Thanksgiving 2019

Several weeks ago, we had a planning meeting with the two YSA reps, cute young people who both lead very busy lives, and still manage to handle the planning and execution of all things related to the Oxford YSAs.  They are both British, so we were a little surprised when they noted that on Thanksgiving Day we would have "Thanksgiving."  A feast.

They asked if I would cook a turkey, I said I would be happy to.

They asked if they could hold the feast here, and we answered, "Of Course."

In the intervening weeks, we have kept busy planning and preparing meals and attending to meetings etc.  Thanksgiving kind of crept up on us.  This week in particular has been very full.  We served a meal Monday evening, traveled to inspect apartments on Tuesday,  fed a meal to the missionaries on Wednesday, fixed refreshments for Wednesday evening Institute, and the feast tonight.  We will leave tomorrow for the temple, and stay overnight in the temple housing, then will attend a session and perhaps do some initiatory with the YSAs.  I will fix some little snacks for them to have on the drive back.  Sunday is our "Break-the-Fast" meal which is normally in our apartment, but Ellie, one of the reps said she would give us a break that day and lined up a member to host the YSAs.  Monday is FHE once again with a meal, but that will be at the Bishop's house.

We started work the minute we got up this morning - preparing for the evening meal.  We set places for 18....21 if we needed to use the coffee table with people seated on the couch.  We got the turkeys done, and everything else that required an oven....amazingly.  And then everyone started arriving.  We had 27 in attendance!   That was utterly astounding.  We ran out of plates, forks, knives, cups.  We served everything from the kitchen because we needed every possible space for people to sit and eat.

Our four missionaries brought 6 investigators.  That is crazy.  This tiny apartment was nearly bursting at the seams.  They all lent a hand to help clean up, but when they left, we stood in the kitchen and didn't know where to begin.  The dishwasher was already running, and most everyone had taken home what they had brought, but there was so much stuff that we just didn't know what to do with.

That little kitchen was filled with food and people and now, it's just SK in there washing dishes.  Wow.  What a day.  I had better go help.

SK doing a job on the sweet potatoes.

The calm before the storm.

Every counter
top space was filled.

This was just before everyone arrived....doing cleanup on all our preparing.  After the meal, you couldn't see the sink!...much less use it.  It was a beehive of activity for about 4 hours, then, just like that, they were gone.

On this Thanksgiving Day 2019, I am so very grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the steadying influence it has in my life.  I am grateful for my companion, who is a good man.  I am grateful for our family: children, grandchildren, siblings and the many loved ones who have gone before.  I am grateful for dear friends who are such a treasure to me.  I am grateful for the YSAs here, for their strength and their testimonies.  I am grateful to be healthy enough to serve a mission, and grateful to be able to serve with Dave and Deb.  I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in this beautiful little part of the world.