Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! It has been a strange week with what feels like several Saturdays. At some point life will get back to more or less normal but this next week looks rather confusing as well. But, bring on the New Year!
We started Monday morning off with a 7:30 am devotional. That was way too early, but the message was good and it's always great to get together with the other missionaries to start off the week. We got to hear from a Joseph Smith scholar on Joseph Smith's birthday! We followed that with interviews as always. That evening we attended the last evening of concerts at the Tabernacle for the season and wandered around in the lights and chaos of City Creek. It was a great lead in to Christmas Eve the next day.
Concert in the Tabernacle
Enjoying the noisy, happy food court
Christmas Eve we had lunch with 5 of our kids and their families at Gordon and Maria's new home in Hooper. Gordon and Maria organized it and we had a wonderful time eating Chinese Hot Pot and playing games. There is nothing better than family for the Holidays! We love and cherish our family! This was the best day of the week for us!
Hot Pot
Most of our Christmas Eve crew
We had a quiet Christmas Day here in Salt Lake and then got back to interviews on Thursday and Friday. I had one student who looked very solemn and worried through the whole interview until I told her that she had passed her endorsement interview and would be cleared. Then she had the biggest smile. I tend to forget that what seems very easy and routine for us is actually quite stressful for some of these students. It's probably the first time they've had an interview like this and they have no idea what is going to happen.
Friday evening we met up with the youth from our ward in North Logan who came down for an activity to Temple Square. We spent some time with them at the Church History Library and it was so good to catch up with the young men and women. They're such a great group of kids! Thank you Bishop Ericson and all of the leaders that brought the youth to Salt Lake!
North Park First Ward YM/YW
We saw Savior of the World one last time yesterday with Jeremy and family. We loved it of course! We also spent some time seeing lights with the kids before they headed to the other grandparents for more spoiling.
At the Savior of the World
Primary was great today. We asked the kids about their favorite Book of Mormon story and they were a little slow to start but then they all had stories they wanted to share. We have an amazing class! Fortunately we get to keep most of the kids this next year and add a couple new ones.
It will be another mixed up week with New Year's but we're excited to see what 2025 brings! First thing we hope for is the safe arrival of grandchild #21 (Blaine and Deanna) very soon!
Have a beautiful and marvelous New Year celebration this week!
We love you all!
Elder and Sister Pack
No comments:
Post a Comment