A December to Remember Part 3 Families and Cookie Houses

Our mission receives dedicated service from some very special families and we couldn't get along without them.  We host two special evenings with these families to let us serve them for a moment and to thank them for all they do for us.  

The favorite part of the evening is decorating sugar cookie houses.  When we did this last year, nobody had ever seen a cookie house, let alone decorate one!  We had to download pictures from the internet and coach them along.  Not this year!  Everybody was ready to be creative and the houses turned out fabulous.  We have some great designers here!



Our first round was
with the Cauayan 
Mission Presidency
and their families.

The Palay Family

The Pascua Family

The Delos Reyes Family

Our second evening
was with the families
of those that care for
the mission home 
and grounds.

The Batara Family

The Soriano Family

The Quitolo Family

We love each of these families and are so grateful for all they do for us, the mission and the missionaries.  How blessed we are for their service and friendship!

"What greater gift dost thou bestow, 

What greater goodness can we know,

Than Christ-like friends, whose gentle ways

Strengthen our faith, enrich our days."

                                                              Hymn # 293

A December to Remember Part 2 Christmas Devotionals

The week following the Mission Tour with Elder and Sister Bowen, we had Returning and Arriving missionaries on Tuesday and Wednesday.  (see "Days never to be forgotten," and "Joy to the World.")  Then on Thursday, December 18th, we began our Christmas Devotionals to celebrate the joy and significance of being a missionary at Christmastime.
The morning was spent with Christmas music and remembering the greatest gift of all, the only begotten Son given from a loving Heavenly Father.  We then enjoyed lunch and entertainment.  All of the Zones had been changed somewhat because of the December 17th transfers, so it wasn't possible for the Zones to prepare beforehand.  Instead, we gave each Zone a bag with 10 items in it and they had 30 minutes to come up with a skit, using every item in the bag.  

Very, very entertaining Elders and Sisters we have!
Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of the great day we had. (and I apologize--most of the pictures from these days turned out blurry and couldn't be used.  I can only say I must have been laughing so hard at the skits that I couldn't hold my hand steady)

December 18th:  Alicia, Cauayan and Roxas in Cauayan

Roxas Zone

Alicia Zone

Cauayan Zone

Friday, December 19th:  Santiago North and South; Bambang and Solano Zones


Part of the lunchtime entertainment
included a rousing version of
"The Twelve Days of Christmas."
Each table had a verse and they
had to act it out.

This is "Four Calling Birds"

The skits were, again,
very entertaining!

And, of course,

the Haka--

Solano Zone

Santiago South Zone

Santiago North Zone

Bambang Zone

Tuesday, December 23: Ilagan, Burgos, Tuguegarao North and South Zones



Lunch with Brother Pete
just makes us all happy

"Two turtle doves…"

And a little interpretation of
that old favorite
Jingle Bells

Zone Skits and Songs

And a small group 

"Angels We Have Heard on High"

right into Haka #2!

Tuguegarao South Zone 

Tuguegarao North Zone 

Ilagan Zone

Burgos Zone

We concluded each of our Christmas Devotionals by meeting again in the chapel for videos of "Wise Men Still Seek Him," and "O Come, O Come Emmanuel,"  followed by testimonies--a touching end to a wonderful day together.


Loading into the vans after
a really great conference.

How grateful we are for the blessing of sharing the restored gospel of 
Jesus Christ at Christmas time. . . a "multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."