Christmas Preparations!

15 December 2014

Wow!  Time flies!  Last week week we had 43 missionaries coming or going!  We were also preparing for the last Zone Conferences of the year and making up Christmas gift bags for each missionary (261).   Since there is not much of a budget for Christmas we get them only simple things.  But these are the most grateful sweet young people around.  They get excited for the little things.  

261 Gift bags to fill and put bows on!

Getting new toothbrush and floss - Elder Stringham and Sister Shelley

In their gift bags they get candy canes, chocolate, toothbrushes and floss (donated by an LDS dentist), a personal letter from the President and his wife, rice krispy treat, and a Nauvoo Temple pin to wear on tie or dress.   We were up late several nights in a row just getting them all filled, checking to make sure there is one for each missionary (no small task), organizing them into Zones (We had 3 Christmas Zone Conferences) and tying them with donated curly ribbon. 

Elder Stringham and I only attend the Zone Conference in Des Moines.....mostly to help with the cars.  Elder and Sister Shelley need help getting all the cars checked.  What do they check?  Everything on the car needs to be in working order and maintained  So we check:  oil, if clean under the hood, wipers,  current license tabs, registration, doors, all the lights and blinkers, all the tires for tread and for all over cleanliness.  It was a very cold day so we bundled up.  We do this while all the missionaries are having meetings in the nice warm church building.  But afterwards we are served a wonderful lunch and can watch their skits.  (Elder Stringham and I had so much to do at the office that we missed the skits)

We had a great group of new Elders and Sisters come in at our last transfer.  Each group has their own personality.  This group seemed extra prepared and ready to go to work.  After they arrive at the Mission Home they are interviewed by the President, trained by Sister Jensen, and the office couples, they have dinner and then a testimony meeting.  The testimony meeting is where you get a real feel for each missionary. 

Elder Weiss, the AP who has been an AP since we arrived, departed with this last group.  He gave the best talk in Sacrament Meeting and we all cried.  The office and mission really miss him.  But, now we have two more APs who are just blossoming and leading the missionaries wonderfully.

One of the blessings of being an Office Couple is that you get to see all the infrastructures that support the missionaries....not only just in each mission, but all the support you get from Headquarters in Salt Lake.    We are always calling Church Headquarters.  We have a special number for just about anything you could need in a mission.

Just like all missions, there are some Elders and Sisters who won't be getting packages from home.  Some are those from Kiribati....I am not sure their mail system is very sophisticated.  I sent a new missionary a welcome packet and he never received it.  So we quickly made him one when he arrived.   An Elder from Kirabati will be going home in April and I worry about sending his itinerary to any family member there.  I guess his Branch President and District President will get a copy and IMOS does have an address for both.  I may need to make a call over there just to make sure someone knows he is coming home. 

A group of members in the area made up 17 boxes, the Office Couples and President and Sister Jensen are making up some.  It really gets me in the Spirit of Christmas!  Just so you know the missionaries love going to members homes for Thanksgiving and Christmas!!!!!  We had some Elders that didn't get an invitation for Thanksgiving so they got to hang around with all the Senior Couples , President Jensen and his wife.  I think they liked it....got a lot of attention and a lot food  to take home with them .

The missionaries here are so good to us.  They sing Christmas songs to us over our phones.  We get Christmas cards, lots of "We love you"  sticky notes!  They come in and carry out packages to the car or even to the Post Office for us, they unload supplies, they leave riddles on our cupboards.  A lot of them just want to talk!    If you want to feel  loved.....go on a mission!  The missionaries love their Senior Couples!!!!! 

Well the weather is turning a lot colder!  We've had snow, but not a lot.  It is mostly the wind!

We wish you all a wonderful Christmas!

P.S.  Look what came in the mail today!!  Sooooooo cute!  Everyone in the office loved them.  This makes me a little homesick, but also very happy!!

"Elder" and "Sister" Stockings