Celebrating The Birth of Jesus All Week!
December 22-28, 2025
"[We] do not joy in [our] own success alone, but [our] joy is more full because of the success of [our] bretheren [and sisters}, who hath been up to the land of [Gulu]." Alma 29:14
Gulu Stake Ward Devotional Week
We went to a ward devotional for Gulu on Monday, then attended two ward devotionals on Tuesday and one ward devotional at Lacor on Wednesday, Christmas Eve.
Gulu
Gulu rented a location named TAKS for their devotional and had the venue staff prepare the food. There is a LARGE pavilion with a stage. Bishop Ochanda quizzed people on where passages of scriptures were. We discovered that one young adult member has a photographic memory. There was a variety show, it wasn't overly organized and some things spontaneously happened for example one RS Sister took Elder and then later Sister Kaiser on stage to dance traditional dances, Sister Kaiser doesn't have a booty or hips so her willingness to try counted for a lot!!! When the Emcee suggested some comedy acts Sister and Elder Kaiser shared some knock knock jokes that fell flat because the audience didn't understand the jokes, except for the Amerian missionaries, but we encouraged clapping and cheering, so it was okay. We have loyal fans now.
Tuesday Elder Kaiser was determined to show up at Laroo Ward Christmas Party on time since we were booked for 2 Ward Christmas parties that day. We quickly discovered that the pattern is this: Announce the start time which includes set up time. Ward members don't show up until they think the program might be ready to start. Everyone but us understood this pattern and now we do too. We ended up playing games with the kids who kept showing up. Bishop Wycliff and ward clerks and secretaries set up for the party. We made good use of our time by teaching the kids some fun games and activities. When the program began we shared the Spiritual Christmas Message that we had been asked to share. Next, they began to show the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, which we had already watched, so we decided to go to the Lacor Ward Christmas party. Too bad we left Laroo so soon. Santa arrived later with a huge bubble wand!
At the Lacor Ward Christmas Party the video of the First Presidency Christmas Devotional was just ending. We almost left during a Christmas movie but the Relief Society Sisters told us that we couldn't leave until we ate with them. Sister Jeneth guided Sister Kaiser to the Relief Society Room where the food was being staged. Another sister taught her all of the names of the foods in English and in Acholi. We were glad that we stayed not because we were fed or because we were able to put our Spiritual Message to good use one more time but because we had meaningful interactions with the members and the messages shared were meaningful and the Spirit was present. Later, we bought some pineapples which turned out to be some of the best pineapples we have ever tasted. One to keep, some to share.
On Christmas Eve we taught literacy to the nephews at Geoffrey's. It was a smaller group and we had fun letting them trace the letters of the alphabet in their names with different colored pencils. They liked it. We practiced saying the letters in their names and played games. Then we brought out a cut up pineapple as a treat. They have never been so quick to wash up and sit still and be quiet as when Sister Kaiser was filling up paper cups with pineapple for each boy and Geoffrey. Since part of our goal is to teach them good manners we taught them to say, "Thank you" when someone does something nice for them.
At the Pece Ward Christmas Party we sat in the shade outside under a jackfruit tree. The church grounds at Pece have some really beautiful plants that make it pleasant. The shade was nice and sometimes there was a slight breeze. Once again we gave the same Spiritual Message that was quite polished by this point. We were asked to start the dancing for one of the songs, then everyone joined in. There were several performances but our favorite was when each auxiliary was represented by 2 people who had to fill an empty water bottle by hand from a bucket at the other end of the courtyard. The youth won! They can work hard and do challenging things if they want to. We also participated in cutting the cake. It's Jesus' birthday so of course we had cake. It's tradition! Everyone got a small bite of cake. That's how they do it here.
Lacor Temple Prep
Later, we taught the first lesson for Temple Preparation at Lacor. it's going to be a great group. There was a nice turn out and they had so many good questions. We talked to Chelsea and her kids on their Christmas Eve morning. It was fun to see them. We miss them and all of our kids and grandkids. Too bad the internet connection made it wonky.
