Give what you have, to someone, it may be better than you dare think

Welcome !  

Have you ever had a song in your head that just didn't want to go away? 

Well welcome to my world and sorry but I just have to share it:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.

Count your many blessings, money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.

          So amid the conflict, whether great or small,

          Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

          Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

          Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

We have been so blessed recently that I can't stopped smiling and humming this song!  It all started with a "We Can't Thank You Enough" dinner Monday, November 25, 2013, hosted by our Mission President and his wife for the 14 Senior Missionaries serving here in the Florida Orlando Mission.

After a delicious dinner, Sister and President Berry proceeded to sing to us their own special song of thanks, with Sister Danes accompanying them on the piano.

 The Nielson's and the Bevans sitting all amazed and trying so hard not to laugh at the clever lyrics!

Our Senior Missionary District, grateful and touched by the Berry's thoughtfulness.

 Parting gifts as an additional token of the Berry's appreciation.

November 28, 2013-Thanksgiving Day

Sister Nielson and Sister Bevans sharing a laugh.  

What did we find to talk about? Kids and grandkids of course!

We had so many incredible pre-dinner snacks that we seriously could have canceled dinner all together and no one would have even noticed!

I am beginning to think that there must be a requirement to serve in our mission.  You must be a retired school teacher, have at least 10 grandchildren and be a fabulous cook.  I am not so sure how they let me slip in, I qualified with the grandchildren (thanks kids) but definitely not the rest, so shhh mums the word.

President Berry had the honor of carving the turkey with a little help from Elder Gordon 

and both were being carefully supervised by Elder Clare :)

Dinner was served and in a word,  awesome! 

Beginning with the tender turkey, thanks to the Berry's, the mashed and sweet potatoes provided by the Gordon's, the stuffing and gravy care of the Clare's, the green jello salad by the Bevans', rolls by Sister Vaden, and not one, but four pies provided by the Nielson's.

Thanksgiving at our house just isn't Thanksgiving without a puzzle, so in honor of GG, my sweet Mother in Law, I just had to pick up this singing snowman puzzle from Hallmark to keep the tradition alive. 

Thanks GG  ;)

Thankfulness is measured by the number of words; gratitude is measured by the nature of our actions."  President David O. McKay

A Thanksgiving feast for the ducks! 

We originally planned to host Thanksgiving dinner in our little one bedroom apartment, but President and Sister Berry graciously offered to let us use the Mission Home and even offered to cook the turkey, how could we refuse?  As a result we had some dry stuffing mix that would go to waste unless we shared it with our fine feathered friends-and there was not one single complaint in the crowd.

With Thanksgiving now, but a sweet memory, it was time to deck the hall, fa la la, la, la, la, la, la, la and get ready for Christmas!

Did you really think I could go to Hallmark and exit with just a puzzle?

The one and only thing we brought from home to decorate for Christmas.

Later on Thanksgiving Day, with a direct order from the President to relax and not to go into the office to take care of mission related administrative needs we made a discovery while exploring the storage closet on our patio.  There, in the far back corner, was a large brown box. After moving a few random items we were finally able to free the box and open it.  To our surprise the box contained a little Christmas palm tree, pre-lit and anxiously looking for a home. We quickly brought it in out of the cold (a brisk 65 degrees) and set it up in the corner of our apartment, perfect.

Our Florida Christmas tree with it's first Christmas package, because you guessed it, we got mail :)

A cute little penguin and snow ball to race in our kitchen after a long day at the office, thanks to Mason.

                                                       

Festive holiday hot pads, and dish towels, thanks to Lucas.

A boy and girl reindeer, thanks to Jill.

The Gibson family decided that we needed a few things in order to deck our halls appropriately for Christmas and they were so right!  Soo...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas 

Ev'rywhere you go; 

Take a look in the five and ten glistening once again 

With candy canes and silver lanes aglow. 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas 

Toys in ev'ry store 

But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be 

On your own front door. 

Count your many blessings name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

As we all know the world can be a challenging and difficult place in which to live.  We are surrounded by things that drag us down, especially during the holiday season. The temple stands as a beacon to the world, an expression of our testimony that God, our eternal Father, lives, that He desires to bless us. That life beyond the grave is real, that families can be together forever and that He wants us to return to Him someday.

On Saturday, November 30th,  I had the honor of serving as the escort for Veniece Dudley, one of the three special sisters who attended our recent Temple Preparation class in the Poinciana Branch, as she attended the Florida Orlando Temple for the very first time to receive her own endowment.

Jennifer Tetteh, yours truly, Veniece Dudley, and Marlene Registre-Poinciana Branch sisters and friends.

It is an immutable law that the more you give, the more you receive.  

You make a living by what you get, but you make a life on what you give.

I can't begin to tell you what a privilege and a blessing it was for me to share this very precious experience with Sister Dudley. She is a single mom with two beautiful daughters and three very busy little grandsons who is now a light and example to her own family and so excited to get busy and begin to do the necessary work for her ancestors. 

It truly could not have gotten any better, but while at the temple we ran into Sister Urrutia, another of our Temple Prep sisters, who was sealed to her sweetheart for time and all eternity that very same day.

'to quote a favorite movie, my cup runneth over...

Since we probably spend as much time or more in the office than at home I just couldn't resist decking the office halls a little with the Nativity set from Fisher Price. It actually plays music when you touch the angel and the best thing about it, the missionaries can't break it when they play with it.  And yes they do play with it, especially one of our Assistant's to the President, Elder Quarnberg :)

And for our nature lovers.............this bird appears to be playing king of the hill in our apartment parking lot and I guess he won!

     Feeling conflicted as the holiday season fast approaches? In Charles M. Schultz's "A Charlie Brown Christmas", Linus Van Pelt responded to his dear friend's expression of similar frustrations by stating,
"Charlie Brown, you're the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem." Maybe Lucy was right, "Of all the Charlie Browns in the world you're the Charlie Browniest."
     As many of us know Linus' wisdom and powerful grasp of the true meaning of Christmas made it easy for him to brush off negative worldly influences, and rise to the occasion by responding to Charlie Brown’s lament, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” 
Linus’ King James version scripture reading from Luke 2: 8-14, read:
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

How grateful we are to know, as Linus did, what Christmas is really all about and to have the opportunity to serve Him in appreciation for all of our wonderful blessings.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope you take time this crazy holiday season to count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done!

See you later, alligator!