This week we got to travel to Salta for a Christmas conference. After a devotional focused on Jesus Christ’s birth, we had lunch and a small gift exchange. It was fun to chat with people I hadn’t seen in 5 months. Due to bus schedules, we left Cafayate at 4am to arrive in Salta on time. We had some extra time, so we got breakfast and took some pictures in the main plaza in downtown Salta.
In a lesson with our friend Marcos, he told us he works 2 full-time jobs and is working on earning a teaching degree so that he can better provide for his family. After what I felt to be a frustrating lesson about Joseph Smith’s First Vision, he thanked us profusely for taking the time to help him grow closer to Jesus Christ by answering his questions and gave us money to buy some snacks later on in the day. I cried in front of this man and his family over the fact that someone working so much to earn so little to provide for his family would be generous enough to give some of his much-needed money to 2 Americans whom he had met only once before. He is only one of so many people that I have met who are so willing to give of what little they have. I have so much more that I can give.
Even though it is hot and dry here instead of cold and snowy, it still feels like Christmas time. Argentina is predominately Christian, so a lot of families put nativity displays in front of their houses. While most are small, some are quite large and elaborate– one house we passed this week even had a small waterfall and played music (see photo). On Friday, we hosted a Christmas activity in our rented space, where we played some games and discussed developing Christ-like attributes. On Sunday, I had the opportunity to direct our main Christmas worship service for the ~30 people who attended. I am so grateful for the unique opportunies I have to help people remember Jesus Christ during this Christmas season.
Merry Christmas,
Elder Hansen
