Christmas Devotional(s)

 How often the Sabbath rolls around!  It is always a beautiful day.

We attended through Zoom our Oxford 1st and 2nd combined Christmas devotional.  Various people in the ward sang and gave brief messages and/or scripture readings.  It was awesome to be able to assemble together but so far apart.  It brought the Christmas spirit.

Later, our cute missionaries had their usual 20 to 30 minute Sunday devotional.  They always give a spiritual thought and play some music.  I so admire them, their spirit and their eagerness to lift us all.

In the evening, we had our mission-wide devotional.  Dave had high hopes of gathering the missionaries from all over the mission in four groups for four separate sessions in the church at Hyde Park.  He and Deb love these missionaries and are keenly aware of the difficulties they all face.  Most of the mission has gone into a higher level of security as of today, which means they are on serious lockdown throughout Christmas and beyond.  Things will be relaxed only slightly on Christmas day, but according to the rules of the country, that only means meeting with one other household and only for a brief amount of time.  

Among the guidelines given, they can watch a Christmas movie on Christmas day and then the entire mission will watch a movie together (Zoom) on New Year's Eve.  I am not sure which one they will show, but it will be fun to know we are all watching together.

Tomorrow will be the shortest day of the year, with the sun coming up at 8:09 and setting at 3:56.  Of course, it will be still and dark past 8:09 and the same for a good half hour to an hour before sunset in the afternoon.  I know I am weird, but I came to love these short cozy days when we lived in Denmark.  There is something about being inside in the warmth with the soft glow of the Christmas tree and our little Nissemen benevolently looking on.

I gave the art presentation of portrayals of the Savior.  Dave said to go ahead and take an hour, which I did.  I received some sweet notes online from some of the young missionaries, an email from one of our senior couples, and Dave called later to thank me.  I am so happy that all went well....no technical gremlins stopped the procedure, and all equipment worked well.

Dave heard me give it four times last January, and he loved it.  Tonight when he called, he said that was the best yet, and he mentioned several specific things that he enjoyed most.  He was so grateful because he felt that it was a wonderful Christmas gift for the missionaries.  I am so grateful and happy that it went well.  I never tire of that art, and it is always a joy when someone else is touched by it.

We were able to watch our Gilbert Ward's Christmas Devotional.  We were elated to see the Taylors and Madsens sing "Away in a Manger."  It was marvelous!  It almost doesn't seem real that those eleven people - and Melissa playing the piano - are ours!  But they are and we adored watching them.  Bethany sang with the group and then accompanied a couple of other numbers, and played the organ for the closing song.  She is blessed with such talent, as well as the drive to improve.  



I am off to bed.  We will start out in the morning to deliver Christmas to four young elders in two different cities.  That will be fun.  I had hoped to bake some things for them but there hasn't been time in the last day and so we will just take them chocolate.....which isn't bad, but there is something about a home-baked goodie....especially if you are a 19-year-old young man.  Perhaps there will be another opportunity soon to take them something from "home."

Comments

melissa said…
Wow! I wish i could have seen your devotional!
December 20, 2020 at 7:15 PM
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