From the California San Diego Mission, we wish you a very Merry Christmas. Love, Stan and Debbie
Cookies, Caroling, Cello, Coronado and more...
One of our favorite family traditions for many many years has been to go Christmas Caroling. We asked the Elders and Sisters to join us this year. We had a choir of heavenly angels going from door to door to bring the Christmas spirit to whoever would open their door. We made four batches of cookies to take as a gift to those we met. Stan made up a page with scriptures from the Bible and the Book of Mormon that prophecy of Jesus Christ's birth. We made copies of this along with a copy of The Living Christ and rolled them up in a scroll to hand out with the plates of cookies. Some people were very grateful for the homemade cookies as well as the messages of Christ. Others, well, not so excited to have a group of young adults caroling to them. The funniest one was a couple who were obviously on the other side of the door. We could see the husband watching us from the stair landing, and the wife standing in their entryway, but never opened the door. Maybe they just wanted to listen; who knows!
We also wanted to give a gift to our pickleball friends. We have shared messages about the Church, Jesus Christ and what we're doing here with many of the people we play pickleball with, so naturally wanted to share a Christmas gift with them. Each person received an ornament with a name of Christ, the handouts I described above, and a bag of candies. They seemed to be very grateful. One lady came up to me the next day and told me she really liked reading the words about Christ. She said that there isn't much said about Christ at Christmastime anymore, and she was grateful for the reminder.
We invited the Elders to pickleball on our P-day. Some of our pickleball friends enjoy it when we bring the missionaries with us. Stan has fun teaching them the game, and then beating the youngsters!
Stan performed at the Mormon Battalion for the third time this month. The Battalion sponsored a Christmas concert every Friday this month. About an hour before the concert, the missionaries would walk the streets of Old Town San Diego (lots and lots of people on the streets on a Friday night) talking to and inviting people to come to the free concert. They usually had a few takers. It's been a great opportunity for Stan to be part of the mission music crew!
With Christmas near, things have slowed down with the young adults. Many of them have left to go home to their families for the holidays. We did have a fun White Elephant gift exchange at the Bishop's house. The craziest gift was one that one of the Elder's selected. It was a pink fanny pack that had the image of a man's hairy belly button on it. The poor Elder couldn't get anyone to "steal" it from him, and ended up taking it home. I don't think he's going to put Books of Mormon in it to hand out to people!
Since we didn't have Institute this week, we decided to drive over to Coronado Island and look at the lights at The Del (Hotel del Coronado). The Del was built in 1888, and was "considered an architectural masterpiece. Outfitted with electricity and every modern amenity, The Del was a destination resort before the term existed."
We enjoyed a lovely stroll around The Del, watching the changing lights, listening to the Christmas music, and being amazed at how lovely the temperature is here in December! No need for winter coats here!
"Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord." Luke 2:10-11
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