Thursday, Dec. 25 Marked our 4th month on the mission. We didn't have presents for each other except the photo calendar that Sister Kaiser makes on Shutterfly every year. We enjoyed looking at the photos of some of our adventures and the kids and grandkids. Elder Kaiser surprised Sister Kaiser with a hand held fan. It was a thoughtful gift. She needs it especially now that we are in the hot season.
We prepared food then welcomed 20 missionaries into our apartment for brunch at 11am. After eating we went caroling to the neighbors. Mary, the matriarch of the family, told us that a new grand daughter was born the previous night on Christmas Eve. She asked us to help name the baby. We suggested "Joy" as in Joy to the World. She liked it and announced that the babies name would be Joy. After caroling the missionaries left for other Christmas day activities with members. We went to visit some special people with a pineapple as a gift, the neighbor kids and their parents, our friend Florence and then Lilly and her tribe of people. We shared the Christmas story with each of them and visited for a little while.
We were able to talk with Tyson's family then with André's family, it was fun to be a part of their Christmas mornings. We are grateful for technology that keeps us in touch.
Friday, we visited with a family that live near where we stay but we don't know them well. We wanted to compliment the mother, Temperance, on how good and helpful her children are. We knew that her husband, Christian, and the children who are old enough to be baptized are members but found out that she is not a member. She surprised and delighted us when she said that one day she would like to serve a mission with her husband like us!
"And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth."
2 Nephi 30:8
We Trained Marcie on Saturday. She was just called as the ward Young Women's President. She was just baptized October 25, 2025. Later we taught Literacy and Temple Prep classes to Bardege 1 Ward members.
An Egg + A Puppy + A Mango Tree = Finding A Lost Sheep
Sunday is almost always full, Dec. 28 was no exception. First, Elder Kaiser prepared for the day well by making his delicious homemade pancakes. Sister Kaiser helped by cracking the one egg needed into a separate bowl, something she always does, just in case there is a bad egg and that day there was a bad egg. She put the raw egg into a zip bag and put it in the fridge to carry out her plan later.
We attended the Gulu ward where the bishopric all spoke. Unity was a strong theme of the messages. We attended Bardege 2 Ward hoping to sit with the "Army of Helaman Boys" but they didn't show up, it was a disappointing and a surprise, they are always there. The talks were on tithing & unity. We went back to Gulu Ward to teach the final class of Temple Preparation and had a large group for the last class.
After arriving home and eating leftovers for dinner Sister Kaiser invited Elder Kaiser to go for a walk to find a dog to share the bad egg with. (The egg was fine for dogs but not human consumption). We found some kids watching their puppy eat a potato and asked if we could share an egg with the puppy. The puppy lapped up the egg and was happy. That made us happy too! We gave bongas to the kids and were planning to head home. The kids ended up leading us up the road where we met more kids, bigger kids, who were throwing rocks at mangoes high up in the tree that they wanted to eat. We stopped to say hello and ask them who had the best aim etc. We were saying goodbye when a girl, who we had not seen before, was suddenly there asking if she could ask us a question. Of course! She wanted to know what church we went to and if it was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We told her that she was correct. She told us that she is a member of that church but hadn't been to church for a while. We invited her back. She had a big smile when we gave that invitation. After chatting for a little longer we went home. It all started with an egg, then a puppy, a mango tree and a lost sheep. There are no accidents in the Lord's work. Each person matters to Him. We plan to go back and visit with her again soon.
Christmas and New Year Message
We send our love and best blessings to you. We pray that 2026 is full of JOY and PEACE for you and your family. We know that through living the Gospel of Jesus Christ you can have joy and peace in your daily life. We rejoice in His humble birth announced to shepherds by and angel who was joined by a heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men" and marked with a new star . He came to redeem all men and women. We know that only through Him are we saved by repenting and following Him with faith and enjoying to the end.
"And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption. And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.
But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.
He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death." Mosiah 16: 6-9
What a memorable Christmas you had! I love the traditions and learning the names of the food. My mother's name is Joy - That made me happy to read.
ReplyDeleteA different kind of Christmas to appreciate!
ReplyDelete