The Christmas Eve Mission Conference

            As said in the previous post, on Christmas Eve Day, Sister Woodbury left the Mission Home first to get things going at the church with the President bringing a dozen missionaries in Gus, the Mission van, and the rest of the stay-overs driving themselves over. Vickie Green and her volunteer crew were already working in the kitchen getting the food ready. As missionaries arrived at the church they were put to work setting up tables and chairs and putting out the centerpieces. Sister Woodbury went around to the various piano locations in the building where people were practicing their music and passed out the sheets she had made of the order of the musical numbers and the cues. By 9:45 everyone was in place in the chapel and we started right on time.

         First on the program was the Missionary Medley and Sister Woodbury was so excited she could hardly stand it, to, just for once, to have everyone in the mission singing it together. It's too bad we couldn't have taken a video of it; since it was in the chapel it wasn’t possible, but Elder Gardner had a tape recorder so we at least got a audio record. It isn’t exactly Grammy Award worthy, but we're still grateful.

         All the missionaries who are leaving before the next Zone Conference then had a chance to bear their testimonies. It took a long time since there were twenty-six of them, but it was beautiful and touching. After a break, President spoke, talking about having mission unity and being a mission family, a meaningful and inspiring message. Then it was time for the Christmas program.

         President and Sister Woodbury were the general script narrators with Elder S. Cox and Elder Behling as the scripture narrators. Interspersed in the program were thirteen musical numbers:

         The first song was “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by the congregation with Sister Holt at the piano.  Next was “A Special Night” sung by Sister Davis and accompanied by Sister Holt, piano, and Sister Bolliger, flute, followed by “Away in a Manger” sung by Elder Torgersen and Elder Leake, accompanied  by Elder Thomas at the piano. Sister Mickelsen and Sister Egbert sang “Mary’s Lullaby" with Sister West accompanying. Elder Beagley, Elder Crook, Elder Webb, and Elder Miner, did “Guard Him, Joseph,”with Elder Thomas playing the piano and Elder T. Gardner, the flute, followed by a piano solo of  “Where You There?” by Sister Meek.  “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” was next, sung by Sister Noakes & Sister Jensen accompanied by Elder Beagley. Sister West did a piano number, “The First Noel,”  then we had a congregational hymn of “Silent Night” with Elder Johnson at the piano and a flute obligato by Sister Bolliger.  Elder Thomas sang “Mary Did You Know?” accompanied by Sister West, following which Elder Broomhead and Elder Bowman sang “What Child Is This?” accompanied by Elder B. Johnson. Then Elder Johnson sang  “Shine for Me Again, Star of Bethlehem” accompanied by Elder Thomas. We ended with the congregation singing “O Come All Ye Faithful” with Sister Holt on the piano. It all went beautifully and the Spirit was strong.

         Retiring to the Cultural Hall we had a lovely dinner of ham with cherries, holiday potatoes au gratin, green beans, a yummy salad, rolls, and Christmas decorated sheet cakes for dessert. 

Sister Jensen, Sister Melendez, Sister Ford, Sister Walker,

Sister Ward, Sister Noakes, Sister Van Horn

Sister Ash, Sister Earl, Elder and Sister Selvage, Sister and Elder Young,

Sister Roberts, Sister West

Waiting for the food line to shorten:

Elder Evans, Elder Dopp, Elder Quick, Elder Bowman, Elder Beagley, Elder Stevenson, 

Elder Gonzalez, Elder Barlow, Elder Wharton

Elder Waddell, Elder Lowe, Elder J. Cox, Elder Crichton

Elder Clawson, Elder Taylor, Elder T. Johnson, Elder Gallagher, 

Elder Rich, Elder Earl, Elder C. Andersen, Elder Woehl

(Clockwise from the hat: Elder Dansie, Elder Peterson, Elder Fry, Elder Hawes,

Elder Greenup, Elder Dye, Elder S. Cox, Elder Stoddard, Elder Potter

Elder Hildebrandt, Elder Berube, Elder Wood, Elder Mason Elder Leake 

Elder T. Johnson, Elder Torgersen, Elder Sizelove, Elder Forsgren, Elder Downs

Some of the members who helped serve the food

        After taking down the tables we all got in a giant, some places double-circle around the gym to sing fun Christmas carols. The group tricked Sister Woodbury and when she went into the center to take a video of everyone singing “Jingle Bells,” instead they started singing “Happy Birthday,” gave her sack and told her to hold it out as missionaries came up to put their mostly homemade birthday cards and notes inside. She was a bit embarrassed but also loved and appreciated it!

        Following the birthday song, we actually did sing fun Christmas songs like "Frosty the Snowman," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Jingle Bells," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" with Elder Beagley at the piano.

