We started out the week helping the Peachtree Ward begin the setup for their annual Festival of the Nativities. For the past eleven years this ward opens their doors for all to come and see Christmas Nativities from around the world. It is not a one-night event. People are invited to come Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
As you can see the missionaries were asked to set up Christmas trees and hang lights. I had the job of dead-heading the poinsettias and making them look beautiful. I had to smile. I never thought I would be using my gardening skills while on my mission:)
Elder Merrell and I went over tonight and were impressed by the number and variety of nativities. We also listened to various groups in the community sing while we walked through the displays. It was wonderful! Our Fayetteville Stake Choir was asked to sing, so Rod and I had another opportunity to sing those beautiful Christmas songs one more time.
As you can see the missionaries were asked to set up Christmas trees and hang lights. I had the job of dead-heading the poinsettias and making them look beautiful. I had to smile. I never thought I would be using my gardening skills while on my mission:)
Elder Merrell and I went over tonight and were impressed by the number and variety of nativities. We also listened to various groups in the community sing while we walked through the displays. It was wonderful! Our Fayetteville Stake Choir was asked to sing, so Rod and I had another opportunity to sing those beautiful Christmas songs one more time.
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| Getting ready for the Festival of the Nativities Sister Osterhout, Elder Todd, Sister Toole, Elder Dicus, and Elder ? |
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| Preparing for the Festival of the Nativities Elders Dicus, Phipps, Merrell, and Bailey |
Zone Conferences were held this week. The Atlanta temple presidency was so kind to accommodate our mission by adding three extra morning sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. The missionaries especially loved it. They seldom have the opportunity to attend the temple. We also were treated to a Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings.
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| Georgia Atlanta Mission ZC Temple Day and Christmas Dinner Elder & Sister Miles, Elder Reid, Sister & Elder Hammonds, Sister & Elder Merrell, and Sister & Elder Potts |
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| Elder & Sister Read, Elder & Sister Hammonds, Elder & Sister Kone, Elder & Sister Merrell |
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| President & Sister Clayton, Sister Hyland, Sister & Elder Kone |
President Clayton assigned Elder Merrell and me to do some extra missionary training on Weekly Planning Meetings and Family History. We are to train the Zone Leaders and Sister Trainers, so they in turn will train the districts they are responsible for.
Our goal is to help ZL's and ST's to be comfortable in helping the people they teach open a FamilySearch account and know a little about navigating the program. We also encourage them to set up a meeting with the Ward Family History Consultant and the person they are teaching. If we are successful, blessings will be poured out on the people in our missions.
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| Training with Elder Merrell, Sisters Scott, Lake and Merrell |
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| Sister Scott and Sister Lake sent this photo today letting us know that they taught the temple and family history lesson :) |
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| Lunch after training meeting Sister Burrows, Faasavalu, Smith, Merrell, and Elder Merrell |
We ended our week enjoying the Celtic Woman Christmas Concert and a nice dinner with the Senior Missionaries.
Our biggest and best news is that we have received photos of Christian's mom and learned more about her. Christian is her youngest child. Christian's father has passed away. We were also told that the hardest time to live in Romania was during the late 1980's when Christian was born. Food was scarce. Families with two children could barely make it. Ana wondered how a family of four children could survive. We are sure that is why Christian was put in an orphanage. His mom couldn't feed him. Ana herself remembers being hungry and her family was middle-class.
Christian's mom was happy to learn about him. She wanted to know when he could come to visit her. She said that if he would let her know ahead of time, she would try to gather his siblings for the visit. Three of them, two brothers and one sister, will be coming from Spain.
Christian's mom was happy to learn about him. She wanted to know when he could come to visit her. She said that if he would let her know ahead of time, she would try to gather his siblings for the visit. Three of them, two brothers and one sister, will be coming from Spain.
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| This is Elena Sava Iordache, Christian's mother. She is looking at Christian's picture for the first time. We were told that she couldn't take her eyes off his picture even when they continued to ask questions. |
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| This is Christian's brother, Toader Sava and his son. The picture was taken Christmas 2018. Toader is closest to Christian's age and lives in Romania. |
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| Elena Sava Iordache, Ana's sister who helped to find her, and Elena's second husband, Mr. Iordache. Ana's sister reports that they are kind, good people. |
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| Elena and Ana's sister |
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