blog de 23 de noviembre--GP

Tomorrow the Honduran national elections take place and for three days we are advised to stay in our confines, eat our food storage, put up our Christmas tree, eat our food storage [and turkey and pumpkin pie] and watch football.

Both major parties and their candidates for President are corrupt and one supposedly is backed by the drug cartels.  The losing one will probably react with violence.  Today the temple was closed and tomorrow all of the wards and branches in the country will only meet for Sacrament Meeting.

While exercising this morning around the confines of the compound, I noticed two ladies approaching me wearing Nike and Adida attire.  One looked to be about 40 the other 20.  I talked to them for awhile and learned the mother and daughter are not members of the Church but live close by.  They usually walk in a park that is part of a military base and considered safe but dangerous to get to.  It was closed today like quite a few places and one of their neighbors suggested they walk here. 

They mentioned they used to watch me make the rounds outside the compound.  They were grateful the guards let them in and they really enjoyed the smooth unbroken sidewalks, beautiful gardens, and temple.

Sometimes the temple President, who is Honduran, joins me and, as we walk, he practices speaking English.  I introduced him to the two walkers.  Sunday I will refer the sister missionaries to meet them.

Every day in the temple I see and feel the great blessing the temple brings to the members.  As I see and talk to the non-members who are drawn to this beautiful place, I realize that the temple is a real beacon of light and goodness to a people subdued and smothered by evil and corruption in their native countries.  The Spirit bears witness to me that the Lord’s Plan of Happiness is true, evidenced not only as I help the members receive their temple blessings but also as I witness the hand of the Lord preparing his children in darkness to receive the Gospel and begin their journey to the temple.

I’ve got to go now. The turkey is done, the pumpkin pie is waiting, what a wonderful Cook I married. She just finished decorating a beautiful tree.

          Love  Dad/Grandpa