A Missionary Christmas

 Our Christmas Week

This week we enjoyed a pleasant and satisfying Christmas in the Georgia Atlanta North Mission.

We set up a poinsettia within a wreath for our Christmas tree.

On Christmas Eve we had dinner in our apartment for several people in our branch.

Elder Araújo and Elder Swanson were in the Christmas spirit.

We baked a large ham in our gas oven.  Just before the ham was done, smoke began to pour out of the stove.  Unbeknownst to us, the drawer under the oven is a warming pan and the wooden rolling pin which we stored there caught on fire and completely filled our apartment with smoke.  

We had our own Yule log but without the fireplace.  Besides the smoke, the dinner was great.

On Christmas morning we were invited to our Branch President's home for a special traditional breakfast.

President Baker, the master chef, cooked Danish Aebleskivers.

We had a fantastic breakfast of Aebleskivers with powdered sugar and blueberry syrup, not to mention the cinnamon rolls, fruit salad, hash brown potatoes and thick, sliced bacon.

It was one of those meals where you felt disappointed when you were full.  Elder Silver, in the red vest, is ever the comic.

To complete our week we visited two of our families that we teach and enjoyed a birthday party for Nathalia.

From the left to right there is Rafael, Priscilla, Bryan, Nathalia, Tiago and Larinha.  

While we missed being with our family, we enjoyed a wonderful missionary Christmas with our friends.

The Third Article of Faith

The Articles of Faith are a brief compilation of thirteen basic beliefs or tenets of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As stated in the third Article of Faith, "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel". Now as we come to the close of another year, we have just celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We testify to all of you that He lives!  He is the only begotten of the Father and the author of our salvation.  He has declared unto us the Gospel and provided us the way to return to our Father's presence.   

We have dedicated our lives to "go about doing good" as written of the Savior in the book of Acts. Together we can Light the World by not only doing good during this Christmas season but throughout the entire year.  May the good Lord bless you and your families in all that you do.

To all of you, we wish you a Happy New Year!!

Until next year, fique firme (stay firm)!