Life of Riley: Spain 34th Week 7-13 Dec 08

Spain 34th Week 7-13 Dec 2008

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even the boss (Sharon is taking a nap). Another wonderful week has come and gone. The stakes from Galicia and Valencia were here this week and we renewed some wonderful friendships with some wonderful people. The Bujan’s, Sanchez’s, Fernandez’s, Hernandez’s, Alfonso’s, Rodriguez’s, all came and that meant that we had plenty of male workers for the entire week. These people are truly dedicated to the Lord and Temple work. For one, the Bujan’s live in Santiago and this is the fourth time they have been here for the entire week since we have been here. He is the Branch President in Santiago and works in a hotel. He, his wife and children come each time, while he and his wife are working as Ordinance Workers, his children are doing work in the Baptistery-they are really an amazing family!

On Monday we went with the Lunt’s to get Pizza (Pizza Hut) again! It is so good and right now they have a two for the price of one, which makes it bearable in price. Sharon Shaw and Sharon Lunt went shopping afterwards and Berkley Lunt and myself came home with the other pizza. The women went shopping for items that were listed on the “stocking stuffer” list for the Missionary Training Center (MTC) Missionaries. They also found some time to do some shopping for themselves (there is always an alternative plan when these two get together)! We will be putting together these stockings and delivering them to the MTC next week.

On Tuesday we found out from Paul and Kellie that the package we had sent finally arrived. We will hopefully be able to watch everyone open their small gifts on Christmas Day via the webcam? It will be good to see everyone and we pray that all will be healthy and strong on that day.

On Friday, we were invited to go down to the second floor and be the guests of honor at the

Young Single Adults Institute class. They provided us old geezers with hot chocolate and cookies. We played a little ping-pong (we had the opportunity to school a few of the kids that thought they were pretty good-although Mom still doesn’t have a backhand)

and talked with the kids and felt a really good spirit.

We also saw Elder Faustino Lopez (Area Authority Seventy and Miles old Mission President), he works in the Institute full-time and teaches several of the classes. We told him “hello” from Miles and he acted like he remembered who he is/was. He had also just been in Frankfurt, Germany and brought a short letter from Harold and Ima Jean Oaks (Sharon’s cousin Ima Jean and husband are serving a Public Relations Mission in Frankfurt).

Saturday was a great day at the Temple (although there is never a bad day there) and it was really busy. Early Saturday morning two bus loads of youth from Valencia arrived to do baptisms beginning at 8:00am and every two hours after that. I had the blessing of being the director of the Baptistery that day and it was truly a joy! We had about 30 youth in each group and they were remarkably well behaved and reverent….it just never ended for as we completed one session another group came down immediately and we started all over again. There were over 1,000 baptisms and confirmations each done that day.

One experience that really was sweet was when a mother, her mother, her daughter and son walked into the Baptistery, they had the name of her son/grandson and their brother who had been killed in Afghanistan about a year ago and they were going to do the work for him. We fit them in between the youth and were able to witness a real blessing in the life of that family. I invited the mother, sister and grandmother up to the side of the baptismal font so they could see their son be baptized for the older son. The joy that was on their face was indescribable as we finished the baptism and confirmation. Later in the hour the mother and daughter returned to the Baptistery and wanted to do some baptisms themselves (they said this was the first time they had done this for many years). A little later in the day they returned with another name of the friend of the son who had been killed and we did his work in the Baptistery. This was a glorious day and you really could feel the spirit of both of those young men.

Also, on Saturday night we had a Christmas Devotional for Temple Workers, Temple Missionaries and others. It was a great event as we sang songs, listened to President and Sister Moore, and ate some refreshments. It was truly a highlight of the Christmas Season thus far. President Moore spoke of the “Light” of the world, that of course being Christ. He spoke of the many titles that have been given to him and reminded us that it is not where we serve, but only how we serve. He reminded us of our great example Christ and how he was the One in the pre-existence to know His mission. How He was a God, Creator of worlds without end, how He was the Jehovah of the Old Testament, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Lehi and many others before He came to earth. He then read the scripture in 3rd Nephi , chapter one verses 12-14, “And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying: Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfill all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.”

Christ had removed himself from the Father and the Father from Him. He was the greatest gift that the world has every known, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son.” During His earthly ministry paid the price for our sins, illnesses, and afflictions, he was falsely accused, and hung upon the cross to die for us. After three days, He rose from the grave, giving the entire human race another great gift (immortality and a chance to live again with our Father and Him). He became our Savior and Redeemer and resumed His place alongside of the Father. He is our advocate and our strongest defender. May we all live our lives that these gifts will not be in vain as far as we are concerned. CHRIST is the only person that could make a manger/stable the most hallowed place on earth.

We know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints to be true. God, our Father, loves and knows each one of us, Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, we have a living Prophet on the earth today [Thomas S. Monson], the Book of Mormon is true and with the ordinances that have been revealed in these latter days, families can be together forever.