Today is December 2, 2018!  We have entered the last month of the year, the last month of our mission and the beginning of the Christmas season!  It's the most wonderful time of the year and we are so happy to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!  We celebrate by serving others through small acts of service and kindness, through music, through word and deed.  We truly Light the World with heavenly light when we spread good cheer and joy as much as we are able.

For the past three years, our church has had what we call the "Light the World" initiative in which we are encouraged to do little or big acts of kindness throughout the month of December to bring the focus of Christmas back to remembering our Savior rather than so much emphasis on spending money on gifts that are bought.  We still give gifts from the store, but we mostly want to focus on giving gifts from the heart.

We have heard that one of the biggest problems we face in our society is loneliness.  Even in our world of immediate connectedness via cell phones and social media, people are becoming more and more lonely and isolated.  We all can do a little more to widen our circles of influence and let more people in by reaching out and inviting others to join in our lives in whatever ways are possible.  This is a great month to look at how we are doing in this area and if you are anything like me, we can all do a little more.

Yesterday, December 1, was the first day of Light the World and it was designated as a worldwide day of service.  We had a wonderful day planned and it turned out to be a perfect day.  We made and decorated sugar cookies with Eric and his friend Kathryn, Hannah, Chase and Violet.  Then we caroled to some of the senior missionaries in our apartment complex.  We have had this tradition for many years and it's one of our favorites.  We sing four part harmony and it's so much fun.  We loved the reaction we got from everyone.  They especially loved Violet and Addie (in her Mrs. Santa Claus dress). 

After caroling, we had delicious pizza from The Pie and practiced a special song that we will be singing at our church's Christmas sacrament meeting on December 23.  Hannah and Chase took this sleepyhead home and Eric, Kathryn and I went to see the lights on Temple Square.  It was a beautiful evening and there were thousands of people on the Square.  It was magical!

There are some Light the World vending machines in the Joseph Smith Memorial where you can buy things like a goat or cow for someone in an underdeveloped country or service types of things to help people in need.  It's an amazing concept and people were lined up (in a very long line) waiting to purchase something from them.  It was a testimony of the goodness in people and how much people want to help others.  People were singing carols as they waited in line and we joined in.  Everyone was so happy and there was such a feeling of peace and goodwill.  As we left the building, the three of us started singing carols as we walked back to our apartment.  A girl came up behind us and told us we were amazing!  It was such a fun day and evening.

Also yesterday, we were invited over to our friends, Ruth and Brett Barrett's home for a Christmas lunch party.  They were the other mental health advisor couple that we worked with in Brazil.  They had invited these two darling families from Sao Paulo (who have come to the U.S. to work on their MBA's at BYU) to come also.  We had so much fun!  The couple to the left of us in this picture, Eloise and Marcos and their kids Fabrisio and Clarisse, were in our Morumbi Ward in Sao Paulo.  Clarisse was one of my sweet little nursery kids when we were serving there.  We had a delicious lunch and then we sang Brazilian Christmas carols around the piano.  We loved hearing and speaking Portuguese again with these wonderful families.

Earlier this week we met Hannah and Violet at Day Murray Music (a local music store that we have loved going to for years) to find music for our Christmas special musical number.  We are going to sing "In The Bleak Midwinter" and it should be a lovely addition to the Christmas program.  Hannah is also going to sing "O Holy Night."  After picking out our music, we went across the street and ate Pho at a cute little neighborhood restaurant.  It was delicious.

Mike and I headed from there to Draper where we went to the Temple.  It is such a privilege for us to be here where we can attend the temple each week.  We feel so good when we go there.  We step out of the hectic pace of the world all around us and into a sort of heavenly, calm, reassuring place of peace where we can ponder, meditate, and feel the Spirit.  I'm not saying we can't and don't feel the Spirit around us and with us each day, it's just that in the Temple it is just so sacred and special that you can't help feeling good.

We walk to choir practice in the dark on Monday mornings at 6:00 am.  The world is still and silent and the lights on Temple Square are brilliant!  I don't know if they are always on at that time of day, but they were on this week and it was a different, almost sacred experience to walk through Temple Square with the lights on and no people around.  Hard to explain, but I loved it!

Last Sunday, we had four of our young Elder's over for dinner.  They are such wonderful young men and we are so blessed to be able to work with them.  We try to have them over once a month and we usually get a different group each month.  These young men are excused from proselyting missions due to some sort of physical or mental health challenges they face. They are remarkable young people who we very much admire and appreciate for the way they take on their challenges and do their best to serve the Lord in spite of those trials.

Mike has become quite proficient on this French organ in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and has played for our church services as well as accompanying our Elijah mission choir.  He wanted to share some of his feelings about music on our mission:

"Having variety makes a mission richer in spirit.  Last year in Brazil we organized a percussion band of senior missionaries and sang for ourselves and many groups.  I was given the opportunity in Brazil to lead a choir for a mission devotional, play for sacrament meetings, and sing with Susan.  Both years we have found joy in singing carols to our fellow missionaries at their apartments.  This year in the Salt Lake Headquarters Mission I've been assisting in directing the Elijah Choir with young and senior missionaries combined.  Our director has called on Susan and I to perform in small groups, solos, and asked me to play organ and accompany the choir.  We have felt angels helping us as long as we put forth our best effort.  No matter how great or how small our contribution is, there is great joy in musical expression."

We hope that you have a wonderful December full of magical moments.  May we all make the most of  the seasonal events where we live and experience the beauty of the season in whatever ways we can.  May we try to keep our family traditions alive and mostly try to keep the Spirit of Christ at the forefront of everything we do!