"Feast or Famine"

If you think of 2020/2021 has mostly a "famine" of social gatherings, then this past week, we have had a "feast" of them--

Last Sunday:  Break the Fast with the Brigham Apartments missionaries.  We had about 25 gathering together for a great potluck.  I took meatballs in a crock pot.  I go only stay a short time, because I had to join the Owen Cousin Zoom Reunion at 5:00, but Gary and Jena enjoyed the company and food for a while longer.

Last Monday:  Ensign Peak Branch had their Aloha Potluck dinner at the State Center on 2nd North.  I took potato salad to that potluck  (recording so I can make sure to not always bring the same thing. :) ).  This is to welcome all the new missionaries and say goodbye to those who will be leaving in the next month or so.  This is only the second one we have been able to attend.

Last Tuesday:  Dinner at the "Other Place Restaurant" which is Greek and American food with the Pierponts and one of their daughters, in town from Virginia.  Pierponts are former missionaries in our zone.  They will be moving down to the Sandy area to another apartment next month.

Last Wednesday (and really the focus of most of the beginning of the week for me):  Our first in-person Social for our Zone; "Christmas Prep".  We had a short but beautiful program in the Chapel of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and then served dinner in the Relief Society Room.  We had about 45 people in attendance. Although we adjusted things due to recent increases in Covid in the area and didn't do games and White Turkey Exchange, it was still a sweet evening and people enjoyed being together in that setting.

Getting things from our apartment and the Church History Library to the Mezzanine level was a bit more work than a typical event.  Fortunately there was openings in the drop off spot in front of the building and the mission had a cart we could use. 

We used things which we found in a box at the CHL and just added a few candies, a runner, and a snowman.

The ceiling in the Relief Society Room

The beautiful Chapel where we had our program and where we meet for Church each week.

Sister Jones decided that her nativity from Mali, Africa would be perfect and she ran home and got the pieces.  She was right.  It was perfect.

Our program:

Opening Hymn:  "Away in the Manager"    Jena led the music, Sister Parker played the organ

Opening prayer

Piano number by Sister Marianne Jones   "The Christmas Song"

Reading by Elder Nelson Spencer    "Willie and Annie's Prayer"

Piano numbers by Sister Patty Barker   "What Child is This?"  "Hosea, the Divine Christ Child" (that title is not exactly right  ;(

Reading by Sister Joyce Forman  "The Cobbler"  She has this memorized and gave it completely without notes.  She is 85 years old.  It was so powerful.

Closing hymn:  "Silent Night" with Sister Joan Young on the guitar and Jena leading.

Prayer/blessing on food:

It lasted just over 30 minutes and was all so sweet.

Dinner and our amazing missionaries---

Lower left and around--Sister Dixon, Sister McClure (with her daughter), Sister Allan, Jena, Sister Newbold, and Elder Spencer

Sister Jones, Sister Winn, Sister Joan Young, President Parker, Sister Parker, Elder Young, Elder Eppich, and Sister Eppich

Sister Semadeni, Sister Forman, Elder Semadeni, Sister Collet, Elder Collet, Sister Fetzer

Elder Twelmeyer, Sister Twelmeyer, Sister Horrocks, Sister Burwell, Sister Conlin, Elder Conlin, President Larsen, and Sister Larson

Elder Johnson, Sister Johnson, Sister Cox, Elder Peterson, Elder Elder, Sister Elder, Elder Barrus, Sister Barrus

Elder Creswell, Elder Dave Young, Elder Pat Young, Elder Barker, Sister Barker

Of course, Gary and I were there, but no pictures of us.  Also President and Sister Randall attended the program but had to leave to attend another event in Draper.

I know it seems a bit early for a Christmas Program but since most of our missionaries live at home and are parts of their local wards and often have family around, we decided to simplify December by having something now.

All week I have prayed that no one gets sick from Covid as a result of our gathering.  We tried to social distancing during the program and wore masks as we served food, etc.  So far, no outbreak that we have heard of.........

Last Thursday:  Grandkids Visit- The "fun" continued as Jena and I headed to Syracuse and hung out with Liam, Zander, Alex, and Ezri.  This was a last minute thing as Carter unfortunately ended up in Primary's on Wednesday due to problems with her O2.  Luckily she only had to stay overnight and got home Thursday evening.  The only reason I put "fun" in quotes is because Alex started throwing up while we were there so we mostly all had a quiet evening and helped Alex.

Last Friday:  We headed to Provo and took Ben McDonalds for dinner.

Yesterday (Saturday):  We STAYED home!  And it felt good.  We cleaned the house and took care of a few things around here, but I mostly read and took a long nap.  I am getting older and I think I needed a day to recoup from a busy week.