MERRY CHRISTMAS 2020

Dad's Village

                                                               My tatted snowflake tree

The first of December we ate the last tomatoes from our garden.  Now we have to buy those plastic tasting ones.  Oh well!  We started our 2 mile walks and did surprising well.  Granddad continues to lose weight.

We lost 2 of our wonderful brethren this weekend.  Brother Simons was 100 years old but Brother Ludlow was younger that we are.

Wednesday Parker returned to Japan. 

He is in Tokyo for 2 weeks in quarantine and then to Kobe.  He will serve there again.  We are so proud of his willingness to serve wherever he is asked to go. He is in a hotel room , very tiny, all by himself.  He goes to the cafeteria 3 times a day for the same food, every day.  He has experienced such variety his entire mission and has been so positive.  He just loves people and wants to serve the Lord.  What an example.

We delivered gifts to our ministering people who are such a joy to visit.  We do not go into their homes but say a short message at the door.  They're wonderful.

Because of the Covid 19, we do very little.  We are walking between 2 and 3 miles a day and that is about it.  We love Molly playing basketball on TV but we don't get to go.  She's doing great.  I have been trying to tat again and love doing it.

We have been able to do some family history and that was wonderful.  We love the stories we have found.  Our financial representative sends us something from Jerusalem every Christmas.  This year it was the creche that last years figures go in.  It is beautiful.  The star winds and plays Silent Night.

Monday the 14th was an exciting day because we got ready to go to the Cedar City Temple to be with my brother Del and his wife while she receives her own endowment.  We spent a lovely night with them in their home and had such a great visit.  She told us of her family's escape from Hitler in WWII.  She is writing her life history so we hope she finishes soon.  She was only 3 years old when the horrible journey started.

       Del and Brigita are in the center.   Dad and I are the 2 with the white heads.  Dad isn't far behind.

Tuesday was more than we had hoped for.  We were so blessed to be in a temple again and especially get some names done.  George has worked many days through this Covid 19 doing family history.  He has over 100 baptisms ready.  Del and Brigita had some friends who were also there.  This time in the temple was so private and filled with the Spirit.  Brigita was so humble and acceptive of everything.  She just glowed.  It was an unforgettable morning.  After the session we all went out for lunch and we then headed home.  It was a beautiful day filled with happy tears and many blessings.

The next few days after our walks, we just stayed in our home and did things around the house.  We worked on a very hard puzzle and are still not finished.  We found that Clark and Erik's families are ill so we could not even see them.  Dianne sent a picture.

Friday, the 18th, Elder Parker Bayles finally got out of quarantine and back to Kobe.  He is now serving in a place called Nara, and the best thing is; his district leader is a cousin, Kai Brown.  His grandma is my Uncle Mart's daughter.  Uncle Mart is my dad's brother.  Kai's home is in Tokyo and is serving in the Kobe mission.  What a small world.

We woke up Sunday morning with such a wonderful message.  Erik's wife, Shanelle, had orchestrated a video of all 18 grandchildren +one in-law grandson, and 2 great grandsons, recording one at a time, the story of the birth of Jesus Christ from the Bible.  It was so emotional for us.  We played it over and over.  Every child participated, even Parker in Japan.  We still play in at least once a day, usually more.  I'm trying very hard not to cry every time.  We LOVE it.  That evening we watched Tiffani's Ward's Christmas program where Clara played her violin in the hymns and special numbers with a group of Strings. We had already watched our ward's wonderful program so that entire day was filled with the story of our Savior's birth.  It just doesn't get better than that.  I couldn't make it go in the blog.  I think it's too long.

Monday Scott rented a theater and we gathered to watch "The Grinch".  It was a private very limited, small group and we enjoyed being reminded of what Christmas is really about.

Tuesday, the 22nd, we went out to Clint's work and gave him our Christmas present.  He lives closer but we just wanted the drive and be away for a short time.  We love Clint Washburn and he has been in our hearts and special family for many years.  We also put out treats for our sanitation helpers.  BYU won their bowl game.  We love that.

Christmas Eve we spent with Scott's family and had a wonderful dinner. 

It is fun to be in their home.  Never a dull moment.  I made banana cream pie for dessert but when I put the vanilla in it smelled a little funny.  I guess we had a very good banana pie.  The vanilla, 1 tsp., was alcohol.  Oh well, good memories.  They always open one gift, pajamas, before they go to bed.  It's so fun. 

After dinner we took some beef stick to Erik's family.  They are still sick.  We didn't get a picture from them.  That evening Clint and his 2 kids, Taylor and Spencer, came for a visit.  It was so good to have them in our home and we had such a fun visit.  They brought us gifts which they certainly didn't have to.  Their visit was enough.

Tiffani's family spent Christmas in their cabin in the mountains East of Cedar City.  It is a beautiful cabin and they bought 2 snowmobiles so they really had a great time.  Even Titan loved it.

Kristin did a face time call which was almost like being there.  They had a great Christmas.

We finished our Christmas puzzle.  It was really hard.

The Isoms gave us this tiny puzzle in a small tube.  It has 150 pieces and is the same size as a post card.  It was hard to keep the pieces in place but we made it during a football game. Provo Tabernacle

December 28th Scott and family came over so Scott could put 2 new bulbs in our living room ceiling light.  The best thing was that Rowan Noelle turned 4.  She is such a delight to all.  We visited for awhile and just had a good time.  I forgot to take pictures of her.  This is her Christmas dance recital.

The very next day was Shanelle Paige Hammer Bayles' birthday.  She is such a great addition to our family.  We are so blessed that Erik found her and snatched her up.  She is a loving mother for 4 wonderful boys who have grown into such good young men.  She and Erik have taught them how to work hard and to love their Savior, Jesus Christ.  You can't ask for more than that.  She is always busy helping others and serving in her many callings.  She loves anything she can do with her family of boys and they enjoy being with her.  We love her so much.  I couldn't find a picture of her alone because she is always doing something with her men.

This has been a very different year due to the pandemic.  It has been hard and yet so wonderful in that our Prophet, Russell M. Nelson, kept us on the straight path encouraging us to be kind, humble and willing to help out where needed.  We are so blessed with all the things we have in this day and age.  The Prophet Joseph Smith was so diligent in following the Lord and building up Zion wherever he was.  We are so grateful for the pioneers who led the way for us.  They were so persecuted and had so many hardships to overcome that we have all we need today to come unto Christ.  We just need to have faith and full obedience in the doctrine of Christ.  We are so grateful for temples that cover the earth today; even though many are closed.  They will open when the Lord opens them.  We must have faith, and follow our Prophet.  The Lord will never leave us if we but try our best and do our best.  We love our family and the Lord.  We will win because we have the winning coach, our Savior.  May the new year be filled with blessings, love and wonderful memories as we learn together.