More visits, more meetings, more snow

Yes, we were able to get the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional on Wayne's IPad last Sunday.  What a great way to enoy a snowy evening and begin our Christmas season.  We have a little tree, and lights in the window too.  Thanks to the Jensen family for the fun Christmas box they sent us, we appreciated the thoughtful decorations for our drab apartment.   And thanks to the Thueson family for the hilarious Storybot video they sent us yesterday.  I watch that again and again,  it makes me laugh. (I hope Kendra's grumpy face was just an act for the picture, not her usual expression!) 

So - more snow Monday.  But we enjoyed being snowed in and tending to our housework and relaxation.  By Tuesday we were on the go again.  We are trying to visit everyone we know in December, giving them a Christmas booklet, a little message, and some candy.  Fun visits so far, but the weather is slowing us down a bit - some driveways we just can't get into with our van.  We saw quite a few friends Tuesday after our trip to Romney for District Meeting,  Wednesday,  and Thursday.  Thursday evening Wayne helped with Bingo at the Nursing Home then made a visit up a mountain to spend some guy time with a good man he is fellowshipping,  and I went to our Relief Society Christmas Party.  We ate pizza and salad,  followed by wonderful desserts brought by the talented cooks and bakers in our RS.  Then sang, listened to a Christmas message, and had a gift exchange.  It was nice.  One lady brought peanut butter fudge that was so yummy.  I was also introduced to something new - potato candy.  Very interesting.  Made with mashed potatoes mixed with powdered sugar until it's stiff enough to roll out into a rectangle,  spread with peanut butter,  rolled up and sliced off like cinnamon rolls.  Actually looks pretty and tastes very good - I just couldn't believe it when they told me what it was.  Nice ladies sent home cookies and candy for Wayne, too.  I recently tasted a new kind of fudge (new to me, that is), it was a lovely pink color and was cranberry nut fudge.  It was my new favorite kind of fudge until I tasted the peanut butter fudge.  So good.  It's sure fortunate that most people don't make fudge year-round...

Friday Wayne and I drove to Elkins, West Virginia, over the mountains and a bit out of our mission - but

Lovely little church in Onego, on the way to Elkins.

we did have our Mission President's permission.  We visited with Wayne's old mission companion, Lynn Muhlestein and his wife, then went to a dinner theatre with them.  His brother-in-law (and bishop) owns and performs in the musical.  The food was good and the Christmas production was great, very professional, fun, energetic, and inspirational.  It was Mormon night there,  lots of members,  we met their stake president,  also got to visit with our friends from Yucaipa, California, who are serving a senior mission there,  the Harrisons.  It was a nice evening and it wasn't too late when we got back home. 

More snow on Saturday.  The mission vehicles were grounded again.  But not us, so we made some more visits, spreading Christmas cheer.  We only got stuck in the snow once,  I was scared and was sure we were about to tip over.  But Wayne walked about a block to the member we were trying to go see and he came and pulled us out.  We made one more quick visit to a friend in a care and rehab center, then drove home to safety.  It was pretty nice today, no snow on the roads, so church and visits as usual.  Our teacher for Relief Society was sick, so I got to give the Lorenzo Snow lesson about Joseph Smith that I was supposed to give last week when church was cancelled.  Such a neat lesson, I'm glad we got to have it.  Good discussion and testimonies shared.  Looking forward to next month and beginning the Joseph Fielding Smith book.  Wayne will still get to give his talk too,  they rescheduled him for the 29th. 



Outdoor wood furnace, common to heat homes around here
by heating water and circulating it through nearby house.   

Funny thing that happened Saturday - the Elders have been grounded several times lately and they get a little bored.  They know that we have the video "17 Miracles" and got permission from our Mission President to watch it.  But we were gone all afternoon visiting.  Evidently they were taking turns watching the road for us to return and when they saw our van returning to our apartment they all ran down here to see if they could watch the video at our home.  So they relaxed in our little living room drank hot chocolate, ate chips and biscuits with apple butter and watched the movie,  then watched "Mr. Krueger's Christmas".  Laughed and joked around with Wayne while I cross-stitched.   Had a nice little break. Such good boys,  we love them.

Next week will be busy as we continue to make our Christmas visits,  work at the local Food Pantry,  and have two trips to Baltimore - one Tuesday afternoon for our senior couples Christmas Party,  one Friday when we take a vanload of Elders to the mission devotional and dinner.  We hope to add a trip to the Washington, DC Temple to one of those trips.  We hope the weather cooperates and that there is no new snow. 

Last week we tried to visit with both Laura and Katelyn on their birthdays, but missed them both, busy girls.  Sorry.  Congratulations this week to Sara on her college graduation and Noah on his baptism.  Two great events that we are sad to miss.  We love you and are proud of you.  To all of you following our pathetic attempt at blogging - have a great week.  Thanks for your love and support.