Merry Christmas:)
Well another week has gone and past and now it is already Christmas, AT LAST! I can't believe it's Christmas eve of the Christmas Eve already. It does not feel like Christmas out here; only a little bit of Christmas music and it's so hot, haha. I can take the heat, but honestly, I miss snow and the cold of Utah. I miss the temple lights and everything about where I live. I truly left a part of my heart where all of you are right now. I am glad for this experience so that I will be able to be more grateful every day for the place where I live, and the people whom I live with :)
How is everyone? I am fantastic :) How are you Grandma? I hope that your skin is getting better. I feel kinda the same way... Do any of you remember when I talked about that thing on my back? Well, I took some pictures of it and sent it to the nurse because it was really irritated and started to spread to my chest and arms. It turned out to be something a bit more serious that I expected hahahahaha. I had to go get some antibiotic medicine for it called Oxydiciline or something like that. I take a pill every morning and started about 5 days ago. It is getting better! :) How fantastic is that? God blesses us and heals us. What a blessing of medicine we have these days :) My back is finally getting better now. How grateful I am to be healthy :)
Because of my hunger, great things happen! I think that every time I go to buy something because I am hungry, we always have a contact or something. Once we set a baptismal date because I wanted to go back for a second banana! Ha funny right? I love it out here.
There are some confused people out here. It talks about them in the Book of Mormon. 2 Nephi 29 ¨Woe unto them that shall say a Bible, we have a Bible! And we need no more Bible!¨ I have seen this time and time again.
Yesterday we were contacting and I was prompted to contact this house. Turns out it was an Evangelic Pastor of his church and congregation. What a draining conversation it was. Truly Satan has tied these people so tight with his knots and cords that they cannot be loosed. They could be, but they won't. I feel so bad. He said that all he needs is the Bible and that all salvation is in it. He said that even if an angel came down and told him that the Book of Mormon was true, he wouldn't take it. Sad. I am happy that God is merciful and that Jesus is a just judge.
Some people out here remind me of people at home. I saw a guy and a family who reminded me of Jaron McGary and the Smiths. Funny right :) I saw a Cade McGary in the MTC too. Just funny silly things :)
Many people are awestruck when I say I am only 18 years old. They can't believe it. I like it. I like looking older than I am. It's nice :)
One thing is, every time I talk to people like that, and say how long I have been out here (almost 2 months in Panama and over 3 in the mission), they are just amazed at how well I speak Spanish. I can't believe it when they say it either. They say, ¨You only have less than 2 months in Panama???? You speak amazing!¨ What a tender mercy and a confidence booster for me. I try and practice every day. Truly, I want everyone to know right now - with God, all things are truly possible. The gift of tongues is real. The Lord has given me experiences, even this week, where I can't say a word. But He also gives me experiences, even in my fourth week, where I can say everything I need to. I can testify and talk to the people! It is so amazing. I am starting to speak Spanish! The language is actually kinda clicking! There is so much for me to learn; new words, subjunctive, and to practice and practice. But the only thing to do is keep speaking and exercising my faith that God will give me the gift when I come up short. Truly, He is showing forth His power in me, because I am not smart. At all. But God is showing me what I can do with His Spirit and His help.
My shoes died. Time to buy new ones for Christmas. The others are so nice still. Life starts getting easier out here when you learn the language and you like your comp. I eat a healthy breakfast every day just for you, Mom. I always buy fruit that night for the next mroning.
Out here the work is difficult and discouraging. But I am being happy and positive :) People just don't come to church. People who appear to be nice and progressing fall. Satan is working and working. People who are ready to pray and love learning, the next time we meet say they don't want us anymore and want to go to their own church. Many times they aren't even there. We can have a cita filled day with about 7 or 8 appointments and we are lucky if one follows through. Panama is hard. It is not easy. But the Lord is in the work. The will of Him cannot be altered. I find comfort in this thing. If God wants or is ready for a person to come to the gospel, He will show us the way to find them. Agency is a key to our salvation. It is either the key to help us become like God, or the thing that drags us down to dwell with Lucifer. He is real. He is the enemy of our soul. Give place no more for him in your life! Obey with exactness so that he won't have any power over you! The only power he can have over you is that power that you give to him.
I love you all. I wish you the happiest Christmas I can out here on a Panamanian Christmas day, with palm trees and such. I miss you all more that many of you know. I am so grateful for this privilege to serve! It has taught me so much! I love you all. My heart is with you. I can hardly wait to see you this Wednesday :) Maybe Tuesday... but probably Wednesday :) Until then, Merry Christmas my loved ones :)
With all of the love that this missionary can muster,
Elder Bitter
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