Milagros de Navidad

Editor's note: We were able to "see" Tanner and his companion this morning . He looks great and is loving El Salvador and the people there. 

Feliz Navidad! Espero que todos tengan un buen tiempo y puedan descancar y disfrutar este tiempo. This week has been a pretty good one for us. Been really feeling the Christmas spirit, especially because everyone down here loves English Christmas music and they blast it in the streets and buses. Also because every passage of houses puts up strings of lights and we got to help some neighbors put theirs up this year. We have been singing a lot of Christmas hymns in lessons, church, the house, and even once when I went with Elder Stoker for a day, we sang in the middle of the street to try and meet some new people in the neighborhood. Worked. 

We have had a lot of special experiences this week tho, lots of Christmas miracles. First off, this awesome lady in our ward made us a replica pinata version of me. Which was cool, shoutout to Hermana Uribe. 

Second off we found a burrito place in our area that sells 40cm burritos for 3 dollars. Which is actually pretty expensive because pupusas are like 20 cents but it was the first burrito I have been able to find here. 

Got to paint some houses, play ball with a buncha other missionaries, and eat a bomb Christmas dinner with a family who has been to Chula Vista. Mas que todo, this week really did have some crazy miracles. Met cancer survivors, saw people recover from horrible injuries, found an NFL jersey store that sells for $2, shared the story of Christ's birth with dozens of people, and got to see some of the strongest faith in God I have ever seen from some people down here. More than anything, a little boy in our ward named Evan finally was able to be baptized. 

We have been working with Evan and his family for a while now, and this Saturday, his older brother got to baptize him. This little kid is only 9, and his brother 17. But they get themselves to church every Sunday, come to activities during the week, and have been prepping for this day for a long time, and they do all this with very little support from home. The actual baptism itself was a miracle honestly, and it would be hard to put into an email just how special, crazy, and blessed it was. So we will just chalk it up to another Christmas miracle. Also we had Walton and Walter show up to church, couple of guys we have been teaching for a minute who are buddies and have very similar and confusing names. 

Christmas has been special here in El Salvador tho, and even tho the traditions here mean nonstop fireworks all night and no sleep on Christmas, the purpose of Christmas here is the same as it is everywhere. I have had a little time with the Spanish language now, and I don't speak fluently yet but with the limited knowledge I have, I want to share one thing. Christmas can be split into two words. Christ and mas. While yes technically this is in English, "mas" in Spanish means more. So I hope when you see Christmas you can see that message. More Christ. Because that's what it really is. More focus, more love, more gratitude for Christ. And we really cant ever have too much of that. So I hope you all have a merry Christ'Mas and that everything is going well for you all. Thanks for all the love and support, its a pretty great Christmas present.

SALUD

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Elder Moulton