Elder and Sister Olsen, Sister and Elder Young, Sister and Elder Selvage

Elder and Sister Brinkman, Elder and Sister Long,

Sister Goodrich, Sister Clemons, Sister and Elder Dorius

Sister Bolliger and her flute

Elder Webb being Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Elder Bolliger and Sister and Elder Halversen

     The pies’ de resistance was “Christmas Is Upon Us” with ten verses that repeat and go on non-stop until everyone is singing and doing their actions at the same time. Everyone got fully into his or her parts and it was uproariously fun.

        Christmas is upon us; our favorite time of year.

         We wish you happy holidays and peace throughout the year.

         When you pass us by, you will hear us cry:

"My suit - is red

I drive a funny sled! Hey!"

"We make the toys

For all the girls and boys!"

"My nose, my nose...

In the dark it glows!"

 "Mama! Papa! 

I love you! (kiss)

The dolls and back-up singers

"A Christmas tree

Is quite a sight to see!"

Sister Woodbury getting and keeping it all going

"I'm made of snow

But I'm mellllll-ting!

"The  Grinch is mean

He's grouchy and he's green!"

"Cookies, cookies! We love cookies!

Cookies, cookies! Christmas cookies!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way, Jose!

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly.

Tis the season to be jolly!"

         The gift exchange was also successful, with the Elders bringing wrapped ugly or funny ties and the Sisters, wrapped ugly or funny accessories.

        The last major part of the Christmas Mission Conference was an all-mission photo. It took some effort to get everyone in position with layers on the floor of sitting, kneeling, sitting on chairs, and standing, and four layers on the stage, sitting, kneeling, sitting on chairs, standing, and then standing on chairs.  Brian and Maggie happened to be there to see Elder Gill so I had Brian take the pictures from the vantage point of a tall ladder on the far side of the cultural hall. Who knows if we’ll ever get another picture like it, with everyone together at one time, so we’re making enlarged copies for everyone.

        People lingered afterward with lots of hugs given and pictures taken. Besides the ugly tie or accessory, each person took home their gift from us – a temple recommend holder with the Louisville Temple on it and a scripture President Woodbury had chosen along with our mission name and theme, the December issue of the Trumpet newsletter, a Christmas card from the First Presidency, and packages that had been delivered to the Mission Office in the last week.                       

The Vincennes District

Sister Goodrich, Sister Clemons, Elder Haws, Elder Lowe, Elder Behling, Elder Long, Sister Long,

Elder Leavitt, Sister Leavitt, Elder Gill

Elder Gill with Brian and Maggie Edwards

Sister Clemons, Sister Woodbury, Sister Goodrich

Standing: Elder Musgrave, Elder Ferguson, Sister Ford, Elder Berube,
Elder Taylor, Elder Harshman, Elder Wharton

Kneeling: Elder Rueda, Elder Barlow, Elder Stevenson

Elder Dimter, Elder Despain

Standing: Sister Earl, Hermana Cross, Hermana Lawter Sister Noakes, Sister Van Horn, Sister Ford, Sister Melendez, Sister Jensen, Sister West, Sister Roberts, Sister Woodbury, Sister Hunt, Sister Mickelsen, Sister Egbert,  Sister Walker, Sister Goodrich,  Hermana Velasquez, Hermana Navarro, Sister Bolliger, Hermana Messerly (the top of her head) Hermana Davis, Hermana Gomm

Kneeling: Sister Ash, Sister Whiting, Sister Ward, Sister Clemons, Hermana Holt, Hermana Okey, Hermana Dunlop

(We don't know where Sister Meek was at the moment)

Elder Day-Nuah, Elder Edwards

Elder Rowley, Elder C. Anderson, Elder Savage, Elder S. Cox

Sister Egbert, Sister Mickelsen, Elder Gill, Elder Behling

Elder Dopp, Elder Evans, Elder Thomas, Elder Blake, Elder Despain

Elder Kidd

Elder Funk, Elder Baker

Elder Miner (Elder Dansie), Elder Peterson

Elder Robison, Elder Hildebrandt, Elder Thomas, Elder Kidd,

Elder Howell, Elder Berube, Elder Dansie

A member embroidered GKLM on these Elders' shirt cuffs for Christmas

Sister Woodbury and Elder Kidd

Elder Dursteler, Elder Clarke, Elder Beale, Elder Gonzalez,
Elder Baker, Elder Knudsen

       But the best gift of all was being together to celebrate the birth of the Greatest Gift of All, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in whose Work we are all engaged... 

Now is the time, 

and the GKLM is the place 

for a Christ-centered Christmas!