Happy Thanksgiving!

This week I am grateful for Thanksgiving.  We had Thanksgiving dinner here at the house with the missionaries.  After we ate, we went around, the table, sharing what we are thankful for.  It was a wonderful experience to hear each of these missionaries express their gratitude.  These young people are truly amazing!


We had a nice lesson on Tuesday night.  Afterwards, we played a game of charades.  It was very entertaining.  (Sorry about the red eyes that make Elder Moreland look a little crazy.)

 Marta was such a good sport!

I think Hermana Trone was watching her calories earlier in the week,

 so she could enjoy her Thanksging dinner.

We had district meeting on Wednesday.  Because of all the cooking I needed to do for Thanksgiving the next day, I decided to go with an easy meal of spaghetti.  

 Looks like it wasn't very easy for Elder Moreland to get his plate to the table.

The missionaries said he was in big trouble, so I had to give him the "mom lecture."  

I'm sure all of my children recognize this pose.

I was just glad it happened on a tile floor, and I didn't have to clean it up!

We had a great group of young adults for Institute in Vecindario on Wednesday night.

For Thanksgiving, the hermanas did a little cooking, 

     and a little art project.
 

Thanksgiving Day was wonderful!

We were able to find turkeys, but they were only 7 lbs.

Just slightly bigger than a chicken.

But they tasted good when they were cooked!

When the missionaries arrived,

they were all ready and willing to help out.

Some decorated...

Some washed dishes...

(It looks like these three elders were ready with the "mouth-wide-opened" shot!) 

Others prepared food...

 Elder Bybee made us a delicious salad.

Elder Larsen is always in charge of the turkey!

This was one happy and excited group of missionaries! Elders Maxfield, Sarango, Bybee, Hansen, Tanner, Larsen, Thunell, Moreland, Dyer

Hermana Trone and West 

The food was spread before them, 

they each received a plate,

And the plates were piled high.

I don't know if I have ever served a Thanksgiving dinner to a more appreciative group.

After we washed up the dishes,

some people were feeling good,

 Elder Thunell

while other were feeling stuffed!

 Elder Moreland

And a few just passed out,

(only momentarily!)

There was even time for a couple of rounds of Phase 10 before dessert.

We had pumpkin pie and pecan pie.

(Not the prettiest display of our pies.)

But they sure did taste good!

And all too soon, it was time for our missionaries to get back to work.

Someone snapped this beautiful photo as they headed to the bus stop.

They left with full stomachs and smiles on their faces!

A couple of hours later, we were back at the church for English classes and Institute.  My English class was so happy that I wanted to get the leftover pecan pie out of the house, so that it wouldn't tempt me.  They were all very willing to enjoy a piece.  

Friday night before Institute, we needed to go to the fabric store to buy fabric for blankets that the young adults are going to help me make for our missionaries who are out serving from this area.  I was not happy with the selection or the prices.  Where is JoAnn Fabrics when you need them?  We were very surprised to find "Black Friday" signs in three of the stores in the area.  Too bad they didn't have 30% off at the fabric store!

We did see these beautiful Christmas lights along the way.  

And now that Thanksgiving is behind us, we can focus on Christmas and its true meaning.  I hope you will take a couple of minutes and watch this video about the very first gift of Christmas.  

This year, serving a mission and being away from much of the commercialism of Christmas, I hope that I will truly be able to focus on the birth of the Savior of the world and the wonderful gift that was for all of humanity.  May this season be filled with the true meaning of Christmas for each of us.