Oh What Fun and Memorable Moments! - Christmas Week
Being away from home at Christmas for the first time is something our missionaries are experiencing. It is difficult for them, yet when asked about it they have been positive saying things like, “It’s given me the chance to serve others and focus on the Savior.”
Missionaries from the Napa Zone serving at Christmas time - Caroling at a food drive.
I have had the opportunity the past few weeks to ask our missionaries about their favorite Holiday traditions. I love seeing the smiles that come across their faces as they recall the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas time at home. Each story they have shared with me involves family, friends, food, and fun.
I heard someone say once, “Never underestimate the importance of having fun with family and friends.” I believe one of the best ways to experience the joy of the season and honor the life of our Savior is through strengthening relationships - connecting with family and friends while having fun.
Gathering family and friends is rarely a perfect situation with many factors you can’t control, (like being away from home, etc.) Yet, I’m sure we all agree that any effort made to come together with the people you love in your life pays off in a big way. Our missionaries enjoyed zooming on Christmas day with their families.
What a week the President and I have had, celebrating Christmas, spending time with our missionaries, and having family visit. We’ve done a ton of cooking, setting tables, and cleaning up yet, we have really enjoyed the time being with people we love.
The Quinns caroling with the Napa Zone.
Our week started out caroling with the Napa Zone while helping with a food drive. On Tuesday, we held a training for the Senior Missionaries. We used the theme of “Think Celestial” from President Nelson’s last conference talk. We then had all 27 of them over for dinner. We squeezed four tables into the mission home and enjoyed eating and visiting together. We had a white elephant exchange, and laughed as a gift - the Big Foot figurine was “stolen” the most often. People in Northern California believe Big Foot roams the Redwood Forests here.
The Marchants, Stocks, Kennans and Sister Schneider at our Senior Missionary Dinner
The Larsens, Harkers, and Hansens at our Senior Missionary Dinner.
The Smiths, Sister Hustedt, Quinns, and Redds at our Senior Missionary Dinner.
The Bowles, Lemons, and Jexes at our Senior Missionary dinner.
The Jexes with the Big Foot figurine.
The next day, Wednesday, we went to the SFO airport and picked up Chase our son and daughter-in-law, Maryssa and their two adorable children Odessa and Hank. The weather has been beautiful, sunny, and warm, not at all like a Chicago Christmas, great for going on outings. In the next few days, we went to Armstrong Redwood Forest, visited Fort Pointe, an old army fort at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, and spent some time in Fort Bragg at Sea Glass Beach gathering tiny treasures. We met up with Sister Tanielu and Sister Pletsch there for ice-cream at the Cowlick Icecream Shoppe there.
Chase and Maryssa Quinn with Odessa and Hank in front of a giant Redwood tree.
Odessa, Chase, Hank, Maryssa, Sister Quinn and President Quinn at Fort Pointe situated under the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Chase Quinns and Sister and President Quinn with Sister Pletsch and Sister Taneilu at the Cowlick Icecream Shoppe in Fort Bragg.
Friday evening, we had the Vacaville Zone over to watch the Christmas movie we gave permission for our missionaries to watch. We had pizza and drank hot chocolate enjoying Miracle on 34th Street. Not one of the missionaries had seen this movie before. It was fun to experience this classic through their eyes.
The Vacaville Zone showing off cards from the Rincon Valley Relief Society.
The BIG news for our missionaries and a great Christmas gift for them is the 2nd edition of Preach My Gospel. It had come out in June this year and finally after bering promised it would arrive in October, showed up this week. The missionaries were super excited to finally get their own hard copy.
Missionaries excited to get the 2nd edition of the Preach My Gospel manual
Sunday Mark’s brother Jeff and Laurie and their children, Tucker, Ruby and Grace (and friend Morgan) joined us for Sacrament meeting where we spoke. After, we had them over for a Christmas Eve morning brunch. That evening we had five missionaries join us for Christmas Eve. Sister Schneider our nurse, Sister Sutton, Sister Rohr, Elder Scoresby and Elder Hawkins. We ate our traditional Sweet N Sour Spareribs and had a talent show. Everyone participated with music, poems, jokes, and juggling. We dressed up and acted out The Nativity, while reading from Luke chapter 2 – one of my favorite traditions. It was great to have some “believers” with us - Odessa and Hank put out treats for Santa and lettuce and an orange for his reindeer.
Acting out the Nativity on Christmas Eve.
On Christmas morning. The AP’s – Elders Colling, Caldwell, and Poulsen, joined us for Sausage Soufflé and sticky buns. We spent the day with Chase and Family eating yummy food, enjoying card games, visiting, playing pickleball and watching Christmas movies. Oh what fun we’ve had!
Elder Poulsen, Caldwell, and Colling.
Chase, Maryssa, Hank and Odessa Quinn with Grammy and Grampy. Matching PJ’s curtesy of Maryssa! Thanks !!
