For unto us a child is born . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful . . . " Isaiah 9:6

December 25, 2023

Sending holiday wishes to our loved ones, friends and family. We pray you feel the Savior's love and light in your life this holiday season. The Christmas season is such a wonderful time to be sharing messages of Christ, and inviting others to come to understand His purpose. This transfer we are focusing on Christ His names and attributes. In addition to scriptures from the Bible and Book of Mormon we have relied upon The Living Christ, a wonderful document, written by modern Apostles, detailing much about our Lord and Savior. This brings such joy and gratitude to our souls. Norm has also prepared and each morning shares with the missionaries a different name of Christ. We share with you here an name, inspired by the departing testimony of one of our missionaries, titled, "Our Good Samaritan."

"December 16, 2023

Our Good Samaritan - In his departing testimony, our own Elder Gudino referred to Christ as his Good Samaritan. It got me thinking about this un-official title for Christ. (See Luke 10:24-37). A certain lawyer tried to trap Jesus with an insincere query of how to gain eternal life. Christ's answer is one of the simplest, yet most powerful sermons ever uttered. To love God and love our neighbor. Another insincere query came, "And who is my neighbor?" Rather than answer directly, the Lord told a story with such rich history and background that any serious student would be drawn to Christ by it - to be succored and bound up by Him. And any prideful, self-righteous person would be called to repentance.

Knowing that touching a dead person was the worst form of impurity for a priest, Christ indicts such mis-guided religious observance. In this story of a man robbed and beaten and left for dead on the road to Jericho. the errant rift between priestly Jews and "apostate" Samaritans was also part of the lesson. A priest was coming "down" from Jerusalem ("down" signifying his need for purification has passed as he was heading west to Jericho and leaving his temple service). Presumably, to avoid the rigorous re-purification, the Priest and the next, a Levite, ignored the beaten man. Their religious practice did not compel them but rather constrained them from comforting those in need of comfort. (Mosiah 18:8-9).

When a lesser class Samaritan came across the man in need, He went to him and bound his wounds with oil to soothe and wine to cleanse. He ambulated him on his own beast and cared for him. He paid the price for him to get better. The beaten man in need was saved by the Good Samaritan and he lived! Christ's admonition in telling the story was to encourage us to be like the Samaritan - to "Go, and do thou likewise" in our own sphere of influence.

Yet there is more to this story. The double meaning pointed out by Elder Gudino was most certainly the reality that we are all beaten men and women - in need of succor and comfort. We are all left for dead in our own way. We are in need of the Good Samaritan to come to us, to bind up our wounds, to soothe us and cleanse us. We need to be carried and the price of our redemption needs to be paid. The good news is that we have the Pure High Priest who will not pass us by but will be with us in our mess. In that sense, we, beaten people in need and left for dead, are saved and live! Christ paid our price. Christ IS and always WILL BE Our Good Samaritan!"

On December 8 we sent nine missionaries off and received eleven. That all happened the same day that we hosted a Live Nativity in conjunction with the Las Posadas event that has been occurring in Old Town San Diego for 65 years. For those of you unfamiliar with Las Posadas it is a religious tradition originating in Latin America that depicts Mary and Joseph's journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem and their search for a room in which to birth the baby Jesus. Each year the San Diego Las Posadas ends with Mary and Joseph unwelcomed, but this year, they landed at the Live Nativity behind the Mormon Battalion. Many volunteers donated hours to time and talent putting together a beautiful set, that was brought to life with live people and animals. There was music and scriptures to accompany the set and complete Mary and Joseph's story. Prior to this night we participated in caroling events with each zone and invited people to come to the Live Nativity. We were pleased to have 400-500 people attend.

We have continued with church invites and mini-concerts at the Mormon Battalion which can be viewed on the Come Unto Christ in San Diego FaceBook page. We feel especially blessed t be with Norm's mother this Christmas. Last year, we shared time with my mother and it is truly a tender mercy of the Lord to have time with our elderly mothers whose time is running short.

Christmas and New Year's Day happen to fall on a preparation day this cycle. To make them especially memorable, we will have missionaries gather at the beach for a beach cleaning project, followed by a devotional and some fun and games. Normally, the san is off-limits, so this is a two-hour exception, where missionaries who spend 16-23 month here in San Diego and never touch the sand, get to go and clean the beach. We are all excited for this experience together. With any luck, I can get add a picture or two of our adventure before day's end.

It is amazing, but we have reached the half-way point of our mission and wonder how this happened to quickly. We tell our missionaries, all the time, that we love them now, we will love them in twenty years and we will love them forever. We deeply feel this love for them and are so grateful for this time that we have shared with them here. We send our love to each of you this holiday season and pray the Lord's peace may dwell in your heart and home. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!