Hundreds of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped with creating a beautiful tradition in Guatemala as part of Holy Week and Easter celebrations.
Using stencils, molds, containers and colored sawdust, the members helped create the “city carpet” artwork on the grounds of Guatemala City both on April 10, and on Good Friday, April 18. The initiative was organized by the city and the Archdiocese of Guatemala.
On April 10, the Church was given its own section to decorate, and chose the words “mayor amor,” which means “greater love” in Spanish.
Then on Friday, April 18, children, youth, adults and missionaries worked together on more of the carpets, explained the Church’s Guatemala Newsroom. The activity helped build interfaith relationships and promote peace and service.
One of the volunteers was quoted as saying, “Participating in the making of the rug was a beautiful way to share our love for Jesus Christ, while also respecting and valuing the faith of our friends and neighbors.”
Guatemala City Mayor Ricardo Quiñónez expressed his gratitude for the service, the example of love for one’s neighbor and respect for religious beliefs.
The Church’s participation in the event highlighted its commitment to religious freedom, social harmony and selfless service and allowed sharing the greater love of Jesus Christ during Easter, said the news release.
Interfaith service in Costa Rica
Members of the Church in Costa Rica, along with missionaries from the Costa Rica San José West Mission, participated in interfaith service to celebrate the Easter season and share Jesus Christ’s greater love through acts of service.
The members and missionaries volunteered with the Asociación Obras del Espíritu Santo, or Works of the Holy Spirit Association, on Tuesday, April 15, and Wednesday, April 16, during Holy Week.
The volunteers helped with maintenance and cleaning of a children’s playground and the local Catholic parish, reported the Church’s Costa Rica Newsroom. They carried boxes of vegetables, sang with children, shared treats with them and cleaned aspects of the parish building that would be used for Good Friday worship.
Father Sergio Valverde, the association’s leader, thanked the volunteers publicly for their help. He and the children sang for the volunteers and gave them candy as a token of appreciation.
Through the experience, the volunteers connected with others spiritually and culturally, the news release said. The interfaith collaboration reflected the Church’s desire to follow the example of Jesus Christ in serving others.
Holy Week concert in Honduras
On Sunday, April 13, missionaries in the Honduras Tegucigalpa Mission sang in a Holy Week musical concert at the Palmira meetinghouse in Tegucigalpa.
Group performances and soloists sang hymns and songs such as “I Will Walk with Jesus,” “Thy Will, O Lord, Be Done,” “Gethsemane,” “I Stand All Amazed” and others.
The Church’s Honduras Newsroom quoted one of the missionaries, identified as Elder Arita, who led the event and expressed his feelings for Jesus Christ: “I am moved to think of His suffering in Gethsemane. I would like to visit Gethsemane. Seeing His suffering makes me want to follow Him forever.”
One of the audience members, Dulce Banegas, said, “I found it very spiritual; it reminded me a lot of my mission.”
