Week of November 30th to Dec. 6th 2015 December already!!!!!

It is so hard to believe that it is already  December, this will be our second Christmas in Oaxaca and our third in Mexico!  Last year we had been here such a short time we decided that we would not make much of a fuss, so we did not have a tree or do much to celebrate. This year I thought a tree would help us not feel quite as homesick, I am afraid it made ​​it a little worse in some ways or at least harder to ignore.  Although it is fun to come home and turn on the lights and have them brighten the room and bring a little Christmas cheer and festiveness to the house.

 I have been collecting fun little miniatures for my tree all through the year. I have little alabrijes, 
(The little hand carved and painted figurines), little pots, painted tin figures, little woven baskets and hats, and a few other fun miniatures. It is hard to see what they are in the picture but it is a cute little tree.

I think tomorrow we are going downtown and I want to look for a few more decorations for my little tree.

Can you see the little turtle? Also there is a cute owl, eagle, hummingbird, and lizard.

They also put the decorations out at the temple this week, they are simple, but so beautiful. 

It is fun to watch the the children that come to the temple grounds sit on the straw bales  and read or sometimes sing to baby Jesus. 

Grandpa has not felt great for a few weeks, I think it started as allergies, there is always something blooming here, now it has turned into a sinus infection, he finally got antibiotics last night,  so he should be on the mend soon. We only went to 2 hours of church today and  came home so he could  nap. He is supposed to be singing in a choir for the temple workers devotional and the head congestion makes it really hard to sing. Now for the big belly laugh, Jan thinks I am singing too, I do not think so !!!! Not if she wants to sound good. 

Here's the rundown of the past week, Monday we cleaned, did laundry, and shopped. Then at 3:00 pm I had a luncheon With the Matron and Assistants and all the Stake Relief Society presidencies. They do this quarterly, kind of a good will and touch base, how can we assist the wards, etc ,. Afterwards we went to the movie to with the Roseberrys and the Peñas. The rest of the week was pretty ordinary, we had Presidency meeting, worked in the office as well as were able to help with Ordinances. I was able to work on genealogy this week and found to bunch more names, we had a group from Huatulco Saturday and they helped get the work done for so many of the names. I feel like that  has been one of the great blessings of this mission. 

One of our cute little secretaries is expecting, her baby will born in January. They have been thinking all along it was a girl, in the first ultrasound  it seemed pretty certain it was a girl. All along  Ross has called it George, well, she just found out for sure it is a BOY! So now every time she comes in Ross says "How's George?" She told me they were going to name her Bobett, now they do not know what to name him! She will be done the end of this month so I have to find a new secretary again, we will sure miss her, she is so sweet and so capable. 

I love this time of year, and while we do miss being home with family we are happy and content to be here, able to share the gospel, Ross had a great experience Friday, he got to give a short discussion to a group of Investigators that came to the temple with some young missionaries, they were there to see what temples are all about, the Presidency member in charge was busy so Ross got to give the discussion. He said it was great, these kinds of opportunities to share the gospel and our feelings of Christ's love for each of us make us realize we are where we should be, for now. 

When we ponder on the many gifts the Savior has given us it is almost overwhelming to think of the amount of love he has for each of us. In Spanish there are many different words for gift, each word defines the type of gift that is being given, la dádiva is a gift that is without price, that is the gift that  Christ gave us, the ability to be made whole and perfect, regardless of our infirmities, afflictions, imperfections, what we have done or what we had done to us, the magnitude of this gift is so far beyond our mortal comprehension and yet it is there for the taking because of love, how beautiful and glorious is that! Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

As we celebrate His birth I hope we remember His life of service, His example of love and sacrifice, and His ultimate gift of the atonement for each one of us.

We love you and pray for you always.

Agregar leyenda