Mid-January 2024: A little of this and that

A fun evening with "old" friends Brandon and Michelle Covert Peters, Ken and Emily Taylor, Marc and Fernanda de S. and families

My three January children's birthdays: Peter (55), Julie (48), Marc (46)

How on earth did they get to be so mature and wonderful??

            We played pictionary with the 3 birthday kids' interests

Hannah (16) had just returned from a successful gymnastics meet in California, with Phoebe (5) who shows promise as our youngest family gymnast

        We've had snow, but also lots of rain, which we need badly

Sisters Payne and Taylor (my oldest grand-daughter) in freezing Iowa

Elder de Schweinitz (standing on the far left) and fellow Baltimore missionaries enjoying their first snow of the year

   Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints                                    Gerald and Valerie Causse

Speaking to missionaries at the Provo Training Center, Elder Gerald Causse and his wife Valerie told their interesting conversion stories: her parents became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France when she was three (though it took her father a long time to be truly converted); Gerald and his parents were sealed as an eternal family in the Berne, Switzerland Temple when he was six months old (1963) The missionary that taught his parents came to visit him as a newly called Presiding Bishop of the church who had just moved from France to SLC, and shared that he was amazed that this small baby would grow up to be the first person from France to be appointed as a General Authority in 2008, and the first Presiding Bishop (responsible for general operations of the church) from outside the US. He lovingly admonished the missionaries to have faith in themselves, in the potential of others (teach with love and from your own experiences), and faith in God and Jesus Christ after they are truly converted themselves. Elder Causse is an accomplished pianist and played a beautiful arrangement of our beloved pioneer hymn "Come Come ye Saints." He promised them they would be happy as they discover that there is a unique path for everyone on this planet, that the Atonement of Jesus Christ gives strength to find and follow it until we are ready to return to Their presence. 

This French artist painted first a particular bird that represents eternity and then the Causse family which has expanded from the decision of both families' conversion. 

A fun voluntary large group activity at the Community Resource Center, South Provo. Normally we have smaller individual classes, but it was a holiday and many could not leave school age kids at home. I am a "service missionary." I do miss serving full-time, but this is great for right now.

What do I do in my free time? A 1000 piece puzzle (I swear it's my last for awhile!), swim, write, serve in the temple, attend international cinema at BYU, plays (the Foreigner is a very funny story of a shy man whose solution is to impersonate a foreigner who doesn't speak English)

                 A beautiful BYU ballet....the talent is exceptional!

And read lots of great books, including one of my favorites, Codes of Courage by A.L. Sowards (inspired by the Enigma code machine) is an historical novel of a German U boat coder, an Austrian turned anti-Nazi who is first a merchant vessel sailor, then code operator in the Royal British navy, and his young American/British wife who works as a code breaker in Bletchley Park. 

and I watch the news and am appalled by recent statistics that in many states, women need to get out to vote (the darker, the more women voters), as do men! There is so much disturbing news in 2024. Our voices, expressing what is on our minds and in our hearts, really matter, even when much seems out of our control. Please vote!!

 Happy New Year 2024! Wishing you a peaceful one

The Taylors had a fun Austrian party with great food and Krampus!

In Germany one finds Kriskinkle, Beltznickle, Pelsnichol,  Some see the Belsnickel as an amalgamation of the forgiving, gift-giving Saint Nicholas and Krampus, a horned, half-goat half-demon, who during the Christmas season punishes children who have misbehaved.

Colby& Mackenzie Bauer, Dan Smoot(Krampus),Tyler&Brigitte Pace

Christmas Eve afternoon at Marc and Fernanda's,with parents and brother Ed.                Marc giving me gifts

                The Taylors came caroling to invite me to dinner

   Christmas afternoon at my house with our white elephant exchange

A highlight of Christmas dinner was having our two missionaries, Nick de Schweinitz (Baltimore Spanish-speaking mission) and Kelly Taylor (Iowa Swahili- speaking) able to talk to each other via phone

                               Emily, Peter, Fernanda, Marc

       Holidays are puzzle times: Provo and de Schweinitz

Celebrating Bob Hammond's 80th at Riverwoods Manor with Utah and California friends. Bob, Miriam, Susan McGown

Bob & Kaye Paugh (above); Lisa Budge&Glenna Hammond (below)

              New Year's Eve dinner with almost the whole family

(clockwise from left) Stephanie, Elise, Evie, Lucie, Phoebe, Cordelia

               Luke, Hannah, George, Aaron, Simon, Andrew, John

          Ken, Pete, Marc, Fernanda, Peter, Rebecca, Emily, Julie

                George and Hannah battle it out for many minutes

.....But Hannah, after a very close competition, was the winner

          We played lots of other quick games, organized by Emily.

Another gift puzzle from my sister Elaine (this one was very hard: weird shaped and difficult to join pieces)

I hope all the pieces of your life come together in 2024!

Let's pray for better efforts for peace in this torn world.

I'm always grateful for a fresh start