Sunday, December 24, 2023: Up @ 5:30, J forgot his dress shoes & white shirt, McQueen 2nd ward w? Stacy & Paul, Joshua, Sheri, Cayli, Ben, Evan, Lois & Dawn's house

 

Fortaleza, Brazil

164th operating temple

Dedicated: 2 June 2019

By: Ulisses Soares

Book of Mormon

Moroni 1-5

Come Follow Me

"Opening the Seven Seals" by Richard Draper

October General Conference

"Our Constant Companion" by President Henry B. Eyring

I was up at 5:30 this morning. I took a shower and did some preparing, praying and studying. 

We had planned on attending church in Stacy & Paul's ward. They meet in the McQueen building at 9:00. Kim & Brian meet in this building too, at a different time.

James forgot his dress shirt and shoes. He had a gray dress shirt he wore with his suit and his tennis shoes. He was pretty embarrassed.

 

Ben, Cayli, Sheri, Sariah, Paul, Adam, Evan

James, Me, Stacy, Alayna, Joshua

I really need to work on my smile and so does James.

Joshua gave the prayer on the bread. I was so grateful he was worthy and willing to honor his priesthood. 

Before the program began, Armando, whose family is in this ward, came over to say hello. If was so nice to look back and see him sitting with his wife and a row full of children. 

The program went something like this:

"Picture the Baby Jesus" - the Primary children. Their Primary is small than ours.

"Angels Lullaby" - Women's group

Piano Solo - "Angels We Have Heard on High...medley

"O Come All Ye Faithful" - Congregation

"Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Men's Group

 (Joshua and Paul sang in this group)

"Away In a Manger" - four children

Closing Address - Joey Harris (Paul's friend from high school)

Growing up Joey's dad was not a member of the Church. Joey gave a list of things he would teach his dad about the gospel. I didn't get them all, but here are some of them.

1. The Church is based on Jesus Christ. Because of His Resurrection we will be resurrected.

2. We can be forgiven of our sins.

3. We can learn about Jesus every Sunday in Church and everyday at home.

4. Priesthood blessings can heal as if it were Christ giving the blessing.

Joey then bore his testimony.

"Silent Night" - closing hymn

Benediction

We didn't plan very well for Sunday meals. I had a roll this morning so I could take my pills but now here we are at lunch time, hungry, and nothing to eat except sweets. Stacy and Paul invited us for dinner this evening but no plans for lunch. I suggested we get Whataburgers. At first James disagreed with buying food on Sunday which is something we do not ordinarily do, and then his tummy growled and he said okay. 

We drove to the nearest Whataburger, there are several new ones in this area, and we each ordered a Whataburger Jr. We waited until we got back to the hotel, room 121,  to eat. After eating it was nap time.

Around 1:30 James delivered gifts to Kim, Brian and Joseph and received our white envelope and gifts. He also got Lois and Dawn's white envelopes. Here was our white envelope gift:

Mom and Dad,

Your white envelope gift this year is a secret act of service to make someone feel seen and loved.

Anita is an older woman who lives in a very tiny apartment in Mesa by herself. She lost her husband earlier this year.

We dropped off an anonymous Christmas basket filled with Christmas cheer and some needed supplies in the hopes that she will feel loved and not so alone.

Love, Kim and Brian

I love the fact that Kim and Brian do these services for Christmas. It is a wonderful thing.

At 4:00 we picked up our Christmas feast at Mimi's. A turkey, ham, green bean casserole, sweet potato and pecan casserole, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. The only thing they forgot is the rolls.

James lifted this heavy box, put it on his shoulder, and carried it to the car. From Mimi's on Chandler Blvd. we drove to Tempe to Lois and Dawn's. Dawn will heat everything in the morning and make some rolls. Oh yes there was a pecan pie, a pumpkin pie and a couple of small loaves of nut bread. 

We stayed and visited a little while, snacking on a tray of chocolate dipped fruit that Connie sent. Also from Carmen a paper with a key called the Keeper of the Inn, and a mini Night Before Christmas book that Rebecca made. We left in time to be at Stacy and Paul's by six. 

