Stories: A Christmas to remember
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| I made it to Chillan just before Christmas my first year in Chile. My companion Elder Dvid Baria and I decided to do something special.
Because of a very favorable currency exchange we were in a very unique position for a missionaries – we had a surplus of money as we approached the end of the month. Elder Baria came up with the idea that we would buy presents for the children who would spend Christmas in the hospital, and give banana bread to the new mothers in the maternity ward.
After stopping by the hospital to get permission and to find out how many new mothers and little children were in the hospital, we went down town to a local store and bought over 60 toys and wrapping paper. We then bought tons of bananas at the market.
The rest of the day was spent wrapping gifts for little boys and girls and baking in the kitchen. A warm spirit of giving came over us as we baked the bread and wrapped each gift. We got real excited about our project. We thought about how surprised each little child would be to get an unexpected present.
That night, as we knelt in prayer thousands of miles away from our families on Christmas Eve we felt a warm tingling feeling inside. Instead of being sad and lonely, or missing the crunch of snow beneath our feet, or the smell of a Christmas tree, we were filled with the enthusiasm, and excitement of the true spirit of Christmas.
The next day, we went to the Hospital. Even though it was a hot sunny day we felt like Santa Claus, with our bags of toys. Together we went from bed to bed and room to room handing each child our small gifts. I remember Dave putting on special clothes so he could take gifts to the little guys in isolation.
After we finished handing out the toys, we watched some of the children open their presents. The feelings I experienced as I watched a small young boy, 3 or 4 years old struggle to open his gift overwhelms me even now as I write this over 25 years later.
His hands were shaking so badly it was difficult for him to get the paper off to open his little toy. We couldn’t tell if they were shaking because of excitement, or because of his illness. But there was no mistaking the joy and happiness in his eyes, that someone cared enough for him to share a little bit of Christmas with him in the hospital.
Inside, my companion and I felt the power and strength of the spirit of giving, the gift of sharing what we have with our brothers and sisters. We had given just a little of our time, and yet had received so so much in return.
Burning within us was the love of a kind Heavenly Father who inspired two homesick missionaries, thousands of miles away from their families, to lift themselves up by sharing with others.
Today, almost 25 years later, that spirit still burns brightly for both of us. When asked what our favorite Christmas is, everyone in our families knows what we are going to say.
No matter what we do, what sacrafices we make, or how we serve, we always receive more than we give. |
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