The Halls Are Decked

Merry Christmas from Tutuila

Merry Christmas to our Family and Friends,
      The island of Tutuila is decked out like I've never seen anywhere else for Christmas. I do believe that we have more snowmen and reindeer than Utah!.. Several villages have gone all out with spectacular decorations on every house and lights on the streets. Our little string of lights across the front of the mission home looks pretty lame next to the light display across the street.
     This past week we really swung into Christmas, with two days having people over for making cookies, our missionary party and a nice dinner with the Senior Missionaries and the Ho Chings.  The Senior missionaries put our heads and talents together and came up with a puppet show and a few songs as our contribution to the program.  The Patches brought some puppets from home, and then fashioned amazing Elder and Sister Claus costumes for them out of a large Christmas stocking.  I wrote the script and Brent had more fun than a barrel of monkeys playing Elder Claus. For those of you who don't have anything to do this week I've posted the video on FB.  Elder Patch wrote new words for a couple of Christmas songs that we had a lot of fun with.   My favorite was "I'm Not Home For Christmas."  We also sang "There are Fleas on My Dog" to the tune of Felix Navidad and "The Ho Chings are Coming to Town."  The Seniors also put together gift bags for each missionary on the island. 

Mata - Christmas Elf Extraordinaire!

Day 2 of Cookie Making with Spencer and Jr.

     Mata, one of our Institute students, was a great help in making a zillion batches of cookies.  Remember, even though you might be freezing, we are at the hottest time of the year.  Turning on the oven only adds to our misery.  The first batch was consumed almost instantly by missionaries, so Mata brought her little brother over, and we recruited Jr. to help us with round two.  These cookies are safely stored for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  We are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas.  The Senior couples, Mata's family and Jr. will be joining us for a lasagna supper on Christmas Eve and then we are feeding the missionaries a pancake breakfast on Christmas morning.  Hopefully we can get some snorkeling in before we go to the Edwards  for a turkey dinner on Christmas night and then I think I'll collapse into bed.  

     Our Grandson, Jacob, called yesterday to tell me he was missing the things we usually do together as a family.  He was especially not happy about not getting new pajamas to open on Christmas Eve, and going to Grandma's to make cookies.  His call was the highlight of the week and reminded me of where my heart really is this time of year - with our beautiful family.  Next year Jacob - I promise!  

  

     "I'm Not Home For Christmas"  

I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love

Even more than I usually do.

And although I know it's a long road back

I promise you...

If I'm not home for this Christmas

You Know where I'll be.

I'm here in Samoa

As a missionary. 

(Chorus)

Please save all my presents

For when I return

Costs too much to mail them

And the Ellsworths get heartburn.

Christmas Eve will find me

Lighting up this place.

I'm not home for Christmas

But we'll meet in cyberspace.

Patches, Ellsworths, Ho Chings and Edwards at the Senior Christmas Party - Tradewinds Hotel

      One of my favorite Christmas activities as a child (also an adult), is listening to my sister read "This Way to Christmas."  It's a book of stories from around the world, tied together by a little boy trying to find Christmas after his world has pretty much fallen apart. (It's also available for $1.99 on Amazon Kindle.) The Locked Out Fairy gives him some very good advice: "  Put out of your mind for all time these notions that ye are bound to find Christmas hanging with the tinsel balls to the Christmas tree or tied to the end of a stocking.  Ye must make up your mind to find it with your heart and not with your fingers and your eyes."

     Sending my love and wishes that each of you can capture at some time this week the Spirit of Christmas through the example of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Alofa Atu - Patty (Nana)