Twas the Week Before Christmas
I didn't post last week because we had the chance to run away and do some celebrating with our two daughters who graduated with their Master's Degrees. We had special permission from our Area Presidency to be with them for their special day. It was awesome! These girls have worked so hard for the past few years to graduate from BYU Idaho with their Bachelor's degrees and now from The University of Southern Mississippi, both with a Master's in Child and Family Science. Way to go ladies!
We went on a little swamp cruise in the Bayou to see gators. We saw lots of gators. And some turtles!
One thing on my bucket list and favorite things to see was one or maybe more of the cemeteries that are all above ground. You probably know that New Orleans is below sea level and protected by levies. Well, they can't bury people in the ground so they bury them in family crypts above ground and they are AWESOME! Check out the pictures. This was on the outskirts of the city in a parish called Metairie but in the city of New Orleans they are walled in and really close together. I like this one much better!
And then you know how I love houses. Well there are some pretty amazing houses in some of the communities. Others are a bit or really scary but these homes are in the Garden District and they are magnificent. They are decorated for Christmas and just so enchanting. We saw these on Sunday morning before heading to the airport to come home. While we were driving around we got a phone call from our Stake President here in New York letting us know that the merge is a done deal. He was going to be in our Branch that morning to tell the people that beginning on January 1, we will now be in the Rome Ward. We are excited. The Branch members, not so much. We will do our best to help them transition over. It really will be a good thing.
We flew home to New York to big snow. It was beautiful but a shock from the warm weather we had enjoyed for 4 days. We had a busy week this past week. Monday was our District P-Day. We get one of those once each transfer. The missionaries wanted to go ice skating but couldn't find a rink open when we would need it so we went bowling instead. It was fun. They have so much energy. We love being with them!
Tuesday we spent some time with one of our Branch members helping her find a name to take to the temple. We were excited to plan a trip for Saturday with her. Mike was going to be acting as proxy for her son who died a couple of years ago. She is so kind and is always giving us little things that she buys in an online auction.
Wednesday found us shopping for out Branch Christmas party and then coming home and preparing the food because we wouldn't have any time on Thursday or Friday. We cooked up a spiral cut ham, I made a double batch of cheesy potatoes, and I made a brownie candy cane cheesecake for Thursday evening Book of Mormon class.
Thursday was our Zone Conference. We had been asked to do the table decorations again, for the lunch. We, or should I say I had this great idea to make little nativities and so Mike cut the wood and together we created a really beautiful little table decoration. The idea was that we would pay for these nativities and then we would use them for gifts for our Branch members for Christmas. We were so happy with the way they turned out. Everyone at Zone Conference loved them too. We gave one to each of the office couples and to President and Sister Gentry.
Zone Conference is always a highlight. This one was no exception. We had wonderful training but the highlight came after lunch. Sister Gentry had us read together through The Living Christ and pick out the names of Christ from restored truth. She had the missionaries identify His names and then put a candle in a wooden wreath. We talked about our Savior and His mission on this earth. President Gentry then asked each of us to write a short testimony of something we have learned through restored truth about Jesus Christ. He then asked the missionaries to bear a short testimony, from where they were seated. One by one they stood and literally bore the sweetest 20-30 second testimonies. The Spirit was overpowering to day the least. We are so very blessed to have the restored gospel that teaches us such beautiful truths about our Savior.
There was a huge storm moving in so President wanted the missionaries to get on the road and get home before it turned bad. It's really interesting that in this very wintery and snowy area, they cancel everything when it snows. So it's was no surprise when it was voted that our Book of Mormon class be cancelled. We had planned to take all of the food and finish the decorating so we went anyway. The Sisters joined us and one other couple came. We put finishing touches on the Christmas tree, placed the table cloths and table decorations, and put together the tables for the cookies and hot cocoa bar. I had made that candy cane cheesecake and it would not keep for another week so we dug in and ate some of it. So glad there were a few more than Mike and I to help get rid of it.
Friday morning was cookie morning. Our Branch party was going to include a hot cocoa and cookie bar for dessert. I made my mother's roll out cookies (That's what we always called them because, well you know, you roll them out). I was a little adventurous and tried my hand at making them a little more than just frosted with sprinkles. They actually turned out pretty cute and they were a hit.
We were getting snow again so we headed to the church early so that Mike could snow plow the sidewalks. We put food in the ovens, and then we did some gift wrapping for the gifts for our little families we were adopting through the local food pantry. People started coming and we ended up with about 30 there. Yay! We had tons of cookies and wouldn't you know it, I didn't get any pictures of the cookies or the hot cocoa bar. I am kicking myself because it looked so cute. I was a little frantic all night, making sure everyone was getting what they needed. We played a white elephant game and everyone had such a great time. I love when it all comes together and we see faces that we don't see on Sundays.
Saturday was our temple excursion with the lady in our Branch. Because it was snowing the night before, she asked us to cancel the appointment. So we cancelled for her but we kept the appointment for us. We aren't scared of a little snow. So off we went to the temple.
We decided that while we were up in Palmyra, we would see a couple of little Christmas towns on the way home. We went to Seneca Falls, which is rumored to be the inspiration for the setting of "It's a Wonderful Life." Frank Capra loved Seneca Falls. Bedford Falls is the town in the movie and it's located in Upstate New York. He even references several towns like Buffalo, Elmira, and Rochester in the movie. The bridge that spans the river is like the bridge in the movie where George Bailey jumps into the river to save Clarence, and where, at the end of the movie, he says that prayer, "Please God, let me live again." It was a pretty fun little town with Christmas music playing down Falls Street. Check out the house we found.
We then ran to the most Christmasy Dickens town of Skaneateles. Now how would you pronounce that name? I was saying it Skan-a-tell-ees. NOPE! It's Skinny-Atlas. Haha. Some of the names here completely throw me. Anyway, talk about Christmas Spirit oozing out of every corner. It was the sweetest, most captivating little town. We listened to Dicken's characters singing Christmas Carols. We saw Father Christmas and his missus. There were hayrides and fresh baked donuts. There was even a brass band playing Christmas Carols. There were lots and lots of people and just a good time all around.
Our Mission President tells us all the time to take advantage of seeing and experiencing the Spirit of NewYork with their many festivals. We feel so blessed to have the chance to see so many wonderful things.
Today was a nice day at church. One of our speakers was called into work so Mike opened up to Christmas hymn singing. People could choose their faves and we would sing them. It was wonderful. Afterwards we ran Christmas gifts (the little nativity) around to several of our members and then ended at a home of our friend who needed a blessing. We are so thankful for Priesthood power that can bless the lives of so many-including ours. We love the Lord. We are so very thankful for the blessing of being missionaries. We are thankful for your support and prayers. Have a most wonderful week as you move toward Christmas. What a wonderful time to be alive.
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