Week 57: Christmas- Lesson I've Learned

Selfies for Dayz

Best thing ever--only 1 Cedi

Well I don't have much to say this week. I kinda left my journal back home. But wow we are approaching Christmas here in Ghana-- my second and my last time here in Ghana. Next time I'll be enjoying home. Well Christmas is in like 6 days and literally it does not feel like it is even Christmas time. The low is never under 80 degrees the high is in the 90's with a real feel of over 100 degrees . haha life is hot... I mean good. Usually when you are back home lights start going up and people's moods are different. Here it is literally the same. Last year when I was in Oda people literally used it as an excuse to get drunk and stuff. It wasn't fun.

District Dinner

Last Monday I was a part of a Family Home Evening and since we are getting close to Christmas I decided that I needed to talk about Christmas a little bit. I taught how Christmas is a time that we recognize the Savior in our lives and aspire to always be like Him. Usually, we are more worried about ourselves on Christmas. We might say something like: Oh I wonder what my parents bought me or I wonder what I am going to get this year. This is not correct. I think last year my whole perception of Christmas changed. I was in Oda (kind of a new missionary). So I was just worried about talking to my family and stuff. (I was worrying about myself). There was a family who were non-members that lived fairly close to our apartment. The mother had recently passed away earlier that year and the father was a taxi driver struggling to make ends meet. I noted that he was having problems with his car and that the price for a taxi anywhere in Oda was about 1 Cedi or a little more. So in one day you wouldn't make that much money anyway. With his car always causing problems it also caused problems in the family. They probably didn't eat or drink much. The kids couldn't go to school. All they could really do was sleep and play in the dirt, which was really hard for me to see. These were some of the most wonderful people I have ever met in my life. On that Sunday, while I was worried about how I was going to call home I got a knock on the door and low and behold it was the oldest daughter in the family with some Fufu in her hands telling us that they had prepared it for us and that we should enjoy it. Now Fufu and soup is not cheap to make. I would say, I'm sure these people would have wanted to enjoy this food. But instead, they knew the true meaning of Christmas and decided to serve other people. This will forever be a lesson learned. 

Some of our MTC District and our "sons"

May we all have the true spirit of Christmas and follow the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and serve others. May we all think on Christmas Day "How can I help and serve others?" rather than "I wonder what expensive things mom and dad will buy me this year." As I have been doing the Light the World activity for Christmas I have come to love service even more. I know the blessing that comes from it. Another perk of service is that you can be the answer to someone's prayer. I love this time of year so much! I have learned Christmas is not about the lights or the Santa stuff but about Christ!

Orange Juice!