As I read my journal entries, of the past week, I see that it was a mixture of employment service and celebration of the Christmas season. We were excited to learn of Bill Friar getting hired at Academy Sports! We first knew about Bill clear back at the Halloween party we did for the missionaries when we put together food for the Sisters to take to him. They had encouraged him him to come to our office to visit with us and when he finally did, we enjoyed getting to know him. He had been baptized by this time. As we continued to give him job leads and with the involvement of the High Priest Group leader, Bro. Gillian, he applied for this job and was hired. There is actually more to the whole story that Bro. Gillian shared with us, but the bottom line is that the ward leaders were helping a brother in the gospel and a convert at that. I am hopeful that more of this goes on than we actually know about and isn't just reserved for this particular time of the year.

Stephen Burke and his wife stopped by to tell us of his interview at University Texas Pan Am and that it looks like he will be hired to work in the office of International Aid. He is also going to school there and they decided to move from Hidalgo to Edinburg where he will be closer to work and school. The other reason for the move is because they are foster parents and needed a bigger home to be able to have more children to care for. It is a priviledge to know them and see the love they have for these children. They feel that someday they will be able to adopt some of these children, and we pray for the miracles they will need to have this happen.

We met with a couple of families that just arrived here with the hopes that things would be better here than in their previous residence. We hope it will! Thank goodness for the gospel principles of faith and prayer and hard work, because if we don't have that, I don't know if we could be very positive during these hard economic times.

We spent one evening with President and Sister Miller, and Elder and Sister Hudnor eating good food and watching the BYU/Oregon State game. We enjoyed a little diversion from the norm and I actually enjoyed watching the game. One of our volunteers and her husband,(can't remember how to spell their name) took us and the two sister missionaries out to lunch. It was very good and we appreciate their friendship, which we will treasure. We also spent a couple of hours on Christmas Eve day and Christmas day helping serve food at the Salvation Army. Elder and Sister Hudnor were with us both days and the Sister missionaries were there on Thursday. A great experience! I even got to do something I was really good at; washing, drying, and folding laundry. There was some parents and young children from another faith that were passing out homemade cookies they had put in festive bags, and were wishing every one Merry Christmas. It is good to see people serving and teaching their children the same. We had Christmas Dinner with the Weger family, who have also done some volunteering at the office. The Hudnors' were there as well as Elder Wilde and Elder Butler who are assigned to Bishop Weger's ward. It was delicious food and very good company. When I saw how far away from the office that they live, I appreciated the sacrifice Sister Weger made to come to help us at the office.

We were able to visit with all our family by phone or through Skype, which really helped with having to be away from all of them for the first time. It is such a blessing to have this technology.
We love our family sooooo much and are so grateful they have work and their health. The Lord has truly blessed us and them!

We are sure that you also enjoyed this beautiful Christmas season with service of your own and enjoyed the love of family and friends. We all share in our hearts, love we have for our Savior, and how all of this is made possible through Him. Isn't it wonderful how it unites us no matter where we are.

With love,
Los Averys