CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL

This past week we have joined the ranks of the senior missionaries who have been sick with a bad respiratory illness. I (Eileen) was sick for a week and stayed home several days from the office.  We thought Russell was going to escape sickness and Thursday after our Christmas devotional we returned to the office and found that some kind of work had been done in our office. The odor smelled very strongly like a combination of paint thinner and kerosene.  I went home, while Russell stayed in the office to get some work done. The windows had been opened with temperatures below freezing. Needless to say Russell was sick by that evening.  It has been a good reminder how fortunate we are when our health is good.

We met as a welfare committee with Elder Sabin on Thursday morning. Russell made a presentation of the humanitarian expenditures for 2016 for the Europe Area and made some proposals for the future. His ideas were considered and approved.  I am very grateful for his detail-oriented efforts.  We both know that the humanitarian funds we work with are sacred funds and need to be utilized thoughtfully.

We went from that meeting to our monthly conference call with the couples.  Elder and Sister Jeppesen who are serving in Romania were scheduled to speak but they were having technical difficulties with their computer so I made their presentation.  Sister Sabin gave a beautiful talk with a Christmas message. She related several stories of humanitarian help given to those in need in the Europe Area and of the lives that have been touched as a result of that help.

Senior missionaries at Area Devotional-we did our best to sing a Christmas carol

After our couple’s meeting we went to an Area Christmas Devotional. It is a blessing to be in the Area Office and have the opportunities to be spiritually fed by our ecclesiastical leaders. Elder Gary Sabin reminded us that we have much to be grateful and thankful for.  Many, many do not have wonderful, warm, full Christmas’ with lots of lights, gifts, and love.  We all laughed as he shared a letter written to Ann Landers about “real” families experiencing Christmas.  However, it is true.  Many families do not take multiple trips, and many do not have Rhoades scholars for children.  We were touched by the story that occurred many years ago of Bishop Monson and his ward council as they prepared an apartment for a German family who were coming to the United States to live.  Many in his ward pitched in to give this family a place to live which would be inviting and feel like home.   “The only true gift is a portion of thyself.” 

Elder Sabin related a time when his daughter was in the hospital on Christmas recovering from her double lung transplant. As he walked out to his car after visiting her,  he saw a woman who was being comforted by a man. It appeared that they had lost a loved one. As he climbed into his car the music of Oh Holy Night filled the car. “Fall on your knees.  Oh hear the angels’ voices.”  Because of Jesus Christ, the bands of death have been broken.  We do not fear.  All wrongs will be made right. 

Elder Paul Johnson started out by showing us the nativity story enacted by his grandchildren.  This DVD was a gift from their children last Christmas.  I believe the video was very touching to most of the senior missionaries who are currently away from their grandchildren and a little homesick.  We all laughed until we cried as Elder Johnson then showed us the “behind the scenes” scenes with two of his grandchildren.  So in the Real Christmas Story, what went on behind the scenes?  We all needed a Savior.  The timing had to be impeccable.  What is going on in our lives behind the scenes for this Christmas?  Now is the time when we are preparing for the Second Coming.  We are behind the scenes.  We need to do our best behind the scenes.

After the Devotional, we all were favored with a wonderful luncheon, and a fun program. I was amazed at how organized the luncheon was. Feeding 200 people in a cultural hall is not an easy task.  We all received a beautiful brochure outlining the Christmas "Light the World" campaign by our church. There are 25 days of suggestions of things we can do to become closer to the Savior and reach out to others.

(Thanks to Sister Yvonne Bausman for notes from the devotional and some of the photos)

The "three wise men" from Spain gave out treats

Light the World initiative

Saturday I went with several other senior missionaries to a little town called Idstein.  It seemed like something out of a movie. The fog was dense and there was a charm to the city with it's colorful buildings many of which dated back to the 1600s.

Witches tower dating back from 1600s, we climbed to the to top