It's Christmas Time in the City

I made the mistake last week of saying this week would be a calm one.  I learned my lesson as this one ended up being very busy.  Transfers should never be allowed to take place on the week before Christmas.

Transfers

Saying goodbye to Sister Wuthrich

This was a kind of sad transfer since this group of departing missionaries were the ones we had known the longest.  Many spiritual giants left the city of New York to return to their families.  So many of them will be in our hearts forever. 

I spent most of the week doing investigative work to see which of the missionaries did not receive packages so we could provide them with a special gift bag.  I had it narrowed down to 50 names and Sister Reynolds and I spent some time texting and calling to find out if they had received their Christmas packages yet.  Sister Reynolds was the one who got to call the parents to ask them if they had sent their son/daughter anything.  We were able to get it down to 20 missionaries which was 10 fewer than last year. 

Elder Talbot and Elder Serruto Dias (office elders
aka "Santa's Helpers")

On Friday we divided up the mail and packages and gift bags among the Office Elders and the Senior Missionaries and spent the day delivering them.  Marc and I took the east end of Long Island, calling it our “Farewell Mission Tour.”  It ended up being easier than expected.  The Zone leaders were more than eager to play Santa and we even provided some Santa hats.

We got back to the office to find that packages were still pouring in.  I also had several emails from frantic parents saying they had overnighted gifts and was there any way I could be in the office Saturday to get them and make sure they got to their kids.  I tried to be patient, as I can understand their anxiety and desire for their kids to have a nice Christmas, and I know they have no way of knowing what a monumental task it is to deliver to Staten Island or Brooklyn or to many of the far-reaching corners of the mission.

I had one experience that reminded me that the Lord is with His missionaries and sometimes helps us to do the seemingly impossible.  I was having trouble updating some paperwork that I absolutely needed to get done this week.  In the meantime, there were constant interruptions from missionaries, delivery persons, people giving me new responsibilities etc..  I finally had to leave it for the day after only finishing a couple of pages.  When I came in the next morning to work on it I kept turning pages to find that I had already finished most of them (or someone had anyway).  I know that when the Lord gives us responsibilities, He provides a way for us to accomplish them.

Looking from Saks 5th Avenue towards the
 tree at Rockefeller Center

Yesterday Marc went into Manhattan with Jay for a tour of the Christmas lights.  It sounded very impressive and I was sorry I missed it.  Maybe Marc will write more about it next week.  I couldn’t attend because Arianna, the little deaf girl in our Primary, was baptized.  It was interesting with the Spanish speaker being translated on one side into English by one of our Spanish sisters and on the other side into ASL by one of the ASL speakers who knows both Spanish and ASL along with English.  I am always amazed at how many of our missionaries are multi-lingual at age 19.

Today we had a one-hour Sacrament (actually it was only 50 minutes.  The Relief Socity sang and then the brethren and then the Primary (my personal favorite).  Afterwards, there was a light lunch and mingling.  The people in this branch sure love to be together.

The Sisters in the Branh love each other and much fun and
laughters ensue in the taking of a picture such as this.

David and Elder Williams compare ties.  I think I will miss
David the most when we have to leave.

I'm grateful to have some down-time today to reflect and think about my Savior and what Christmas really means to me.  This week in Bible Study Class we were reading about the death and resurrection of the Savior and it seemed so appropriate because the Atonement is the true meaning of Christmas and the reason for the birth of the Savior.  

Tomorrow we will feed between 8-12 missionaries a Christmas dinner.  Actually, I will do the cooking and Marc and Jay will ferry the food back and forth to the church. 

I wish I could feed more but am only allowed to invite the ones in this area.  After that I should have a calm week.  WAIT!  I didn’t say that!