Week 51: Christmas miracles in Juticalpa

This week was a week of miracles! Last week we had the trouble with dates, so Elder Banda and I took a minute and we made plans for what we could do. We really felt like we should focus on Family Home Evenings and references, so we went and looked them up. The success we had was incredible. We have found some good people who are ready for the message we bring. I hope to be able to give good news next week about them. 

We had a branch Christmas activity. I bought a Santa costume the kids and the families loved it! I had a lot of pictures taken with everybody as it was me that was chosen to be Santa. The kids came up, stood beside me and asked for gifts. We enjoyed the Christmas dinner and took pictures with signs and a Light the World backdrop. We shared a good message and Santa spoke to the branch. (I thought that was weird.) The branch president wanted me to speak, so I got to talk about the importance of the birth of the Saviour standing there in my Santa costume. In the end all the families and the kids thought it was good. I plan to leave the costume here for future use. The parties here don’t really do Santa stuff. I kinda hope they do because it’s one of the things that I always remember doing at ward Christmas parties-- the Santa photos that mom always wanted. 

I had a cool experience with the Book of Mormon this week. We had a Family Home Evening at the familia Medina's and a non member was there. She was very shy, and didn’t want to really speak too much. Well, at the end Elder Banda and I were asked to give a message. We talked about the importance of the Christmas season and about Christ’s birth. We spoke a little about the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith, but after the message was shared the lady came up and asked, ''what is the Book of Mormon?''  I looked to my companion - who looked back to me to answer her. I bore my solemn testimony of it, that it is a true work, that the prophecies of the Bible have been completed and that we can now hold the stick of Judah and the stick of Ephraim as one in our hand. I felt prompted to testify of Joseph Smith and I did. I testified of him as one of the Lord’s chosen servants in our latter days, and then my companion bore an even stronger testimony of the restored gospel. It was amazing, I can say I have never felt the spirit so strong! The lady sat back and then said, ''I think I'll look into you mormons''. Banda and I weren't surprised... well we were kind of.  We invited her to the branch Christmas party. She came and she loved it! She has accepted to be baptized on the 30th of this month along with two of her grandchildren. 

The Lord works miracles in Juticalpa!!!

keep truckin'

Our Light the World backdrop. Santa with the Primary Children. (I don't remember their names)

The little girl on the right was super cute! At one point she came up to me and said ''Señor Santa gracias por venir a nosotros y dar regalos a los niños pero espero que sabe que es bueno también a andar en las cosas de Cristo.'' (Santa, Thank you for coming to us and giving gifts to the children, but I hope you know that it is good also to walk in the things of Christ.)

The missionaries of Juticalpa with a lady in our Branch, Hermana Melba. There were about 140 that showed up to the branch Christmas party. That is huge!

Me with Hermana Melba. She helped us decorate. She has seven year old twin daughters and really likes Christmas.

Banda's sign says, Let the children come unto me. Mine says, Blessed are the Merciful -Matthew 5:7

We were told that we are technically in another lockdown so I drew a sad face on a balloon.
I have time to write today. We don't know what our schedule will be like this week.  It is bad. They announced the winner of the election yesterday and the people went nuts! (from what I hear, they are leveling Tegucigalpa at night.) In our Juticalpa zone we have to be inside our homes by 5 & 6 the rest of the week. 

I am thankful for faithful ward members. Every branch needs a familia Medina.  They are a really good family. They have a pick up truck and they say they will give rides to church to investigators. It is a huge blessing!  They live really far away. It is a 40 minute walk to them for Elder Banda and I.  

Next monday is Christmas! If nothing bad happens I will Skype you guys around 2 or 3.  Our zone will be having it's Christmas party the first week of January because we are on lockdown. It was supposed to be today but nobody could come. It will be a New Years Party instead. 

I will get my Christmas packages that were delivered to the mission office when everything is safe too. Don't worry, it should be maybe by the first week of January.