SANTA MARATHON

Miracle of conversion

We might have mentioned some time ago that we went with the missionaries to visit a family.  We were invited to talk to the couple about marriage.  They were having marital problems.   We gave our testimonies about how our membership in our church has helped our marriage and family.   The young wife is not a member and seemed very disinterested.  The husband is an inactive member.  They have a one year old son.   So, we did our part and went home.  We thought about this little family often with sadness.   Well a month our so later, the missionaries asked us to join them with this family for a family home evening.   We were not expecting much out of this meeting.  When we entered the house we could actually feel a radiance of happiness.  The wife came in to the room, and, we were shocked by the change in this women.  She radiated with the light of the Savior. She had prepared a family home evening with hymns, prayers, handouts, scriptures and Desert!  We had a wonderful experience with this family and we literally floated home on a cloud amazement and joy.   We had witnessed a total change and a spiritual birth of a daughter of God.  A week later she was baptized.  And on Sunday she was confirmed and received the Holy Ghost.  She was crying when the blessing finished.  She really was overcome by the spirit and was born again.  Here is a picture of this family.

Miracle of the keys.

We keep a copy of the keys to all the missionary apartments.  We have 14.  The missionaries in San Antonio area changed apartments and we had missed getting a copy from another apartment.  So, we had two keys to get copies.  We had lots of things to do this day.  We made a stop at a church to give some items to missionaries that were having a zone conference, then we went several other places and finally to the key copy place.  Kathy realized that she did not have the keys!!  We panicked.   These missionaries would not be able to get into their houses, and, it is near impossible to find the owners to get more keys.  For a while we just sat in misery wondering what to do.  So, we turned to fervent prayer.  Kathy thought she had them on her lap when we arrived at the church.  She forgot they were there when she got out of the car.  So, they fell into the street!  Now we were mortified.  We called the zone leader at the church we visited and asked if he would check the street for two keys.  We got a call back in just a few minutes, they had the keys.  The other zone leader happened to be by road and saw two keys.  He felt impressed to pick them up!   Saved by prayer again.

Marathon Santa.

We have a zone that is having a really hard time.   No baptisms for many months.  Gary talked to them in their zone conference to encourage them and Kathy suggested they do an activity to get contacts.  She told about a New York zone that in Central Park shined shoes and gave out hot chocolate in trade for a name and address.  We said we would helped them in any way we could.   A day later we get a call.  The zone leaders had an idea.   They wanted to set up Santa in the town center and take photos of Santa with families.  The missionaries would deliver the photos later if they would give them their contact information.   And, they wanted us to be Mr. And Mrs. Santa Clause!!  They had to find a Santa suit.  Oh how we hopped they would not find a suit.  A few days later we got a call, they found a suit!!  So, Saturday about 3pm, we let a competent missionary drive us to the Central Park.  The missionaries, with the help of members, set up a wonderful setting.  A seat for Santa, a decorated tree, a beautiful back drop, it was great.   Now, the kids here believe in Santa and they have little or no chance to see him.  We brought a big bag of candy and Santa, Gary, took his place.  Six hours later, at 8:30p, we finally finished.  The missionaries got 250 contact addresses.   The line to sign up was never empty.  Gary had to be a jovial loving Santa, with kids on his lap.  There is no place for him to conveniently go to the bathroom.  The only decent place to go is at a dominos down the block.  Santa can not just walk down to dominos with a heard of kids following him.  His beard covers his mouth making it impossible to drink or eat without raising his beard.  How could he remove his beard with 40 or 50 people looking at him intensely.  The crowd never went away.  His only choice was prayer.  He told Heavenly Father that this activity was so important for the missionaries to save souls.  Gary got a response!  "Focus on the children, they are very close to God.  So he did, and he loved and enjoyed the children. And, the time went by fast and Gary never weakened.  Kathy was on her feet the whole time ushering people, handing out pamphlets.

We only had three drunks, two men and a really old lady. 

The whole event was a blessing to all of us, but, we are still dealing with the physical effects. 

Here is a photo of the scene.