Out of Toyland and into Gotham City

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Ahh Christmas. I love it. So much. And I also love it when it’s cold and there is snow, and family, and pie, and presents, and a fire, and music, and Jesus Christ, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Its unbeatable I'd venture to say.

I am SOOO looking forward to calling my family tomorrow!! And to my family that I can’t call: know that I love you beyond words and I am so pumped that we get to be together forever. Christmas forever!!! One day.

So this week. I am getting a feel for the people here in Belize...the culture....the traditions...the problems.  I feel like I have seen more of the world in one week than I saw in my entire life in the united states. Hence, I feel that I have left Toyland and quite literally entered Gotham City. Minus Batman. Which is a serious shame because we could legitimately use his help around here. #NOTKIDDING. ok enough of that. Hashtags aren’t even recognized as an acceptable mode of communication in the American culture anymore. I know. I know. But I have been out of the loop for officially three months now and I am not cool.

(First...maybe there should be a warning for tender audiences here?? Consider yourself warned)
It’s been a little hard to see some of these things happening in Belize. Alcoholism is rampant. I’ve seen drunk men passed out in the street in their own mess. I’ve talked to a man who had a gang threatening to kill his family. I’ve taught a woman whose husband beats her and her children. I’ve met with a family who didn’t have any money to buy food or water the next day. I taught a young man who killed someone in self-defense the night after we saw him. I’ve seen grown men--under the influence of drugs--come up to me and BEG me to help them change because alcohol, drugs, pornography DESTROY. They destroy families. They destroy happiness. I am living in Gotham city. But jokes aside. I’ve seen horrible things!! And.
every.

single.

one.

Every single nightmare I witnessed this week could be avoided with one thing. The gospel of Jesus Christ. Prepare yourself because I knew Satan existed before I left on my mission...but now...now I have seen him. I have seen the results of his handiwork. I want to literally punch him in the face. with my fist. and some knives. Because people listen to his lies and the lies of the world and they destroy themselves. So I’m getting on my soapbox for 4 sentences. Here we go.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE HAPPILY IF YOU LIVE CONTRARY TO THE WILL OF GOD.  In other words, if you disobey the commandments of god. On the other hand, it is impossible to be unhappy if you follow Jesus Christ.

One man, this week, approached my companion and asked US if we could meet with him. He said he’d been out of prison and since then he'd started drinking and his family was ruined and all he felt was pain. He wanted to change. Then he asked me a question...he said 'in your religion...do you believe that people can really change'

It was the single best opportunity I have ever had in my life. I gloried in it. I looked B in the eyes and maybe bore the purest, simplest testimony I have in my short life time.

'Absolutely. That is the gospel of Jesus Christ. He died for us so that we could change...so that we could escape any burden, if we will turn to Him'.

IT WAS AWESOME. Missionary work! Helping people! The gentleman quietly responded that that was a good answer and that we could meet Christmas day. Cool! It was a neat experience. I wish all people were that humble. alas...

I’m learning a lot. And realizing a lot. And understanding that only by living the commandments of God can we be free and have joy. Doesn’t seem too complicated?

I apologize for the preaching antics.

 

My companion is awesome.  She is from Guatemala city--also a very dangerous place and she has some craaazy background stories. She told me how she had been robbed a lot in Guatemala...but one time 2 teenage boys approached her when she had a cake and a soda for her friend’s birthday. They motioned to her that they had a gun in their pockets and demanded that she hand over the cake. Do you know what she did? Of course not. SHE STARTED BEATING THEM WITH THE UMBRELLA SHE HAD IN HER BARE HANDS. If anyone knows me at all they will know that this is my kinda humor. I am still laughing. I can’t just imagine...my little 5'1 Latina companion going NUTS with an umbrella in hand and a cake under one arm and a soda under the other. Hahah anyways she is pretty tough and you are dang straight she saved that birthday cake for that friend. So I always feel safe with her around.

I wish you all had the opportunity to sit down and chat with ****. He is also an ex-con...and boasts a variety of talents. He found the church and has quit all drugs and is the most awesome missionary ever. He comes and works with us often. But he doesn’t have hardly any money and also will go some days without eating food--because he first always feeds his three year old son. These people reduce me to tears. There are a lot of problems here...but also a lot of really incredible, Christ-like people.

So moral of the story. I’ve seen a lot of hardship that comes from not following the gospel of Jesus Christ. But I also revel in the fact that hardships have humbled a lot of people who are ready and willing to change. It’s hard--but it’s possible. Nothing is impossible with God.

On that note...Merry Christmas. Remember Jesus Christ who suffered all. Not only do we have the gift of repentence and change...but we have the gift of knowing that a God has felt all our pains and knows EXACTLY how to succor us in our hour of need. I love this gospel. What’s new right? I hope you all enjoy your Christmas with your family and remember that to have a happy family is to live the principle that Christ taught.

I Love you all. Merry Christmas!

Sister Hirschi