Christmas Week

We hope you each had a lovely week.  Don't you wish that the world (and we ourselves) could keep the focus that we have on the Savior during Christmas all year long?  Of course, we CAN, but sadly we don't tend to.  

As we've mentioned, our big push for the month of December was to get people to come to Sacrament Meeting on December 23.  Going back to the week before last, our Branch party was supposed to be Dec 21.  By an interesting "coincidence," I happened to find out that the Haitian ward, which is one of the four units that shares our small building, was having a viewing at the same time as our party.  Um - Not going to happen!  After hours of trying to figure a way around the conflict, we switched our party to Saturday, which was tricky, because not all of our members have emails and/or phones that always work.  Craig and I had a frantic Thursday running around notes for everyone.  Sadly, the party nor Church on Dec 23 were well attended.  

Dec 23: Starting time is 9:00. This was 9:20. A few more came.  Enough said....

We had the Elders and Sisters who work in our Branch over for Christmas Day dinner (with the Mission President's approval!)  We enjoyed it and think they did too.  I am just kicking myself that I didn't get a picture of that!  (Kinda blew the picture taking this week!  I'll do better!)

Thank you for all the cards and gifts that brightened our Christmas.  They were all so appreciated, especially since we did neither!  I have to show one gift that I got.  We went to a special Christmas Zone Conference in the earlier part of the month, and on one of the tables was a pair of homemade slippers for each sister!!! One of the mothers (and I believe grandmother) of one of the Sister Missionaries had knitted a pair for all 100 Sisters in the Mission - Seniors Sisters included!  I'm sure the Missionary daughter told her that we're supposed to keep Mission costs down by having the heat set at 68 or below (and it's COLD here!) so they warmed all our feet and hearts.  I cannot comprehend that much effort and work - Simply overwhelming! 

I love seeing how thoughtful people are.  Oh, the sweater I'm wearing was knit
by a Scottish sister with whom we served in Preston!  Such thoughtfulness!!!