El Dia de los Muertos ...
... Day of the Dead
At first glance, the Mexican custom of El Día de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead — may sound much like the U.S. custom of Halloween. After all, the celebration traditionally starts at midnight the night of Oct. 31, and the festivities are abundant in images related to death.
But the customs have different origins, and their attitudes toward death are different: In the typical Halloween festivities, death is something to be feared. But in el día de los muertos, death — or at least the memories of those who have died — is something to be celebrated.
El día de los muertos, which continues until Nov. 2, has become one of the biggest holidays in Mexico, and celebrations are becoming more common in areas of the United States with a large Hispanic population. Its origins are distinctly Mexican: During the time of the Aztecs, a monthlong summer celebration was overseen by the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. After the Aztecs were conquered by Spain and Catholicism became the dominant religion, the customs became intertwined with the Christian commemoration of All Saints' Day on Nov. 1.
Specifics of the celebration vary with region, but one of the most common customs is the making of elaborate altars to welcome departed spirits home. Vigils are held, and families often go to cemeteries to fix up the graves of their departed relatives. Festivities also frequently include traditional foods such as pan de muerto (bread of the dead), which can conceal a miniature skeleton.
November 12, 2012
CAMBIOS
ESPECIALES!!!!! (Special Changes)
So this past week we had Conferencia de la Zona and we
learned a lot of things on how to be safe, have the spirit and really be a
better missionary of Christ and how to bring people to him. In the
Conference we were able to listen a man from the church about security and he
was pretty funny about the things that he had to say. But as y’all
already know missionaries in Mexico aren’t allowed to knock doors or contact
people in the calles. Well if the spirit prompts us to contact someone in
the street we can do it but for the most part we don’t contact and we are
really trying to work through the members. A day after the Conference
Elder Hessing y Yo were teaching a lesson to Rosario who is going to be baptized
this Friday at 4 and she is super fiel (faithful) and already and has a strong
testimony. During this lesson with her and her family I received a call
from our Zone leaders who said Elder, I need to talk to Hessing. I said we were in a lesson right now can we
call you later and he said NO haha. Well Elder Hessing is now in Galiena
to be Zone leader there. I’m not
surprised but it was really crazy this past week. My new companion
is Elder Alvarez and he is from Peru. I don’t know if it was the same in Argentina,
Chile, or Texas but missionaries from Peru are very hard to get along
with. So far the companionship is going
pretty well but were going to work hard.
This Miercoles our distrito is
going to the temple in Mexico City and I’m super pumped and a little bit
nervous for a session in Spanish. I’m pretty sure I will be able to understand
but what come afterwards is what’s going to be a cool experience. In my
weekly letters to President Kusch he responded with now you have a new
challenge that I know you are ready for. It made me feel good to hear
that Presidente says that I’m ready for this challenge to have special changes
with a Peruvian. We’re going to work
hard! If he doesn’t want to work well
that’s too bad because this isn’t mission TRIP this is Mission WORK. I’m
going to be baptizing Rosario because she doesn’t know elder Alvarez very
well. I’m excited that she’s going to
take these steps for baptism. Also, we found a joven named Duban that is
taking the placticas right now and he’s really excited and I can’t wait to have
another cita with him and hear if he has received ananswer that this is
true. Because it is true and he’s going to get an answer.
Familia les amo. con
todo mi corazon. Estoy agradecido por este Evangelio de Jesucristo y que
esta iglesi fue restuarado por Jose Smith. Que tenemos todas las verdades
de Dios en estos Ultimos dias. Se que por medio de los escrituras y la
oracion vamos a recibir respuestas y con suelo por nuestras purebas y
afliciones. Esta semana pasada fue bien rara porque de los cambios y
todo. Pero mediante estas pruebas creo que yo entiendo mucho mejor de la
obra misional. Les Amo y sigan el Ejemplo de Jesucristo en Nuestras vidas
por Perseverando hasta el fin!!!
Elder Park Disfruten las
fotos de El dia de los muertos
Translation:
Family, I love
y’all with all my heart. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that
this church has been restored by Joseph Smith. We have all the truths of God in
these last days. I know that through the scriptures and prayer, we continue to
receive answers and with tests and by our afflictions we press upon. This
past week was rather rare because of the changes and everything. But through
these tests I think I understand better the missionary work. I love y’all and
follow the example of Jesus Christ in our lives by persevering until the end!
Elder Park Enjoy
the photos of the day of the dead
