexican dogs understand English?

Juarez Missionaries

Almost Christmas but feels like Autumn.

Hermana Bunderson, Hermana Sutton

The Juarez Hermanas

Hermana Panta, Hermana Ellsworth, Hermana Bunderson, Hermana Sutton

Missionary Christmas

Day 1 of the 12 days of Christmas (opened early)

We are the Queens of Pie :D

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!!!!!!  It looks from all of the pictures that you partied for all of us!!!  And don’t worry about these sister here in Juarez, we were pretty spoiled and just happened to eat a little turkey and stuffing!!!  (By the way, I think this mission thing is really changing me; and I am getting a little worried... I LOVE STUFFING!!!!  Mom, I ate it, and I didn’t even cry ;) hahahahaha I thought it was a pretty big deal!)  We ate with the Bencomo Family, who is the bishop and his wife and the family of her!!!  THEY ARE THE SWEETEST!!!!!  The mom of Hermana Bencomo grew up in Casas Entoces; she is all into the American traditions!!!  We ate with them and really felt like we were part of their family!  It was super fun to tell everyone "FELIZ DIA DE PAVO" in the street, cuz they just looked at us like dumb Americans!!!  BUT WORTH IT!!!!  But the dinner was amazing, and also Lamar made us “Beef Steak Pudding” (which sounds TERRIBLE!) but I am a witness that it is pretty dang good :)  We were spoiled, but so grateful for our great thanksgiving....   It just so happened that the whole week, the members made us turkey too!!!  (of course... when you have 3 American missionaries you have to take the excuse and celebrate with them!!!! ) WE MADE PIE ALSO.....  OH I ALMOST FORGOT!!!!!!!!!  WE ARE THE QUEENS OF PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Over all - it was a great day!!!!

1.                  Are you keeping warm enough?

Yes... and no.... hahahahaha!!!!!!  I sometimes wish I was on the beach, because I am turning into my mother a little bit and am always cold...  BUT I have all my fingers and toes and so I think I am set!!! ;)  I am using the coat that Hermana Jacobo left me and it is working out just dandy!!!  We just need a little bit of snow and I think I would be warmer ;) 

2.                  Have you found out when you can call us at Christmas?

WOW!!!  Can you believe Christmas is almost here!!!!!!!!!!!!  I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):):):)  But as for the phone call, I am not sure, if you need me to call another day; I probably could..  I’ll figure it out!!!  ACTUALLY, I think we should make Amanda and Eric suffer, and not be able to talk to me....  They are too cool and heading off the Hawaii!!!! ;)  Okay, I am just kidding!!  What day do they leave???

3.                  How’s the Christmas play / program coming along? Tell us more!!

HMMMM IT IS GOING TO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!  We pretty much changed all the plans this last week; we found an awesome guy that is helping us with the music and the whole program!!  It is going to be in this huge concert hall called "Centro Cultural Paso de Norte!!!"  LOOK IT UP!!!  And then we are going to sing and have short little messages and everyone is going to cry and give us tons of references, and then we are going to baptize all of Juarez and then it will changes to the safest place in the world!!!!  (That is the goal at least... you gotta shoot for the stars!)

4.                  Do you miss your Utah Family?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - You guys are crazy!!!  Of course I miss you guys!!! :) 

NOW IS THE TIME!!!  YOU EITHER JUMP ON THE WAGON OR GET LEFT IN THE DIRT - FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!  THE CHURCH IS DOING AMAZING THINGS FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!  THERE IS A HUGE PROGRAM THAT THE ENTIRE WORLD IS DOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  IT IS CALLED “El es la Dadiva!!' or for you white people... “He is the Gift!!!”  Check it out, the church bought a whole day in YouTube to advertise it (this Sunday).  There are advertisements in Time Square!!  And I am sure you guys have seen them on Facebook and everywhere on-line!!!!  JUMP ON THE WAGON FOLKS!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is the best time to share the gospel, or at least share a video with your friends!!! ;)  You will see, put it to the test!  SHARING THE GOSPEL GIVES YOU GREATER HAPPINESS THAN YOU HAVE EVER FELT!!!!!!!!!!!!  Go to navidad.mormon.org :) 

A short little miracle for this week!!!!!!!  We had been praying a lot to find new investigators... especially on Friday; we said a special prayer before we left the house!  Not one minute after we had walked outside the door and a hermana called to us and asked us who we were!!!  YES!!!!!  She was super excited and told us that she and her family really need to change their lives right now!!!  We went back the next day and they were there waiting for us with Atole and cookies!!!  THEY ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!  They are accepting the gospel so easily, because they are some of the elect!!!!!!  WE FEEL SO BLESSED!!!!!  Our Father really answers our prayers!!  I know He lives! :) 

Also this week, we got to go to the temple!!!  We went with the Bencomo Family (we kind of like them a lot if you can tell....)  THEY ARE AMAZING!!!!!!  AND SO WAS THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

IT WAS AN AMAZING WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!  AND WE ARE EXCITED FOR ANOTHER ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND KEEP SMILING!!!!!!!!!

"Happy Birthday" to Amber (a couple weeks ago), Barbara (today) and Susan (this weekend)!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton

 

Juarez Temple Trip

Hermanas with Bishop Ortiz and his wife Yasleth.

Hermnas at Juarez Temple

Hermana Panta, Hermana Ellsworth, Yasleth Ortiz, Hermana Bunderson, Hermana Sutton