Our Christmas Story

We had permission from President and Sister Clayton to travel to Conner and Samantha's open house in Leesburg. We left after church on Sunday and drove to Virginia. The rain was pouring down all day Sunday and Monday until we got to the Virginia border.We stopped Sunday night in Huntersville, North Carolina and then drove the rest of the way to Leesburg on Monday. The reception at the Handcock's home was very nice.

Tuesday morning at 7:00 we picked up Wayne, Joy and Zach and headed back to Atlanta for a short visit with us. It is a long drive and the traffic wasn't too bad coming back except for a 14 minute delay for a accident in Atlanta. It took 11 hours but we still had the traditional manger scene (we read Luke and sang the carols as well).  We also had our traditional soup supper, and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Bean soup was easier to fix quickly, but back to potato soup next year.

Christmas morning we opened a few gifts and ate lots of junk.

Thursday we went downtown and visited the Aquarium, World of Coke, and the Human Rights Museum. There was a lot to see.

There was a sea lion performance and later in the morning a dolphin show. They were both good.

Then it was off to the Word of Coke. I felt quite at home there. They have every flavor of Coke from around the world and you can taste any or all of them.

The Centennial Park is quite pretty and there was a lot to see in just a few blocks. Zach was determined to try "The Waffle House", (they are everywhere), so that was our choice for lunch.

We also visited the Center for Civil and Human Rights.

The Peach Bowl was going to be played on Saturday at the stadium the Atlanta Falcons play in so the area was very busy and crowded.

We sang at the "Golden Crest" on Friday morning with the missionaries It was about the only missionary work we accomplished until Sunday. We then went down town one more time (things were getting even more crowded) to see the College Football Hall of Fame.

Max and Julie arrived late on Friday night (long traffic delay in Chattanooga, Tennessee). Saturday morning Max and Julie and the kids arrived at our apartment and we had a good visit with them and the Taylor's. That afternoon it was movie time at the AMC Theater. I was up at 4:00 in the morning to take the Taylor's to the airport and Max and family visited down town.They got back late Sunday afternoon for some UNO card playing, dinner, and cookie decorating.

The boys were not as enthused about the activities.

Sunday was busy for us. I took the missionaries to church after taking Gramma there first. She needed to be there early to play the organ at the Spanish Branch. She also played the organ for our Sacrament meeting, and they even came and got her to play for Primary. Sister Strickland spoke in church. It was her last Sunday in the mission field, and she did a really good job. We will lose her on Wednesday along with Elder Augir who is being transferred. Both of those missionaries have been here since we came to Jonesboro. Monday morning I had to get up early and take the Elders to get their car. The Hammond girls spent the night with us. Max and Julie and the rest of the family made it away by 10:00 and they were on their way to Smokey Mountain National Park.

It was nice to have some family here for Christmas, but now everyone is gone and it's back to the routine and focusing on why we are here. We will have a busy week with two missionary transfers. We do miss you all. Sorry we couldn't make it to the Hall party, but it looks like all that were there had a good time. We thank all our family and friends for beautiful cards, gifts, and phone calls.  I can understand why the Lord provides a little distance between home, family, and the mission field.  We are happy we had the week to spend precious time with part of our children and grandchildren. With a new year coming we all can make some good resolutions and look forward to many wonderful adventures and experiences. We love you and hope the Lord will continue to bless you. Be good y'all and do what is right. Grandpa and Gramma Hammond. (Hope you grand-children are reading the blog, so you don't think your grand-parents have faded into the sunset!)  We love you!

Twas the Week before Christmas

Last week, with all the activities and three Christmas program practices, made this week seem a little calmer: but like always in the mission field it was still busy. First a update on "Bob". He looked a little peaked on Sunday when the Elders and I visited him. Gramma and I got to see him later in the week and he was much improved. His daughter was there with him and she told us that one of the reasons he loves our songs so much is because when he was young he and his four brothers had a singing group that sang at various churches. He and she were so appreciative of our visits.

Gramma wanted to get the missionaries from our district and the Spanish district together for a little Christmas party. With four sets of missionaries schedules it was not easy, but we did find a time at lunch on Wednesday. We had pizza, pop, and cookies. Always a big hit with missionaries. We had bought some small gifts; ties for the Elders and some kind of lotion for the Sisters. It was fun and of course Gramma had them play a game. We had a great time and after a hour and a half it was back to work for them.

Gramma got to teach an investigator with the Sisters, and we had another investigator come to our Bible class on Wednesday. We review the weeks "Come Follow Me" lesson at that class. I went with the Elders a couple times and as usual did quite a bit of ferrying around missionaries. We got a wonderful surprise on Friday with the news of our first great granddaughter, Charlotte Sue Despain.  That name has a little southern ring to it. We are so excited and wish her and her parents well. What a great Christmas gift.