Paul made street tacos with and they were very good. He also made Mary's delicious refried beans. Michael came over, Adam was there and Joshua has just returned from Alayna's where they exchanged gifts. Alayna drew Joshua a picture of the three dogs and put it in a frame. It was really cute. 

After dinner they opened their blankets. Jared Ammon and Dallin missed Christmas Eve with their family and Stacy was pretty sad.

After dinner we went back to room 121 at the San Marcos so the Gonzales's could do what they normally do for Christmas Eve. 

I wrote out my testimony and posted it on our family thread.

Here it is:

Christmas isn't just about the baby Jesus. It's about the life and mission of the Savior, Jesus Christ. How He healed the sick, caused the lame to walk and the blind to see. How he overcame that awful monster death and hell.

Without Him we would become angels to a devil to be shut out from our God and to remain with the Father of lies in misery like unto himself. (2 Nephi 9:9-10).

Even though He was the Creator of the Universe, He came to earth as a little child. He is my Savior, Redeemer, and the Healer of my soul. The one thing I want my family to remember about me is that I testified of the divinity of Jesus Christ and I tried to follow Him in my life. I know He lives. Come, let us adore Him!

Kim sent me lots of pictures from the family party which I am going to post as soon as I am finished here.

 

On our bed in our hotel room

Lois and Dawn's tree

Our gifts

More blankets

Emmy

Christina's kids

Charlie

Love this Family!

Sheri and Trina followed their tradition of hiking A mountain

on Christmas Eve

The Wallace's as Mr. & Mrs. Santa

Roger and Lynn

Saturday, December 23, 2023: Snow, wrap gifts, Janna & Kathy, Trip to valley, San Marcos Crowne Plaza hotel, Costco, Someburros, Family Party @ Stacy's, shopping, walking

 

Kinshasa, DR of Congo

163rd operating temple

Dedicated: 14 Apr 2019

By: Dale G. Renlund

Book of Mormon Reading

Ether 15:18-34

Come Follow Me

Review

October General Conference

"More Than a Hero" by W. Christopher Waddell

I woke up at 5 and was out of bed by 5:30. We have snow and it snowed all morning. It made me a little concern about driving to the valley today. 

James and I finished reading the Book of Ether today. Only Moroni left until we finish the Book of Mormon again. 

I spent the morning finishing up the last of the 38 gifts I wrapped for Christmas. While I was busy wrapping James went upstairs and cleaned. He vacuumed, made beds, dusted, and cleaned out the bathtubs and toilets and sinks, and emptied the garbages. Thank you so much Honey, you are a lifesaver!

Janna Grombach came to the door at 9:30. She said she was making cinnamon rolls to bring to us but instead she had gifts. Kathy Crane was here a few minutes later. Kathy thanked me for the cute gingerbread house with the cookies and the fuzzy socks. She said she was a little disappointed because for the last few years she has looked forward to getting a calendar from us. I apologized and said I would be sure and get her one next year. She said it was fine that she would pick one up at Costco the day after Christmas.

We each got a package from Janna. Each of us got a candle, a nativity, and a key chain. This is much more than either of us got for Janna. She far outdid herself. We thanked her and gave her a hug. She was going to bring us back some cinnamon rolls but texted and said it wasn't going to happen that she would need to make us some another time. 

After wrapping all of the gifts James put them in the car and I began packing my two suitcases and my computer, which I probably won't have time to use. I remember last year wrapping lots of packages after I got to the hotel. I'm glad I'm not doing that this year.

It was 12:30 when we were finally ready to go. We went the Globe way, thinking there might be too much snow the other way, although most of the snow was melted by the time we left. 

We checked in to the San Marcos around 4 p.m. I asked if I was getting a downstairs room and the person checking me in said no, but he could give me one, which he did, Room 121. 

