Tuesday, December 10, 2013

          This morning on my walk I met a lady named Crystal and her nine-year-old granddaughter who were here with an excursion from Nicaragua.  She called to me when I walked by her and wanted to talk.  I was all ready to tell her that I didn’t speak her language, but she spoke to me in pretty good English.  She needed help to get change so she could buy her temple clothes.  I told her about the little group of stores where our bakery is at the bottom of the hill and suggested they could help her.  She was grateful, but she had never been in this city before and said she was afraid to go down by herself; so I walked down with her and her granddaughter and helped her get what she needed. 

She had come from a little town on the west coast of Nicaragua where she and her family can see the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean.  They had to travel to Managua, then get on a bus and travel to the temple.  It has to be at least a fourteen-hour drive and maybe longer with stops and early transfers.  She has a beautiful testimony of the Gospel and great faith in Heavenly Father.  She was baptized19 years ago and has quite a history.

Her first husband did not want anything to do with the Church and used to beat her every Sunday for going to Church.  Her description of the abuse painted a horrific picture.  After five years, she told him she wouldn’t stand for the beatings and abuse any more.  He told her to choose between him and the Church, and she strongly stood her ground and chose the Church.  He said, “Who will feed you if you choose your church?”  She told him that Heavenly Father would provide for her—and, of course, He did.  Sometime later she met a wonderful man who is a great husband and they have been sealed in the temple.  She said, “We are poor people, but we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that is the most important thing.”  She is rich in the blessings that will bring eternal happiness and salvation.

The young granddaughter is growing up with great faith and wants to be a missionary some day.  She has already read the Book of Mormon.  A few years ago this little girl was in a very bad accident and they didn’t think she would live.  But Grandma had such great faith and she knew there were things this little girl needed to accomplish in her life.  The girl survived but has to see a doctor often.  She still has pain in her head and may need surgery.  The grandmother is looking for someone here today who will give her granddaughter a blessing and she is praying she won’t need surgery.  The grandparents are taking turns going to the temple, which is typical for families who come here so that someone is with the children.  This pretty little girl also came dressed in her Sunday best even though she spent the day outside the temple and tomorrow will be the same.

Here is the completed nativity scene with the added palms.
           It has spotlights shinig on it at night and it looks great.