Blessings...

(Aunt Cindy made this for us-LOVE IT!!!)

On Monday Tim, Todd, and Amy were coming home from school and a big dump truck hit them from behind on the highway.  Fortunately no one was hurt and the driver had insurance.  Our car was smashed in the back pretty bad.  It is getting fixed tomorrow and they will provide a rental car while it is being worked on.  Hooray!

On Tuesday, the Deacons came over and we taught them how to make gyoza.  Everyone had a job and they loved it.  We probably made around 200 or so. They also went out on the zipline. We showed them pictures of Japan and explained a little bit about the culture. 

On Wednesday, the Relief Society had an activity on how to make Christmas more Meaningful.  Sister King got some of that old leftover wood from when we cut our giant tree down.  Will Roberton said to put it at the side of his home and sure enough it was right there.  She had the Morgans slice the logs with their chainsaw and we made darling cute ornaments out of the circles of wood.  Sister King also made ornaments to look like each of the missionaries in the ward.  She gave us the one that was painted to look like Brian-adorable!  Amy got her braces off and now her smile looks exactly like Brian's.  She reminds me of him every time she smiles.  It is soooooo weird!  A family spoke about how one year when they were having a really difficult time financially and spiritually, another family picked them for the 12 days of Christmas.  It really gave them a lift and they decided to do it every year for someone in need.  They prepared the gifts then left them on the doorstep each night.  I remember when the O'Bryants did that for us and it was so nice.  Several other speakers told of things like putting leftover change in a jar all year long and then at the end of the year, giving the money to a charity, also other meaningful traditions.

On Thursday, I went to a special training meeting for all the Relief Society Presidencies, Bishops, and Stake Presidents in the area.  Sister Clegg from the Relief Society Board gave some training.

Elder Terry from the Seventy also spoke and said there is an eternal principal that Heavenly Father has tender feelings of love, awe, and respect for his daughters.  He gave a blessing that we would be able to convey the essential elements of teaching, and that we would have a capacity to love, and to communicate love to those we teach. He said Heavenly Father knows you! D&C 19:23 "Learn of Me and listen to My words.  Walk in the Meekness of My spirit and I will give you Peace."  I have felt that peace in my life to help me through difficult trials. So grateful for the gospel!

Friday our washing machine broke (again).  We had it fixed not too long ago, but it broke again.  So we took about seven loads to the laundromat and washed them there.  We will get it fixed tomorrow.  We saw Grandma Stout and she looks much better this week!

Tim and I went on a date to Yamatos in Orem for Japanese food.  delicious!

Yamatos