The singing at the nursing home went well except a lady in a wheelchair kept going from person to person telling them she had to go home, her mother was waiting. There could be several meanings to that. She is the lady in the wheelchair with her back to us.

The Spanish Elders had left, but the manager insisted on a group photo for their Facebook post. Apparently she has posted other pictures and a video of us performing. It is nice to be appreciated.

We went Caroling on Friday night. We found three of six houses with the people home. They all thanked us. One dear lady said it is the first time she had ever had carolers come to her house. The seventh stop was a member of the Ward and she invited us in for cake and ice cream. She was so glad to see and hear us.

I am going to post this blog on Saturday night instead of the usual Sunday. We have permission from President and Sister Clayton to travel to Conner and Samantha's open house.We are leaving after church on Sunday and driving to Virginia. We will stop in Huntersville, North Carolina Sunday night and then to Leesburg on Monday. Tuesday morning we will take Wayne, Joy and Zach and head back to Atlanta for short visit with us. It is a long drive and we are hoping the traffic won't be too bad coming back. It will be a long drive and there are no 80 mile per hour speed limits here to make good time. The next blog will be after the holidays. Again we wish you all a very merry Christmas. We love all of you and miss you, especially at this time of year. Be good, do what you know you should do, be kind to everyone, and remember that we love and pray for you each day. Thinking of y'all here in Georgia. Grandpa and Gramma Hammond

A Busy Week at the Temple

This was a very busy week at the Temple. We were at the Temple on Tuesday and Wednesday to be with half the zones each day for their Christmas Activity. We took the Elders with us on Tuesday and the Spanish Sisters on Wednesday. We had to leave here at 6:00 in the morning ( so up at 4:45) to drive through Atlanta to the Temple and returned after 4:00 in the afternoon.. Half the mission was there each day. We met at the Stake Center next to the Temple, then went to one of three sessions at  8, 8:30, or 9. Some of those in the early sessions did some sealings while they waited for the others in the later sessions. After the Temple sessions there were talks by the Temple President and his wife about their conversion to the Church. It is a incredible story of President Ingall not wanting the missionaries coming to their home,  to their joining the Church, and him being called as a Stake President, Area Authority, and as the President of the Atlanta Temple. We had a great lunch, and then we all  watched the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." Two thirds of the young Elders and Sisters had not seen that movie. They were all quite touched with the special message of the 1946 movie. They then handed out presents from home to all the missionaries. Wednesday was a repeat of Tuesday, thus the whole mission had a special Mission Christmas. Driving from there both days after 4:00 made it s rough trip back home on the freeway.

This Elder Three-some bought special Christmas jackets for the party. We had great background music during the luncheon.

Some of the missionaries got up much earlier than us and they all rode a bus to the activity.

Gramma wanted me to take a picture of this missionary in the red striped tie. His large eyes reminded her of James.

By the end of the two days we were exhausted. On Friday night at 10:00 the Sisters called and their ride for "France" had fallen through and they hoped we could take him to the Temple in the morning to do baptisms for the dead with some other recent converts to the Church. We said yes and spent all of the next morning there again. France is a Jamaican and his faithfulness is something to admire.
On one of our walks this week we were confronted with thousands of Starlings it was like something out of the movie "The Birds". The picture doesn't do justice to how many were there.

Several times during the week Gramma focused on making her Christmas treats to share with others this season. During her hard work I continued to try to memorize my Scrooge lines for the Christmas Program. Old 70+ year brains find it hard to memorize.

Speaking of the program, I have never seen a Ward work so hard to put something together to help share the spirit of Christmas. Everyone had something to do.

Even Scrooge and Tiny Tim pulled it off.

But the hero of the story was a lady at the piano, who can sight read anything and keep a amateur choral group together and on cue. Everyone had great compliments for her.

The singing at the Golden Crest went well again thanks to Gramma, and the group is always happy to see us. We were concerned when Bob (the name spelled correct frontwards or backwards) had not been there for a couple of weeks. He was one of our biggest fans and always sang along with us. We found out he was very sick and had been moved to the hospital. The Elders and I went and saw him after Church Sunday and he was so grateful to see us. I could see no signs that he had had any other visitors.

While the Elders and I visited Bob, Sister Hammond stayed at the church and sang in and helped the choir get ready for next week's Sacrament Christmas program. There is a young man that wants to learn to play the piano and the only time he can come to the church is on Sunday. So after two Sacrament meetings and singing at choir practice, Gramma is spending time helping this young man. His name is Jonah.  Just like Samoa she is so willing to share her talents.

What a great week and what a opportunity to be in the Holy Temple. We love all of you and are hoping you have the best of the Christmas season. We really do think and pray for you each day.

In the words of Tiny Tim, "God bless you, God bless you everyone". Love ya'll. Grampa and Gramma Hammond.