December 24, 2015 - Thursday in Nauvoo

Christmas Eve, 2015!  Here we are celebrating the eve of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  For mom and for me, it was an easy decision to stay here at home in Nauvoo tonight, and quietly read Luke Chapter 2, and enjoy a wonderful evening.  Our thoughts are with Him and with our precious family and friends.  We have so much to be thankful for as we think about the Sacrifices that were made, and the sacrifices that are being made on our behalf.

There are several missionary parties going on tonight.  People are gathered together here to take the sadness away from being away from home and family.  Now, we would certainly enjoy being around family, especially since this is our first Christmas away from them.  However, is it really possible to be in any better place on earth than to be here serving a full time, consecrated mission, to teach and testify to people about Jesus Christ?  We not only survived having two of our children away from us serving missions several years ago, but we prospered.  Now we get to return the blessings!  Imagine that?

We were up and ready to begin our day this morning at the appointed hour of 5:00am.  Mom and I enjoyed our morning devotional and prayers and then we were off on our morning walk.  It was a brisk 31 degrees as we left the house a little before 6:00am.  We had a nearly full moon and I took several pictures before I selected this one to post.  It catches that morning light as it fell between Joseph and Hyrum on the statue depicting their last ride in Nauvoo right in front of the Nauvoo Temple; 

The beautiful moon rays filtering between Joseph and Hyrum

Then, after we completed our morning walk, we went to the Women's Garden to clean off the statues. We had the assignment to perform this service, and we met our District Leader in the gardens at 7:30am this morning.  Here are some pictures:  

Beautiful clouds being highlighted with the sunrise

The Women's Garden Christmas Eve 2015

It's 5:30pm mom!

We then served in the Nauvoo Visitors Center from 12:00noon to 3:00pm.  It was a rather busy day for what I thought would be a very quiet Christmas Eve.  There were many families who came to Nauvoo to surprise missionaries!  It looks like we will have a full house for Rendezvous tomorrow night!  That will be the only event that is not canceled for Christmas Day.... and mom and  I will be on center stage.... oh my!

For mom and me, life has not always been so laid back.  In 1977, we were serving in the Lampasas, Texas, Branch.  I was serving as 1st counselor to the branch president, Institute teacher and taking 14 credits towards my Master of Science degree.  Mom was wearing several hats as well and serving as the Relief Society President and working full time as  a Captain in the Army, and community health nurse.  

With all these responsibilities within the Church, as well as outside the Church, we tried to be involved in every branch activity.  During this particular Christmas season we all decided as a branch to go Christmas caroling.  We walked through the streets of Lampasas and sang to less active members, investigators and to anyone else who would listen!  But one incident that night has stuck in my mind.  As we were walking along, singing, a car full of folks threw things at us as they quickly drove by.  What a frustration that was!

But it did teach me a valuable lesson, and I have reflected on it from time to time...  Not all the good things we do attract the positive attention of others.  We do good things because it is the right thing to do.  If people don't respond the way we think they should, it really is not our problem.  We know from the Scriptures that all things are recorded in the Book of Life.  That must mean that our actions are recorded along with our reactions! 

And that is where I needed to improve on .... my reactions.    As far as I can tell, my book is separate and distinct from anyone else's book.  Therefore my entries into that book are unique to me.  I am just hoping that as I improve my ability to "react" in these life's experiences, that my previously not so good reactions will somehow fade from the worn pages of my past.  This idea seems to parallel the Optimist's Creed that says, "forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future".  Only I like to substitute the word "forget" with the word "capitalize"!

Merry Christmas Eve precious family and friends!  We love you and we miss you and we are grateful to be serving this mission together!   Let me end today's post with this thought from 1st Corinthians Chapter 13, the Christmas version that I found a few days ago;

 First Corinthians 13, Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,
Strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls,
But do not show love to my family,
I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen,
Baking dozens of Christmas cookies,
Preparing gourmet meals
And arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime,
But do not show love to my family,
I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen,
Carol in the nursing home
And give all that I have to charity,
But do not show love to my family,
It profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels
And crocheted snowflakes,
Attend a myriad of holiday parties
And sing in the choir's cantata,
But do not focus on Christ,
I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust ... but giving the gift of love will endure.