Christmas Conference in Garden & Johnson Cities

This week has been a really interesting week. We had our Zone Training/Christmas Conference/Christmas dinner with the Elders and Sisters. We had a great Zone training mtng., then a wonderful lunch put on by the R.S., then our Christmas Conference in Garden City, that really brought the true Christmas Spirit and the spirit of Missionary work together. I do not exaggerate when I say we have some future General Authorities in our Zone leadership. One Elder, (and I’m going to call him by name because he is amazing) Elder Durrant, gave The. Most. Beautiful. Talk. Ever. Honestly, I wanted to ask him for a copy of it, but he didn’t use any notes! And the scriptures he quoted were perfect for each interesting topic. I was thinking “this guy’s just twenty??“ Just awesome. We loved it. Here are some pictures of our Christmas dinner and crazy party with the Elders and Sisters in Johnson City. I was laughing pretty much the whole night because they are so fun and funny!

We had dinner at the home of our Stake President and his wife,

in their enormous (and super clean) garage...all decorated up!



Our Mission President & his wife chatting with us.

 

Some of our Awesome D.C. Missionaries!

 

Our Stake President and his totally awesome wife!

 

At the gift exchange, a little tie trading.

 

Cutest Elder ever! Trying to trade off this super ugg-O tie!

 

It was a super good day. We were so tired when we got home, it was the first FULL night's sleep we've had since we came to Kansas. We really needed the sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 



Getting ready for Christmas

This is our Christmas tree that we bought at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. We strung cranberries and hung stars (borrowed from our branch Christmas decorations) to complete the festive look. See the two little cows in front? They will be added to our Noah’s ark collection when we go home. This is Cow town...couldn't go home without some cows!

This week’s mail shout-outs go to Debbie Gessel, Becki Blackner, and Rachel Hahn. We can’t thank you enough for making our trip to the CBU worth the trek! We love to hear from our family and friends! Do I sound like a broken record?

Midway USA

We decided to take a little road trip on Saturday.  Our area is quite large so even this 40 minute drive to the Eastern edge of our mission was still in our area.   We took a list of members who live way out in the small town of Kinsley and split up the list between our passengers, the ever-ready-for-any-adventure- Sister Missionaries and us.  We found some home, some not and had a nice visit with those we found.   We especially enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Nader family, one of the stalwart families in our ward.   At the end of our visit with them, they suggested we visit a sweet widow in a local nursing home.   We did.   Dolly is 89 years old and quite a lady!   She shared with us her life story of living on a farm, raising her two sons mostly on her own, moving a few times, being married to an “oil man” who went to Africa to work the oil fields in Libya and even how she followed him there and lived for 3 years in Africa.  It broke our hearts to see her now living in this small room in this little care center in this little town smack dab in the middle of the country.  (See the sign above).   Yet we were also humbled that the Lord knows all his children and would arrange things so that two of his servants would call on Dolly, letting her know that he had not forgotten about her.

La Cena de Navidad

On Saturday we had our Branch Christmas dinner over at the church. It was a light turn out, which was disappointing, but there was a wonderful spirit there and everyone had a great time. After dinner, the six of us missionaries sang Candlelight Carol to the accompaniment of Ron and his guitar. Then Ron played while everyone sang Christmas songs in English, ending in Noche de Luz, which is Silent Night in Spanish. It was really beautiful. Then we had the closing prayer and the Branch President brought out fun little treat bags for everyone. Here are a few of the pictures we took of the evening.

 

Christmas Devotional

The Dameron family

Marin, Ela, Sage, Abby

Lisa & Layne

 

The Dameron family is in the English speaking ward. (I specify the English speaking ward, because sometimes I forget and call the Spanish Branch a ward, capisce?) Anyway, they invited us over for Sunday dinner.  They served Kansas Beef Brisket, something we do not get often, (beef). I know, ironic isn't it? (because we live in cowtown) it was delish! Sister Dameron is the Relief Society President in the ward. Brother Dameron is a Dr. in town. A super fun, and very high-energy family of seven. (Their little boy Blake, was in bed when this picture was taken.) Then we got to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional all snuggled up with blankets on their couch. It was a wonderful evening.