Missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are serving in the Coventry area, got together to help Santa Claus as he toured the streets of Cheylsmore, Coventry, collecting money for eight local charities. The Santa Sleigh event was organised by the five Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Coventry.
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The missionaries, who are normally engaged in teaching people about Jesus Christ, are also encouraged to serve within their local communities and this was a great opportunity for them to do so. Elder Tukuafu who is from Tonga said, “We saw a lot of good in people, they were so generous with their donations. This was a great experience for me as I have never done anything like this before.” Elder Atkin from Idaho in America added, “It was great to help with this project and spread a little Christmas cheer, it was good to see the children’s joy at seeing Santa Claus in their street.”
Life as a missionary for the church can be quite demanding as they typically get up at 6.30am and work until late in the evening. There are currently eight missionaries serving for the church in Coventry and they have come from all over the world including Taiwan, Tonga and America.