Suffer Little Children

This week has been crazy! We had our Christmas activities on Wednesday and Thursday, and I went to Migrations on Monday and Friday. On Monday, I forgot the identification of one of the sisters that was accompanying her companion, so she had to wait outside for a couple hours, for which I felt super bad, but then, we had to go again because of problems in the system, and when we went back, I forgot my own identification, so I had to wait outside by myself for a couple hours. It was super weird! Although I got to contact the security people, which was super cool! Also, I found out that one of the sisters is from the Galapagos Islands! Isn't that incredible!!

And now the Christmas activity. It was super cool! We started off by eating at Pardos chicken, which is a really, really good pollo a la brasa restaurant (which is basically rotisserie chicken, but super popular down here). We ate, listened to Christmas music, made gingerbread houses, and got Peru jerseys that have "Peru Lima Este" printed on the back. We then went to an orphanage. It was incredible! We went there, and my companion had contracted a bouncy house for both days, and we just played with the orphans, and then sang Christmas hymns and talked about Christ and the gospel. It was awesome! Being part of the office team, I got to go both days, and it was such a sweet experience. I found out that every one of those kids is the victim of abuse of some type or another, or abandonment. It made me so, so sad! I wanted to help them realize that they are special and wonderful as well, because I'm sure they feel or have felt the contrary too many times. It was so wonderful to see how much their faces lit up when they received a compliment, or when they won. It was absolutely incredible! It made me want to have a whole bunch of children, so I can help them all feel incredible. We also got permission to hug the kids, which was awesome. At the end of the second day, one of the little girls ran up to me, and with this massive smile on her face said "muchas gracias!," and gave me a huge hug. It was so sweet and tender, I could not believe the suffering these children had been through, and the things they still suffer. To see all of the light that these children had inside, it made me want to go there every day. It was absolutely an incredible experience. I know that the Lord gives us experiences thus so we can open our eyes a little bit, and be able to really help those that suffer. It was such a powerful call to action, because the only way we can really help these kids is by helping them learn about Christ and his plan for us, as well as teaching their families, so that they can change. I know that the gospel changes and fixes broken homes, marriages, and lives. I could feel the love of my savior for these children when he said "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." It was such a sweet opportunity to feel so close to the kingdom of heaven. I love you all, and I hope you have a wonderful week, and wonderful Christmas!!!

--Dallin