Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

"Excitement is in the air as we anticipate giving and receiving gifts.  

Gifts come in all sizes and shapes, but it seems that the best gifts are those that can't be wrapped:  gifts of service, family, faith, and testimony."

This year we visited each zone and shared a Christmas devotional focused on service and the gifts that we can give our Savior.  

For many of our missionaries, it is their first Christmas away from home.

They are being stretched and molded spiritually as they decide every morning to get up and do the Lord's will as representatives of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The gift of self...

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Our missionaries are giving their hearts...

...their hearts are being molded, softened, and changed! 

We LOVE them all!!

With the help of our able assistants...

 ...Elders Paez and Carillo....

We visited all 9 zones -

And finished up VERY tired....but happy!!! 

Zona Popayán

Zona Calima

 New Capitan Moronis...Elders Welling, Rogche, and Alfonso with President Prince

Zona Paraiso

Zona Palmira

Zona Tuluá

Zona Pasto

New Capitan Moroni's...Elders Inga and Cha with Pres Prince

Zona Ipiales

New Capitan Moroni...Elder Stucki with Pres Prince

Zona Villa Colombia

New Capitan Moroni...Elder Faúndez with Pres Prince

Zona San Fernando

 We love the Torgersons and Olivers!!!

                             Our office crew

A Merry Christmas to all...and a very Happy New Year!

The temple...

If you can not go to the temple, 

Bring the temple to you!

I miss the temple!

Some of the good members in Colombia save, sacrifice, and plan for a trip to the temple.  

Not having a temple in our mission boundaries = no temple trip for us for 3 years.

One of our great blessings has been to have the Bogota Temple President and his sweet wife come to speak to our districts and stakes.  

President and Sister Wakefield came to Cali Dec 14-15

to participate in our Christmas Concerts.

It was like bringing a little piece of the temple into our home.

The goal is to think, live, and be temple ready and

PLEASE...

if you live close to the temple, GO for me!  

 President and Sister Wakefield  and President and Sister Trochez

 We went Christmas caroling  and visited the Marin family

The Bogota Temple President and Matron--The Wakefields!

We love you for bringing the Joy and Peace of the temple to Cali!

Let your light so shine...

On December 7th the country of Colombia observes the Dia de las Velitas.

This day is the unofficial start of the Christmas season in the country 

(however Christmas decorations have been in the stores since the end of September!)  

On this day, starting at dusk, people place candles and paper lanterns on their windows, balconies, porches, sidewalks, streets, parks and squares...true to the strong Catholic tradition here in Colombia, this is in honor of the Virgin Mary and her immaculate conception, which is remembered as a Colombian holiday the following day, Dec 8.

But it made my thoughts turn to the prophecies in the Book of Mormon...

In 1 Nephi 11:15-22 we read:

Nephi, what beholdest thou?

And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.

And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the apirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.

I am grateful to this faithful woman who "found favour with God" Luke 1:30 and who through her example taught us that "with God nothing shall be impossible"Luke 1:37..."Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" Luke 1:38 

Here are a few pictures from our Noche de Velas in front of our building

Just one small way to let your light shine! 

Christmas Miracles...

Miracles are around us all the time, not just at Christmas.

But somehow we are more sensitive and in tune to the miracles this time of year.

Albert Einstein said:

"There are two ways to live:  you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."

Missionary work is miraculous.  

Miracles occur daily because of faith...

...the faith of missionaries

...the faith of family and friends praying in their behalf

...the faith of members who are helping to share the gospel

...the faith of investigators who listen, believe, and change their lives.

We are eyewitnesses to some miracles and the blessed listeners of others.

Miracles occur in our family while we are far away from them.

On December 3, 2012

Benjamin Gabriel Prince

joined our family weighing in at 7lbs 1oz and 19.5 inches long

son of Sean and Brenna Prince

A true Christmas Miracle!

We found a moment to decorate for Christmas (a bigger miracle than you realize)

We gathered together with our zone leaders and they all came and went safely.

The work the zone leaders do is simply miraculous!

Our new zone leaders

Elders Calle, Novoa, Edwards, and Amado

Our zone leaders and assistants

back: Elders Amado, Fuentealba, Hidalgo, Avalos, Menendez, Lamoreaux, Tauaese, Novoa, Jensen, Edwards

middle: Elders Aspajo, Calle, Rodriguez, Riepl, Toledo, Camacho, Yapura, Bello

front, Elder Paez, Hna Prince, Pdte Prince, Elder Carillo

(okay...a few on the back row did not move so we could see them...

but it is a miracle we keep trying to get them to line up!!)

Love these missionaries...

they are miracles in my life...

always helpful and ready to work!

One of my favorite Christmas songs comes from the animated movie
'Twas the Night Before Christmas (wise old father mouse!)

Even A Miracle Needs a Hand

Miracles happen most every day

to people like you and me

but don’t expect a miracle

unless you help make it to be

You hope and I'll hurry

You pray and I'll plan

We’ll do what’s necessary cause

Even a miracle needs a hand

You love and I’ll labor

You sit and I'll  stand

Get help from a next door neighbor cause

Even a miracle needs a hand

We’ll help our maker

to make our dreams come true

but I can’t do it alone

So here’s what we’re gonna do

You hope and I'll hurry

You pray and I'll plan

We’ll do what’s necessary cause

Even a miracle needs a hand

We’ll help our maker

to make our dreams come true

but we can’t do it alone

So what are we’re gonna do

You wish and I'll whittle

You drip while I dry

Lets all try to help a little cause

Even a miracle needs a hand

Help miracles come about in your life and in the lives of others 
and then
count your Christmas miracles this month!