CAMBIO 8 SEMANA 5
Lugar: Agronomia, Chillan Ñuble
Compañera: Hermana González
Fecha: 17/12/12
Hola Mi Familia!!!!
¿Como Están Todos? I hope as always things are going fantastically amazing!!! Well this week has been a good week, has flown by, haha like always, and we are excited because we have found new people to teach in the sector. So before I continue on I should probably let you all know about cambios, because there has been a cambio for Hna. González and me, I will be going to Los Libertadores which is in the other stake here in Chillan to be with Hna. Misken and Hermana González is staying in Agronomia with Hna. Lish, so things have been changed a bit, and Hna. González and I knew it was going to happen because we have had a lot of time together and I don´t have much time left, so it was time for a new sector. But I´m excited and it will be fun to have a new sector and look and find new people to teach. I will be in the same house as Hermana Brennan, so just like I told you months ago, we knew there was going to be a way that we were going to be together before she goes home, because she leaves in February, but I will write more about my new sector next week, haha and I will have the ability to tell you about my sector next week, I´m so excited to be able to talk to you all, 7 months is a long time! Entonces, to move on, I´m going to try my best to remember things that have happened this week! So have patience, and here we go!
Well this week has been a bit hard in some aspects, we had to drop Alondra as an investigator because her Great-grandma won´t give us permission to pass by anymore, to that was a bit hard, but hopefully she will be able to hear the message at some other time! It has also been really hard to find Valeska this week and to be able to talk with Yasna, we are trying to figure out what is going on but hopefully we can get in contact with them this week.
We had a Christmas Conference for the mission this week, it was a blast and really fun. We went to talca, and we heard many people do special singing performances, had talks given, and we were able to watch a picture video that they made for the mission and it is really well done, I will have to show you all when I get home! I love it! But then we ate half a chicken again, they give us so much food! But it was really delicious! But the whole conference was amazing!
One Thursday we had a lot of fun, we went over to the house or Jorge y Maggie, and we painted there kitchen as a service project, I was so happy that someone has finally asked us to paint, because I have been dying to all my mission, and hopefully it isn´t the last time. But it was a ton of fun, and we have pictures, that I will have to send next week, I forgot my cable again, what with the hustle and bustle of cambios!
Yesterday was really fun as well, there was an activity with the stake and each stake sung 5 Christmas songs, some that we know and some that are original from Chile. But it was really amazing performance, and I have videos of Agronomia singing that you can see when I get home!
Well that is pretty much all I can think about for right now, I kind of have a headache, but I promise I´m getting better and better at remembering. But before I end I would like to leave you all with a spiritual thought as always! I as reading the book that Nanny put together with all the stories and quotes, and I was reading in the Christmas section and there was a story that I really loved, it is a bit long, but I love it, the story is called The Sixth Word:
"Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I had just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door of the front room and to my surprise, Santa Claus himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out.
“What are you doing??” I started to ask, but the words choked up in my throat as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone…gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.
He then answered me with a simple statement of “teach the children.” I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my questions and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood there bewildered, Santa said again, “Teach the children. Teach them the old meaning of Christmas…the meaning that Christmas nowadays has been forgotten.”
I started to say, “How can I…” when Santa reached into the toy bag and pulled out a brilliant shiny star.
“Teach the children the star was the heavenly sign of promise long ages ago. God promised a savior for the world and the star was a sign of the fulfillment of that promise. The countless shining stars at night…one for each man…now show the burning hope of all mankind.” Santa gently set the star upon the fireplace mantle and drew forth from the bag a glittering red Christmas tree ornament.
“Teach the children this is the first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the blood which was shed for all the people by the Savior. Christ gave His life and shed His blood that every man might have God’s gift of eternal life. Red is deep, intense, vivid…It is the greatest color of all. It is the symbol of the gift of God.
“Teach the children” he said as he dislodged a small Christmas tree from the depths of the toy bag. He placed it before the mantle and gently hung the red ornament on it. The deep green of the fir tree was a perfect background for the ornament. Here was the second color of Christmas.
“The pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round,” he said. “This depicts the everlasting hope of all mankind. Green is the youthful, hopeful, abundant color of nature. All the needles point heavenward—symbols of man’s returning thoughts towards heaven. The great green tree has been man’s best friend. It has sheltered him, warmed him, and made beauty for him.” Suddenly I heard a soft tinkling sound.
“Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring for man to return to the fold—it means guidance and return. It further signifies that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord.” As the soft sound of the bell faded into the night, Santa drew forth a candle. He placed it on the mantle and the soft glow from its tiny flame cast a glow about the darkened room. Odd shapes in shadows slowly danced and weaved upon the walls.
“Teach the children,” whispered Santa. “What the candle shows, is man’s thanks for the star long ago. Its small light is the mirror of starlight. At first, candles were placed on the trees…they were like many glowing stars shining against the dark green. The colored lights have now taken over in remembrance.”
Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on and picked up a gift from under the tree. He pointed to the large bow and said, “A bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of the brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as man should be tied, all of us together, with the bonds of good will toward each other. Good will forever is the message of the bow.”
Santa slung his bag over his shoulder and began to reach for the candy cane placed high on the tree. He unfastened it and reached out toward me with it.
“Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherd’s crook. The crook on the staff helps bring back the strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane represents the helping hand we should show at Christmas time. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brothers keeper.”
As Santa looked about the room, a feeling of satisfaction shone in his face. He read the wonderment in my eyes and I am sure he sensed admiration for this night.
He reached into his bag and brought forth a large holly wreath. He placed it on the door and said, “Please teach the children the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love; it never ceases, stops or ends. It is a continuous round of affection. The wreath does double duty. It is made of many things and in many colors.” It should remind us of all the things of Christmas. Again, Santa whispered, “Teach the children the true meaning of Christmas.”
I really love this story because it helps us remember the true meaning of Christmas, which is our Jesus Christ. We need to always remember that all things that we have to decorate the tree of things that are around us have a symbol pointing us to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. So the invitation I would like to extend to all of you this week, is to sit in front of the Christmas tree and look for these things that are mentioned in the story and sit and think about the true meaning of Christmas which is our Salvador, and put these teachings into your heart not only for December but all the year round, so that we can start in our families first to have Peace on Earth and then spread it around!
Remember that I love you all so much, and I´m always thinking about each of you and praying for all of you. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts, I really can feel the support. I promise that I will write again next week with more adventures from a new sector with a new companion! Until then please take care, each and every one of you! Love you tons!
Con Amor Siempre y Para Toda La Eternidad,
Hermana Aubrey Jo England
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