GREETINGS from Sometimes Sunny/Sometimes Rainy London. Although it can be either one, wait 5 minutes and the weather will change. Another thing we've learned is that the high temperature and the low temperature for most days are quite close together, so it doesn't feel all that cold, even in December, and that's OK by us. What we are surprised about is that wearing a scarf around the neck really does make a positive difference in whether we feel warm or cold. I'm all for scarves now!
Elder Hawley was asked to be "Santa" for the Young Single Adults [YSA] this week. Elder & Sister Little are over the YSA and are senior couple missionaries like we are. What they didn't know is that Elder Hawley is really one of the real Santa Claus's elves, and he knows this job like the back of his hand! Many years ago when we first moved to Utah after completing dental school, we had neighbors who were really into the Spirit of Service and Giving. The Mrs designed and sewed her husband a wonderful Santa Claus suit, complete with boots, belt, bells, beard, hat, fur, glasses and hair. Her husband would go 'round to all the children in the neighborhood, and for them, he WAS the real Santa Claus. The first year we lived there he came into our house and sat on our son Jeff's and daughter Debbie's beds and asked them if they'd been good [they were all of 3 and 2 years of age then], and what they wanted for Christmas. He was WONDERFUL! When he passed away, his wife came and gifted Don with the suit, and Don lovingly wore that suit and went around the neighborhood in this man's footsteps each Christmas Eve for many, many years afterwards. We've now passed the suit on our one of our sons, and hope that he too will bless the lives of many children when he helps Santa at Christmastime.
The photo above shows Elder Little on Santa's knee. It was another happy evening. It always is, isn't it, when we share our love of Christmas and Christ with others.
Last week in the mission we greeted one new sister and one new elder missionary. The sister is from Portugal and the elder is from England. Each has such a strong testimony. Next week we greet two more new elders, one from Australia and one from Albania. The England London Mission is really a melting pot of cultures and traditions and languages. It's an extraordinary experience to have, and we are grateful for it and we are enjoying and learning from it. We are trying to help a sister missionary from Pakistan who has her call but not her visa to finally get the OK to come here and fulfill her mission call to the ELM.
This week we have our area representative coming to tour our mission. He has requested that all zones come into the Hyde Park Chapel for zone conference -- four zones on Wednesday, and four zones on Thursday. Our area rep is Elder Kopischke. We have a local sister and her committee who will prepare a ham Christmas luncheon for 70 people each of the two days! Bless her heart! Sister Hawley is preparing the ELM newsletter, TRUTH WILL PREVAIL, so that each companionship gets a copy. We now have 138 missionaries. Preparation of text and photos usually takes 4-5 days [intermingled with whatever else needs to be done], and Sister Hawley is playing catch-up after getting sick with a nasty case of the flu that had her down in bed for 5 days. Fortunately she has been blessed with a renewal of health, for which she is most grateful. The MP has written his 'President's Message,' and Elder Hawley is writing a list of training items to go into the newsletter. In addition, Sister Hawley adds the 'Departing Words' from missionaries who have been released during the past 6-12 weeks, and also includes photos of these released missionaries, photos of the newest missionaries, where they are from, and any birthdays for this period. When space permits she adds scriptures, spiritual thoughts and photos of ELM missionaries.
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