Christmas And Other Things...

Well, I am a few days late on this post.  I just remembered a few hours ago that I hadn't updated for the week so here goes.  Last week was Thanksgiving and what a different Thanksgiving it was.  First of all, we have warmth here as opposed to the cold weather that Utah has been having.  It rained most of the day but it really didn't matter.  We were invited to go to Tita's grill where the owners (our bishop and his family) cooked 3500 lbs of turkey and ham in an emu.  It was SO good.  Very tender and moist and the flavor was amazing!  So glad I was able to experience that this year. Those in attendance were the Sr. missionaries, those less fortunate and those who had actually stopped at Tita's to just get a good meal.  They had no idea that it would be such a big gathering but they got to eat for free.  The family also takes much of the food to other communities on the Island to feed the homeless there.  I can't even imagine the cost to that family (the Ah You's) for this service they provide.  I'm sure they have been and will be blessed for what they do.

For us, it was nice to have a day off from our service in the temple.  We had been getting up so early for the month of November to cover the morning shifts.  This month we have the afternoon/evening shift.  So far it has been great.  The afternoon is usually a little quiet but the evening sessions are more attended and there is more training to do so the time goes a little faster.  I really enjoy getting to know the workers and being able to interact with them in such a cool setting.

One of the things I have struggled with a little is that Christmas is so close now but I doesn't really feel like Christmas to me.  It is warm and we have had quite a bit of rain.  We don't live close to a bigger city that decorates the streets, parks, or many of the houses.  Just tonight I finally saw a couple Christmas trees in windows and a few houses with lights.  I don't have much of a Christmas tree either which is a "first" for for me.  That being said, last Sunday night we attended a musical fireside put on by the sister missionaries at the temple visitors center.  They shared Christmas music and sweet testimonies.  I am always in total awe of those cute sisters and the talent they have.  Several can play the piano for accompaniment, several sing beautifully both in group and individually.  All of them have a strong testimony of our Savior and the Book of Mormon as a testament of the life our Christ.  They were asked to bear testimony on the spur of the moment and said wonderful things from their hearts.
I think it is a great thing that these missionaries, under the direction of Elder Priday, do these firesides for the community.  I would suspect that most if not all those in attendance are members of the church so they aren't trying to convert anyone.  They just want us to know of their love for and appreciation of our God and His son, Jesus Christ.

In closing, we watched the news today before going to the temple.  There was a mass shooting in San Bernadino, CA where several people were killed.  My brain and my heart just can't understand how people can intentionally take the lives of innocent people. What a travesty at this time of year.  Because I went through the death of a loved one at this time of year 12 years ago, I am feeling so bad for those people who are faced with these losses this close to what should be a very happy time of year.  I want them to know, even though I will never meet them, that my thoughts and prayers are with them.

And finally, we have been here nearly 6 months now so the time is going so quickly.  I suspect the next 6 will go by just as fast.  I'll still keep up on this blog.