"Dear Santa:
I would like a new Birthday Suit this year. My current one is Old, Wrinkled and Sagging. Thanks"
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
"Black Friday: Because only in America people trample others for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have."
Merry Christmas family and friends. We can't believe we're spending our second Christmas away from family and friends. It's lovely here compared to last years freezing temperatures and cutting winds. We count our blessings each week when the weather makes it possible for us to travel to Canton to enjoy the saints in that small branch. Even though the distance is long it's worth the drive to mingle among these faithful people.
This past week was slow at the temple and we continue to wonder where all the patrons are. Hopefully the day after Christmas we'll see a lot of visitors in Nauvoo because of the holidays. We are suppose to get snow Christmas Eve and the few days after. A white Christmas would be nice.
My carpal tunnel surgery went really well. My biggest problem was putting on makeup, fixing my hair, brushing my teeth, and the hardest thing getting dressed. There's only so much Rudi can do, or should I say I'll let him do. This week I wore the same outfit, a button down jacket, to the temple because it was the only thing I could get on with one hand. I also wore my white nylons to the temple so Rudi could put them on at home. I'll be so glad to be able to wear different clothes and have makeup evenly put on. I know, I'm very vain, but it's part of my personality and daily grooming. Taking a shower was another joke! That plastic bag was so difficult to keep on. Oh, the things we take for granite! I'm so grateful for my hands, both of them. I must be crazy to have my left hand done on December 31st. I figure, let's get it done all at once. New Years Eve should be so memorable. NOT!
My shift coordinators have been so understanding this week. I've spent a lot of my time in welcoming positions and places where I didn't have to use my hand so much. For those of you who have been to the temple you know a lot of our service involves using our hands in the ordinance work. Yes, this week has been really different. I'll be so glad to have this cast and stitches out this Tuesday. Patience is so NOT one of my virtues.
Friday night our only time completely off we went to Burlington to dinner with the Smith's. After dinner we stopped at Grandpas Ice Cream for the best ice cream ever. Butter pecan makes life so much better.
Rudi and I enjoyed watching BYU girls volleyball Thursday night and see them beat Texas. Last night they played for the national championship against Penn State. Unfortunately they lost. We can't wait to watch BYU football bowl game tomorrow. We're getting together with the Bassett's to watch it and enjoy goodies.
Tonight we're going to see a Christmas program put on by the Nauvoo Stake. Love listening to Christmas music, best way to put you in the right spirit for Christmas.
The temple will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Wednesday we're having a temple missionary party. We're meeting at the Nauvoo Visitors Center for munchies (of course) and two videos about Christmas. Sounds fun! Christmas Day we have a big dinner at the stake center with the site missionaries. Love meeting with them especially since we never see them very much anymore. All the temple missionaries are all assigned to wards and branches outside of Nauvoo. We use to meet together on Sundays with them.
Incase you can't tell I'm (Kathy) are composing and very carefully typing this email. Hard, but easier to do than dictating to Rudi. My inner feelings just don't flow as easily when I'm repeating everything and correcting all my thoughts. I really appreciate Rudi and his efforts to assist me, but it's hard to try and express how I feel to someone else. Thanks Rudi, you'll be doing it again when my other hand is out of commission.
As we contemplate this past year we can't help but feel so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to serve in such a special place as Nauvoo. We've grown in our understanding of the importance of temple work and have vowed to be regular weekly temple attenders. Hopefully we will be able to serve in the Mount Timpanoges Temple when we get home. We would also love to serve another temple mission. We have also learned the importance of searching out our ancestors and doing the temple work for them. We also feel so blessed to serve in such a historic place where our church roots were established. The early saints have inspired us and taught us how to be stronger and more committed to gospel principals. Serving in Canton has strengthen our testimonies and taught us to be more involved in serving others and accepting everyone into the gospel fold. I could go on and on but I think you get the idea. Missions are wonderful and definitely a refining point in our lives.
We know we owe so much success and happiness to our family and friends. Without the support from home in so many ways we could not be as content as we are and know all is well. Thanks to all of you, are dear friends and precious family. Our children and grandchildren have been blessed and protected, and for this we are most grateful. Our greatest blessing is our loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, who continually watch over us and bless us with continued health and happiness.
As we celebrate this Christmas season we hope your thoughts are turned to our most priceless gift, that of our Savior. Because of Him we can all live again with Him. Everything else really doesn't matter.
May you all enjoy being with family and loved ones. We love and appreciate you all. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Rudi and Kathy
HAPPY GOLDEN BIRTHDAY to Tieler our oldest grandchild. She turned 18 on December 18th making it golden.
Such a beautiful young lady inside and out. Love her to pieces! This is her missionary who is serving in the Philippines. Taylor and Tieler. Cute!
The Deppermans who are in our Gospel Principals class. They will now be in the temple prep class we will be teaching starting the first of January. Great people who are planning to go to the temple very soon. So wonderful to watch their progress and growth. They will even say prayers in our class now. They've come a long way.
Thanks to Traci, Tiffini and Kristin for my Christmas present, a book full of pictures of our New York trip. Love it!
Some of the pictures in the book. Love these girls. So much fun to be with.
More pictures from the book. New York never sleeps and neither did we do much!
On top of the world at the Empire State Building.
Crazy Ellie and her mom and grandma.
Thanks again for the book, I'll always cherish it and the memories!
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