We unloaded our suitcases and a few other items before heading to Costco. We had a short time to shop before we needed to pick up our Fiesta tray at Someburros. Luckily Someburros is close by.

James needed to get his pomegranate juice, acai juice, walnuts, and fish oil. I got pistachios and an Arizona Highways 2024 calendar.

I picked up the Fiesta tray right at 5:30. It was ready and waiting. Next stop, Stacy and Paul's for the family party. Joshua helped James unload their Christmas gifts and put them under the tree. We were the first one to arrive for the party which is scheduled to start at six. 

All of those attending the party: Stacy, Paul, Adam, Michael, Joshua, Kim, Brian, Joe, Sheri, Ian, Ben, Cayli, Max, Evan, Darrel, Trina, Addy, Ruby, Lola, and Kaitlyn Booth. I gave a pair of fuzzy socks to all of the girls except Kaitlyn because I ran out. It's okay because she came after I was finished. Kaitlyn had bigger fish to fry. 

The first game we played required a blindfolded person, a bowl, a spatula, and a table full of Christmas bows. The object was, after putting the blindfold on, trying to get as many bows into the bowl using the spatula. You could not put the spatula against the table and slide the bows in. Stacy set the timer for 30 minutes and the person began. 

James ended up winning and came home with the

Whitman's Sampler box of chocolates that we got

from the Applegates.

 

Lola

Ruby

Brian

Kaitlyn

Kim

I kind of got ahead of myself. Before playing any games we ate. There were lots of treats and also some really good food. The thing I liked the most was Darrel's tri-tip. It was melt in your mouth delicious! There was the Fiesta tray we brought with taquitos, mini green, red, and bean burros, Chik-Fila nuggets which Sheri brought, rolls to go with the tri-tip, I made them. We also had cookies from Kim.

The next game involved everyone. It was called Left, Right, Center.

It's played with three dice and everyone playing has to have $3.

Left, Right, Center

Here is how you play: When it is your turn you roll the dice. The dice will have a L, R, C, or a dot on it. L means you pass one of your dollars to the person on your left, R means you pass to the person on your right. C means you put your dollar on the plate in the center, (we had two plates), and the dot means you get to keep all of your dollars. The fast the game goes, the more fun it is. The last person with a dollar left wins the game. It was down to Michael and Kim having the only dollars on the table. Michael rolled and his went in the center. Kim rolled and hers went to her left, Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn won $66!

Kaitlyn felt guilty and tried to give me some of her money to help pay for the food but I told her no. I said, "You played the game like everyone else and you won fair and square. No need to feel guilty."

Stacy said the game wasn't gambling, just investing. It was a lot of fun!

Next was the white elephant game where everyone tries to remember who went home with the Taylor Lautner poster last year. All I could think of was Rowan because I remembered staying in his room and having that poster on the wall over his bed. I guess that was a year ago though because Kim had it hidden in a huge bag of Harkins popcorn. Guess who got it?

He is not going above my bed!

Ben chose the Number 1 in the White Elephant game, which means he gets whatever gift he wants. He opened the monkey music box from Phantom that I brought. Trina took it away from him and later he took it back. That's the gift he ended up with, the one he opened in the first place.

Opening the monkey music box

Holding it close and giving someone the evil eye.

After the party was over we went to Fry's to do some shopping and look for Amazon cards for Lois and Dawn. They didn't have any, but James found a jacket he liked to we bought it. It was out of my budget so I told him it would have to be his birthday present. He was fine with that. 

After leaving Fry's we headed for Walgreens. I was pretty sure they would have Amazon cards, and they did. Next we looked for a Circle K to get gas. Gas here is cheaper than Show Low right now. The Circle K on McQueen and Queen Creek had gas for $3.39 or $3.29 with the EasyPay card. We thought we could find it cheaper so we drove up Arizona Avenue to Germann and found a Circle K that had EasyPay gas for $2.99. The first time we have bought gas for under $3 for a long time. 

Back to our hotel to walk, shower and then go to bed.

Stacy's nativity she says I gave it to her.