Week Ending December 28, 2013

Sunday our lesson was on Alma 5 which asks many questions about the state of our spirits—it’s really good for self-examination. I shared a Christmas story and video. We’ll get together Tuesday morning for games, but I’m not believing that until it happens so I wanted to wish them well today. Sacrament Meeting was exceptional. There was a wonderful story about a boy and his Christmas. (See posting “The Exchange”) I talked to everyone that I needed to for the party. I really hope everyone comes through.

Monday was Mom’s birthday so we sang to her. We had an interesting day. I had planned to get some things done for the New Years’ Eve party, but we decided to make cookies and chocolate popcorn and take them out. We got everything made and loaded the car. We stopped and gave a less active family a plate of cookies. The mom was hoping her work schedule will change after the holidays so they’ll be able to attend church. We then went to The Nugget (a trading post) to give the owner some popcorn.

The other people we wanted to visit were not available so we returned home. Later in the day we were able to reach one of the families so we started out. We stopped to drop cookies off at another home. I felt badly that we now had no time to visit because they really need the visit more than the cookies. The mother passed away earlier this year and the daughter and grandmother are trying to make it all work. We headed to our last stop at the home of the family that gives us eggs and that lives on a wild dirt road. We gave them a bag of popcorn and a plate of cookies. We also gave them some copies of Christmas stories to read together. All of their kids were home so we visited a few minutes before leaving. We didn’t stay too long because it was almost dark and I wanted to get out before dark.

We had three new people at home evening, so we talked a bit before the gift exchange. We did a white elephant exchange. I had made a headband since most of the kids are female. This evening we had one female and about six men. One of Mortenson’s children, who is eight years old, picked the headband. After he asked what it was, his mom put some wrapping paper on his head and put the headband around it. He looked like a sheik. He even asked if he could keep it.

Matthew Mortenson, Excited to get his white elephant gift!!

Tuesday I began food preparation. I started the rolls raising, made crust for strawberry squares, and made soup for lunch. I baked cinnamon rolls for the seminary students then went to the church where we were meeting. I showed a piece of Mr. Krueger’s Christmas where he is talking to the Christ Child and shared the story of Christ’s birth from the Book of Mormon. I shared a few of the prophecies and the signs of his birth. One of my students said she hadn’t ever heard the Christmas story from the Bible. That really surprised me. I told her to have her dad read it to the family. We played some games and ate the cinnamon rolls. I had two kids there. Another had a dentist appointment and two others forgot. We had fun. They taught me a game and I taught them several. They decided they want to do it again next week.

When I got home the rolls were almost ready to bake. I mixed bread then ate some soup while it raised the first time. While it was raising the second time I baked the rolls. While the bread was baking I mixed the strawberry squares and did the dishes. When it was all done, I was exhausted.

In the evening we read the Christmas story from the Bible. I never get tired of hearing those verses. I think it’s sad to use another version besides King James—it just doesn’t sound the same. After that we talked about our family and our many blessings. We played a couple of games then Ted gave me a small nativity snow globe. That was a sweet gesture. I collect nativities and there is really not room for anything of any size in our home.

Our Christmas Nativity

Wednesday we were up and ate a good breakfast. We didn’t have anything in our stockings (made of Blue Bird flour sacks) so we opened our gifts. We received some lovely gifts and felt richly blessed. Ted received Ephraim’s Rescue and was so touched that he wept. We were able to talk with most of our children and express our love. We feel very blessed in our lives.

Mid-morning we met with the other senior missionaries at the stake center. There were 12 of us, including a new couple. We had a wonderful meal and did a white elephant gift exchange. I like used gifts rather than the $10 limit type—it usually turns out to be more humorous. We played games for a while but no one wanted to stay late. It was a wonderful Christmas.

Thursday we walked at the church and I put stuff together for the New Year’s Eve Party. In the afternoon we went to get some candy for party prizes. I didn’t get everything done I had hoped to.

Friday we called Elder Jensen.  He and his wife have been called to replace us. They go in the MTC on June 9. He had a lot of questions about what to expect. We had a good conversation with him. They will serve for 12 months which is ideal for this assignment. He served a mission here as a young man. We assured him not much has changed. A few roads have been graded and/or paved, but the people are just about the same. I think they’ll be really good here—at least he’ll understand the people.

In the afternoon we picked up some lasagna from Fratelli’s Restaurant and drove to Sheep Springs to have dinner with the Ashcrofts and watch the BYU game. We enjoyed the dinner. Elder Ashcroft helped Ted cut his bottles for planting. I’m not sure what we are going to do with the bottles or the plants, if they ever grow large enough for the bottles, but we now have them. It was very late when we headed for home but we arrived in good shape.

Saturday we walked through the flea market to see if there were any after-Christmas specials. We ran into Jack Surprise, the potter from Thoreau, and visited with him for a few minutes. He said the elders come over every week to see him and he enjoys the visit.

Virginia Smith, Artistic frame painting.

After that adventure, we picked up some things for the New Year’s Eve party and some pictures I’d taken at the Relief Society night meeting. We ran a couple more errands, including washing the car, then came home. I typed the announcements and prepared some things for the party. 

Doing my best to paint a frame.