This is a big birthday week in Utah. Happy Birthday to little miss Hadley, Curtis and Jeanne. We hope your birthdays are full of fun and Joy!
The week started with yet another transfer week. On Monday, I prepared the dinner for the departing missionaries. We enjoyed their testimonies and also had them participate in our Family Home Evening utilizing A Savior is Born Christmas initiative. It was very fun for them and our family. See our pictures that we posted below. Several of the sisters in this group were excited to go run with me before they left. So Tuesday morning after dropping Zac off at Seminary, I picked them up from the house they were staying at so we could run together. What a fun and memorable experience that was! As I serve more closely with the missionaries the more attached I become which makes it really difficult to take them to the airport and see them head home. Two of the sisters that left this go round had their family pick them up from the Mission home. This was a new experience for us and pulled at our heartstrings even more. The joy of reuniting with their family is so overwhelming that tears just flow. So sweet and tender.
After saying our goodbyes to those we love, we excitedly welcomed 10 new missionaries. Soon after they arrive Aaron and I interview them individually so we can get to know them a bit more and put them at ease. Most are really nervous and reality has set in like they've not truly felt before. We want them to feel our love for them and feel like they are apart of a family, the Texas Houston South Mission family. It’s a good group and I anxiously wait to see all that they will be able to accomplish. We have seen the marvelous process as the missionaries give their will to Heavenly Father the incredible things that He enables them to do. This is so hard to explain but remarkable to witness and be apart of. Wednesday is a full day of training and introducing the new missionaries and then announcing the transfers that will occur. It always amazes me that we are doing this every six weeks. It may sound like a broken record to you but each one is unique and different for us.
Zac had a basketball tournament this week. He was bumped up to play on the sophomore team for it and has played aggressive and is shooting well too. The other teams have been tough though. They won their first game and lost the second game by one that eliminated them from the tournament. Bode's basketball season has started as well now, he plays a 3-4 and is having fun. He had a three game tournament that will take up most of today. He is quite excited about it and really likes his teammates.
We attended our ward Christmas breakfast this morning. It was a creative fun theme….“Your Passport to Christmas around the world.” We visited China for dumplings, France for crepes and hot chocolate, Netherlands for pudding and a light pastry, Brazil we received cheese bread and burritos and Hawaii we got frog eyed salad and coconut milk dipped rolls. An interesting feast that was delicious and fun. Santa came too so Jessie told him her Christmas list. Later that night we went to dinner as a family and afterwards went to Sugar Land square to see the tree all lite up. Only Jessie would participate. Allie had her little cheer clinic at Weber High this week too. Hadlee, Mya and Lexi participated.
The rest of the month will be full of a visit from two trainers from the missionary department, new missionary training meetings, more missionary departures (18th & 28th), our Christmas Conference, and we might even celebrate Christmas if I can make some magic happen. :)