Hello from the land of quickly spoiling milk and Guava Honey!
I kid you not, I have lost count of the number of times I have put bad milk into my mouth because of how the milk is here. It's all in bags, and will expire within at least 48 hours of opening, so you pretty much buy a liter and try to use it all the same day you open it. Otherwise, if the milk doesn't smell too bad, you just have to try it and see..... My companion always drinks straight out of the bag, and doesn't usually check, which has led to some..... unfortunate incidents. I, on very rare occasions, have also done so, and once or twice, there was more solid than liquid coming out of that bag directly into my mouth.....
I hope you all enjoyed that in this time of Christmas.
In any case! I have things (and especially pictures) to share with all of you! The work this week was difficult and frustrating. Very little success, and almost no interaction with our one progressing investigator, Sofía, except for.....
That's right! She came to our Christmas Activity on Friday and insisted on getting a picture!
Also, her daughter, Lucero, also really wanted a picture, but just with me because I was the angel. That actually made me popular with a lot of little girls..... Which is funny, because all human beings, adults included, over the age of 10 were running around calling me a "Mariposa," which means Butterfly, but has less savory connotations.....
The Activity itself was so much fun though. My companion gave his camera to a sister in the ward who is actually from the States, and she took like a hundred pictures of the thing! You guys will be getting some of them though, worry not. I'll actually just forward all of the emails to all of you. Do mind my Comp's snarky comments. I give all of you full permission to just send him random emails of mockery. In fact, I exhort you all to do so.
In any case, it was a huge success. We did a "Pesebre Viviente" which means living manger scene, but we'd probably call it a Christmas pageant. I was the Angel Gabriel and directed all of the music. There were burgers at the end, and we had an investigator present. That's all a missionary can ask for, isn't it?
The next day, we went caroling through a hospital for a zone activity (I'll forward you those pics too), and them came back to Viñas only to be called out to the chapel in Zeballos to clean up. They normally clean on Saturdays, but no one showed, and we did a lot of the night before's activity, so we took it upon ourselves to clean up. The result of those two things? We lose a solid few hours of work. It was sad.
Nonetheless, this week has been most fun, and we have gotten SOME work done. We'll see if any of it sticks in the next couple of weeks, so I'll keep you all posted.
Anyways, Christmas is an important time for everyone. Here, it's a really big party, and we're going from house to house on the 24th (which is Christmas here). But everywhere, we should focus what we do on the Saviour. I know everyone always says it, but it's just true. And maybe try doing it in new ways too.
When you give, receive, or enjoy time with family this year, just think about what Christ has made possible in each of you, how His sacrifice and His salvation gives you light and opens your life to the goodness of God. Think of the gratitude you feel to Him, for being the Way of happiness. Remember that He is the Way to God, that it is the Way that is happiness, not the end point, and that we all can live our lives upon it (keep happy) by keeping those basic commandments of temple worthiness, daily prayer and scripture study, and church attendance. I hope none of you feel that there is meaninglessness in your lives, or sense a lack of happiness. If any of you do, I exhort you to focus yourselves on Christ and His gospel. Look to the Lord for your joy and you will find a fount unending. The peace of the Spirit we feel is a direct product of Him, just like the song says, "His light, His life, and His gospel, is peace."
If any lack that peace, share it with them. If any of you find yourselves needy of it, take it up unto yourselves. He offers it freely. Let us speak as Job and say "He has also become my salvation," in both our temporal joy and our eternal condition. I pray that all of you may have a merry Christmas, and that you may keep its meaning in your hearts always.
Glory to God in the Highest!
Peace on earth, good will to men!
Sincerely,
Elder Harris
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