Merry Christmas!!

Ok.  We realize that it’s been ALMOST two weeks since we wrote.  Guess that means that we’ve been busy!  And that’s always a good thing on a mission!😁  

On December 19th we had a special zone conference that was really AWESOME!  We love our mission leaders!  (Did you know that they have changed what they call the mission president and wife to mission leaders--that’s because the mission president’s wife is just as much a mission leader as her husband.)  Anyway, they planned a truly wonderful zone conference.  We had a beautiful live nativity with musical numbers and the scripture story.  It was wonderful--especially since I knew I would be missing the one we always had with our grandchildren.  And these missionaries have become “adopted” grandchildren to us.  We love them so much!  I can’t believe how much talent they all have.  There are so many musically talented missionaries.  I’m going to share a link to one of the musical numbers that I had never heard--but was really beautiful.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPpIZpQwJdr9EDZd8FL2WmzJlTUGP8ATUkwX7xV

After the program the missionaries were invited to put on their crazy Christmas sweaters and were fed a fantastic dinner.  This was not your average church dinner.  Someone worked REALLY hard on this.  And these missionaries loved every bit of it!! 

Those little individual chocolate desserts were amazing.  Every one was hand made and decorated.  I wish I would have gotten a better picture of them.  But I love these sister missionaries tons!!

I thought our zone leaders should have won the prize for the craziest sweaters.  But they didn’t.  There were some pretty creative and fun getups at this conference!

Sister Campbell, Sister Harrison, and Elder Swenson

Elder Edstrom.  Note the matching tie!

Sister Worthington, Sister Hendricks and Me

I can’t remember their names but they were really crazy and wild.  Especially during the singing.

 After dinner, we put all the chairs in a large circle and Sister Beck read a story.  We passed around gifts that everyone brought while the story was going.  Ken and I got perfect gifts for each of us.  I got a bag of sour candy and he got a golf ball.  No kidding.  

There is a story behind the golf ball.  Ken will share that when he gets to it.

We had a special treat when we got to give Sister Spencer and great big hug!!  She is doing so great--a really good missionary!! (For those who are wondering, this is Melissa’s great niece.  Her grandmother is Melissa’s sister!)

After the story, the missionaries all gathered their chairs around the piano and we sang Christmas songs.  And I’m not talking “Silent Night”.  This was a raucous Rudolph and Frosty event!  The young missionaries had so much fun!

This is a “Where’s Ken” photo,

Sister Wharburton (left) is our Sister Training leader.  She goes home in January and we will MISS her.  Center is Sister Nieprashk.   She is the one who sang the song I posted the link to above.

Can you tell from the photo on the left that they were having a great time?  Sister Campbell and Sister Harrison were at least.  I think the others were too.  I just didn’t catch their smiles in this photo.









After all the festivities, we put on our missionary garb and had a zone photo taken.  This will always be a specially memory for me!

Zone Conference December 2019

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
On Christmas Eve we hosted our traditional Christmas Eve Dinner. It was smaller and a bit quieter than the ones we had at home but it was also very sweet.  We invited Rose (who is alone) and Monserrat (who is alone), and our newest friend who is on date for baptism, Tamara, along with the zone leaders.  

Cheese potatoes, Ham, shrimp, cheese ball, stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped dates, green beans and some really yummy homemade rolls.  What’s missing here is the cranberry salad cause it’s already on the table.

My photo

The selfie of the group!

Two of the sisters in these photos were raised in disfunctional and abusive homes.  Their stories are heart wrenching and almost unbelievable.  The other one has found her own way in life by embracing the gospel even though her family has mostly rejected it.  She came to Vermont on pure inspiration from God and has been such a blessing to the sisters here.  Her strength is amazing. These are truly remarkable women.  They have embraced the Savior and his power to heal them.  We love all of these sisters and are so grateful to associate with them.

Ken and Tamara.  He has been attending lessons with the Elders.

Christmas morning was so much fun.  And it all started with homemade cinnamon rolls and fruit soup!  Yes.  I finally made a cinnamon roll that isn’t a cinnamon rock!! We watched the Stoddards open a lot of their Christmas early.  And throughout the morning and early afternoon visited with all of the family.  We also had a real haul from “Santa” thanks to wonderful friends and family.

Best Christmas tradition ever that has lasted through the generations!

Thanks Finlinsons for the puzzle.  Happily, Ken bought me a table and another
puzzle so it really felt like Christmas!

We got this vintage game from Rob and Kristy and didn’t know just how special it
was until we opened it up!  (see below)

We got a really fun care package from the Haskells.  Karen always does
the cutest and most creative things!

My sister Julie crocheted this and it looks beautiful on
my couch.  It’s REALLY soft too!

Ever since we got here I’ve been wanting a bird feeder because there are so many lovely birds here. So imagine my surprise when we opened this bird feeder from Fred and Mary.  And look!  The weather has been so warm we were able to set it up and the birds are loving it!

We also received more gifts that I have failed to take pictures of.  Thank you to the Lassens and the Probsts!  Marsha,  I made cookies for the baptism yesterday and I loved the mix and sprinkles!

Thank you Tam and Boyd for the towels and the goodies.  We are enjoying them a lot.  I’m sure I’ve failed to mention someone and I apologize ahead of time. We love you all and feel so blessed to be surrounded by so much love.♥️♥️♥️

Yesterday we went to Lamoille to a baptism.  We met this sister in the fall shortly after she had met the missionaries.  She was skeptical about religion of any kind and struggling with some addictions.  We have watched her slowly grow in understanding of the Savior and she has embraced Him.  This was a really special experience to see the change that the gospel makes in someone’s life.

Happy Day!

I got my picture with Bambi and Papa Worthington,  He is sort of famous in the stake.  He and his wife joined the church about 40 years ago and they have been instrumental in a lot of the growth in Vermont.  The Lamoille ward has a real history of member missionary work and he is at the heart of it.  His son is currently the stake president.

So, it’s been a busy and fun filled holiday season.  I also had to speak in church today and that caused me a bit of stress all week trying to write a talk.  It’s funny because I was really floundering over it all and Friday morning the new Ensign came and TaDa!  My idea for speaking jumped right out of the magazine for me.  If you haven’t read it yet, you should!  As much as I love digital and having things at my fingertips, I’ve learned that if I have a hard copy magazine or book sitting around I’m more likely to read.

Tomorrow we finally get our snow tires on!!  We have been so lucky with the weather here.  It’s been close to 50 degrees this week and as you could see from the bird feeder, all of our snow melted.  Tonight there is a weather warning for and ice storm, but it looked like it will miss us.  Poor southern Vermont is getting hammered. 😁

I did take this picture out the window during the last snow storm.  It was beautiful.  

We love you all so much!