SUNDAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Dear Family,

This has been a great season and we are getting ready for Christmas.

The wards here seem to have a little leeway as they schedule interesting things.

Last Sunday we heard the the neighboring Stake was having a special stake conference with Elder Oaks in attendance. It is very unusual to have conference now with a visiting Apostle. The rumors were running rife that that stake was picked for a special test project. Boy that is something I wanted to hear.

Since our back yard is the ssouthern boundary of that stake, we decided to go with my cousin, Dave Wirthlin and his wife Anne. It was held in or meeting house down the street. We left a half hour early to get a seat.

Turns out it was a regular conference without the Saturday meetings. The place was packed. There was no mention of new programs (the rumors really spread in Salt Lake). It was a great conference and Elder Oaks inspired everyone. The entire meeting was super.

That afternoon we went over to Cheryl's for her early Christmas dinner as they were leaving town. We had been over there the night before for her annual Fondue party and that was yummy. Here is a picture of Paul, Annabelle, Olivia, Emily, Paul Jr. and Loren digging in the Fondue.
On Sunday they did their turkey dinner and I brined a natural turkey in an Apple brine and smoked it for the occasion. Cheryl did a turkey as well. Lots of really good food then and it was great to be with them.

Following the dinner, Cheryl and Paul did their nativity celebration with Opa reading out of Luke chapter 2.

Here are the players and it went pretty well. This is a tradition still in our home on Christmas eve. In the past it got to be quite a production with music, costumes and off course all our many players.

There used to be some disagreement about the costumes. Once the angles got into a fight and Douglas as a young boy bent the halo another angel was wearing. We always had lots of sheep and Shepards and there was always a live baby!

After this, Mom and I hurried down to our Singles Stake as they were putting on a special musical evening. The Taylorsville Institute choir did a terrific job. There was a speaker who talked about the details of Handel's Messiah and the choir sang some of the pieces and we all joined in for the Hallelujah Chorus. It was such a great Sunday.

Today was also great. Elder Ballard who used to live in or ward comes each Christmas and does the program. There were three wards there and it was packed. I'll bet there were 2000 there with the entire rec hall filled. Cheryl and her kids came with us and we took a row.

Elder Ballard does sch a great job. He gave remarks interspersed with musical numbers that he organized. His remarks about the Savior were stirring and we are always uplifted. We took Cheryl to the airport. The past two Sundays were just wonderful!

Next Family Deal will be Christmas Eve with our dinner at our house and Nativity presentation. Almost all here in Utah will come and Rick, Gemina and Madeline will be there also. Rick, Gemina and Madeline will be with us Christmas morning and maybe we will go around and visit all the families afterward.

Bis Dann, Oma and Opa