Christmas Week...

It has been a great Christmas week!  What a wonderful time to celebrate our Savior and REMEMBER Him!  

Missing family on Christmas is a bit rough, but with Facetime it makes it easier.  I think Facetime was created for senior missionaries :0)  Christmas morning Scott and I went to Mass at the Cathedral here in Nauvoo .  The sermon that was given was very nice and gave me a lot to think about in regards to where, when and how I am able to feel the Savior's love.  Later in the morning we were able to Facetime the kids before they headed off to various family gatherings.  It was so awesome just to see them all together.  Made this mom heart happy!

All of the Historic Sites were closed on Christmas Day so Scott did a little private tour of the Blacksmith Shop and Brickyard for the family of one of our missionary friends, the Robisons.  He loves doing stuff like that, sharing the stories of the pioneers and demonstrating the skills they had.  Later, we went to the Robison’s home for Christmas dinner with their family and another couple, the Mensels.  Sharing the time with friends made missing family less painful. 

Earlier in the week, on Sunday, President and Sister Lusvardi had a Mission Christmas Open House so they could share some time with the missionaries.  Each zone had a window of time to visit. It was fun to be with missionary friends in a warm, relaxing atmosphere.

Because of the holidays, we have had quite a few more visitors than usual.  It is great to have people visit in the off season and feel the peace and serenity that’s here. The summer can be crazy busy, but now there’s time to slow down and soak it all in. 

Reading the story this week of the first Nativity,  I've thought a bit about gifts; gifts we receive and gifts we give.  I can't adequately describe how full my heart is when I think of all that I have received from my Heavenly Father.  He blesses me each day with so many tender mercies.  I could make a very long list of the gifts I have received, but here are just a few; the love of our Savior and the Atonement that goes hand in hand with it, the opportunity to serve Him as His missionary, the blessing of being a wife and mother, a testimony of prophets, both past and present, and a heart full of gratitude for all of these gifts.  And what about the gifts I give?  Two questions I want to ask myself every day...Do I give my love freely and hold nothing back?  Do I give willingly of my time to bless others and lighten their burdens just a bit?  I want to do better at giving, giving as our Savior gave. 

Here are just a few pictures from this Christmas week...

At the Christmas Open House

President Lusvardi loves to play the piano,
and we love it when he does :0)

Some of the women in our zone...
L to R (back) Davies, Jensen, Flanders, Lusvardi, Whiting, Schmitt, Mensel
(front) Williams, Crump, Christensen, Thacker

President and Sister Lusvardi

Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Nauvoo
where we attended Christmas morning Mass.

The cathedral has some beautiful stained glass.