December 4, 2011
This has been a fabulous, different week and will really show you how diverse the service we do is. Monday, our friend, Bonnie (a counselor in the Relief Society Pres. of the 2nd ward), called to see if we could go with her to Richmond, VA. She had seen a dining set and hutch on Craigslist, but was sceptical to go check it out alone. So I checked with Pres. Matsumori to make sure that it was okay if we left the state for the day, and off we went on our 2 1/2 hour road trip. We had a fabulous time, Bonnie was able to purchase the items she had her heart set on, and the best thing of all is that we found both a SONIC and a HOBBY LOBBY on the way home!!!!! Sister Harper decided to buy our tree and decorations because she wants to take them home after our mission, and I bought a wonderful picture of the nativity that is beautifully framed (about 24x 30").
On Sunday, we made contact with a sister who had been kind of stand-offish in the past and asked if we could come and visit her sometime. All of a sudden her demeanor changed, and she smiled and said she would love it if we could come and help her decorate her house for Christmas on Tuesday, and then she would have us stay for dinner. We worked all day with Linda; thank goodness she had done some of the decorating when we got there. She had a storage room with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling decorations, with forty bins designated just to Christmas (we counted at least twenty bins that we emptied). She was so excited to have us there, explaining that she had made most of her decorations and how much they mean to her. It was a very satisfying, yet tiring day...
Wednesday, we went to the temple after missing last week because of Thanksgiving. We arrived early and met with Elder Don Olson (KSL television), who is the new director for the Visitor's Center, to arrange our schedule for hosting there during the Fesival of Lights. During the month of December, we will be at the Visitor's Center on each Monday, Friday and Christmas Eve, with our work at the temple on Wednesday's. It is so exciting to be involved in these activities at this special time of year!
After we met with Elder Olson, we took a sneak-peak around the center. They had decorated trees from the stakes in and around the temple area, and a full room dedicated to nativities from around the world. AMAZING!!! Wednesday was the night that they were turning on the lights at the Temple and Visitor's Center. Elder L Tom Perry was there representing the Brethren, and they invited Ambassadors and Diplomats from several countries, as well as Senator's, Congress, and local government, so it was a very special night. (I wish I had been invited--oh well)
Thursday, Stephanie, the cute girl I mentioned in an earlier email, called to see if we could meet her for lunch, as she had something she needed to talk to us about. She met us at the food court at the mall and bought our lunch. We had a great visit with her. She told us all about the medical equipment she repaired when she was in Afghanistan and about the special services her husband is in protecting the White House and areas where the President frequent. It was their second wedding anniversary on Friday, and she and Eric have only been together about three months during their married life. Darling couple!!!
Friday, Sister Harper and I had no sooner finished our prayer asking for inspiration as to who we could help that day, when the phone rang and it was the Relief Society President called to say that Melody, a sister in the 2nd Ward had been rushed to the emergency room with a "raging headache", and could we stay with her until her husband could come from DC (2 1/2 hour drive) to be with her. Upon arriving at her side (after an hours drive to the hospital), we found out that she was driving a bus full of elementary school children when the headache hit. Thank goodness, she was able to pull off the road and get help without anyone getting hurt. Turns out it was a dibilitating migraine, so they gave her strong medication and she was in church today.We were so grateful to be able to be with Melody so that she didn't have to be alone at this time.
Saturday was the Christmas parties of both the 1st and 2nd wards. The 1st Ward had a Christmas breakfast and program followed by a program of families in the ward giving their traditions of "Keeping Christ in Christmas". The 2nd Ward's party was a fabulous "roast beast" dinner followed by the play "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"--such a fun day!!!
I'm excited because today our fast in the 1st Ward centered around baptisms for next year--our goal is ten; this year we had five. Also, we are going to Bishop Vance's home for dinner--Sister Vance's grandma, who lives in my Coral Canyon Ward, is returning to Utah tomorrow, so this will give us one last time to chat...until she comes out here again.
