The miracles just keep on coming. An area of the mission oft-discussed is Sihuapan, the little branch in the mission district Los Tuxtlas--the branch which started with 12 people, one of them a priesthood holder. We sent two missionaries to serve as the branch presidency. They grew the branch fairly quickly to an average attendance of over 50. The record is now 83 with and average of over 60. They now have a branch presidency of locals who have been reactivated and/or baptized. They meet in a little house of prayer, not a chapel.

Sihuapan is tiny. It is in the jungle. They grow tobacco there, and many mangos and papayas and bananas. Finding rental space is next to impossible.

In the meantime, we have been looking for land to buy and build a chapel for the Jardín Branch which would be a shared building with Sihuapan. Church Properties found a place. The land is 5000 square meters. It is big enough for a stake center. After buying the property the process is another 1-2 years to start construction. They build them fast here--4-6 months.

We went with an Hno. Gontes from Mexcio City to look at the land and finalize the deal before the check was cut. In a district, the mission president does the same thing a stake president does. We met with the landowner and looked over the property. It is a large cement-fenced property with a huge warehouse and other buildings and a single papaya tree. The warehouse will be razed to build the chapel. Right next door is a Coca-Cola bottling plant. It is a great piece of ground.

Here is the miracle. Two buyers had interest in the property at the same time. One was Sabritas, the huge and powerful potato chip and snack company (they are associated with Friot-Lay) which controls, and enhances, the salt intake of the Republic of Mexico. The other interested party was the Church. The sellers had an appointment set up with both parties. Sabritas was first in line and were very serious. But, they were late for the appointment and the Church's agent was early. So, they closed the deal with us. Turns out that Sabritas showed up right on time but on the following day. They had confused the date. The landowner had signed with the Church. The Lord wants one of His chapels to bless Sihuapan.