Christmas Day 2010

We spent Christmas with Laura & Brian in Ohio. Much time was spent on the new phone.
Remember the Christmas ball ornament we gave years ago to each of us, including all grandchildren to that date as a tangible reminder that the gospel had been handed down to us from previous generations & that it is up to each of us to pass our Priesthood blessings on to each continuing family for generations to come.
The reflection in this ornament is Maria & Brenda Ebie, Brian's MOM, a wonderful friend.

Oh, see our children ornaments on the lamp on the left,
we took all our children with us to OH.

Mission Christmas Event

After a morning program & a wonder lunch was our service project & Testimony Meeting. Elders & Sisters tying fringes on blankets to be given as Christmas gifts to those in need.
In our area definitely needed for those living in cold houses. Sister Vance, 2nd from right is granddaughter to Marion Vance who was a member of our Tempe Stake.

Having fun with Brother & Sister Pulsipher, previous mission president for Cal & Alice Andreasen while serving in the Pacific islands. Brother Pulsipher is now our Detroit Michigan Temple President.

Found Elder Mc Loughlin (middle) from the Alameda Ward, Tempe Stake.
Always fun to connect up with our home town missionaries.

Our entire Detroit MI Mission.
(click to enlarge.)

Christmas Gifts Always Relate to Jesus Christ

Our gift to the children for Christmas 2010 was a music box with 3 pictures: #1. a box with a pearl in it #2. us, Mom and Dad #3. our Grand River Branch building. Each box played the music How Great Thou Art or Amazing Grace.
In the box was a token pearl like in the picture with the story of a man who had found a precious pearl. When he put it on display for people to see, he saw that they looked at the box more than the pearl. He was so disappointed. The message to our family is that it is not about the kind of building we are meeting in at the Grand River Branch (the box - whether awesome and beautiful or plain and not so beautiful), it is about what is inside, the Pearl of Great Price, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Office Christmas Social

Brenda Ebie gave us this beautiful Christmas Cactus in November and it bloomed for Christmas.

We showed the DVD of our 2006 Family Nativity at our social. It was sweet and touching for everyone.