Christmas

Christmas day was celebrated with our district of 6 missionaries who joined us for a nice breakfast. They had to travel  about an hour to get here. They enjoyed homemade cinnamon rolls, scrambeled eggs and fried potatoes and fruit salad. David read the Christmas story in the New Testament in the book of Luke, we  sang Christmas carolswe visited for a while and sent them on their way with some gifts that we had for them after a word of prayer. These 4 young men and 2 young women, one a Russian girl, are very special. It must be hard being away from their families at this time of year. It was our privilege to be with them.

Christmas in Russia is not celebrated on December 25th (except members of the Church who join the world in celebrating Christ's birth on December 25th). It is celebrated on January 7. So December 25th was a work day for our missionaries. Their plans after leaving was to go and find some Christmas miracles.

As for us, we enjoyed a couple of quiet hours together before we left for President and Sister Sorenson's lovely home in Rosinka for dinner with our good friends and fellow missionaries, John and Carolyn Naegle. The Sorensons are very special people and we have grown to love them. Serving with them and for them is a privilege and a blessing as they tend to the needs of a large mission.

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and sang Christmas hymns around the piano. We made some wonderful memories of a most unforgettable Christmas in Russia which we will hold dear to us in years to come.

                                  our little Christmas tree. It took us 5 minutes to decorate it.

                                       Dave (Elder Sutton)  making the potatoes for Christmas breakfast

Sister Snyder, Elder Tracy, Sister Glazacheva, Elder Ricks, Elder Samuelson, Elder Urmston and me!

                         all bundled up Christmas day and ready to go out and spread the gospel!

                Dinner at President and Sister Sorenson's home. Here we are w/ Sister Naegle

 Elder Naegle gives the best massages. How do you like those slippers? Mom gave them to me for Christmas!

Sister Sorenson having a little fun with Elder Naegle and giving him a massage that she learned at Girl's Camp! Fun but not nearly as relaxing as the ones Elder Naegle gives. He can get the knots out when you didn't even know you were tense!