Tuesday we took the Sister's to the Stockbridge Chapel for interviews and training. President Clayton was ill and did not make it, but we had the training from the district, sister trainers and zone leaders. They did a great job and it was a good meeting.
Thursday the Spanish Sisters needed a ride to the Chamblee area north of Atlanta. They were returning from exchanges. Sister Record is their designated driver and she asked us if we could take them because she was not comfortable driving through Atlanta (I don't get real excited about it myself). We returned after lunch and did some shopping for Gamma's Christmas treats she will make for Christmas. Because of new missionary training in Peachtree City, we only had the Sisters available to sing at the Golden Crest. They did a good job. We sang mostly Christmas songs and the crowd loved it and sang along. Here is a picture of part of the group.
We went to dinner with Brother Hellesoe and the Elders to an "all you can eat" Chinese buffet. He said it was the only place he would go when there were Polynesian missionaries in the area, because it was the only place he could fill them up. He is a kind and generous man and sometimes has as many as 10 missionaries he takes out to eat. He says they work hard and deserve a good meal. The man in back across from Brother Hellesoe is John. He is the son of one of his ministering families and he always invites him to come with him. John is deaf and his father is blind, so he helps the family a lot. The mother is very active and one of the stalwarts of the Ward.
We were surprised this Sunday when President Clayton (our mission president) show up at the beginning of Sacrament meeting. Since he missed interviews on Tuesday he came to attend Sacrament meeting and interview the Elders and Sisters after the meeting. He was of course asked to sit on the stand and share some remarks as the last speaker. Gramma had been asked earlier in the week if she would speak in the meeting. She gave a wonderful talk on having a Christ centered Christmas, I wish all of you could of heard it.She had been the organist for the Spanish Branch and was substituting for the organist in our ward. She had to play the an intermediate Hymn right after her talk so she left her shoes off and walked to the podium to speak. After the meeting President Clayton said he was concerned because of no shoes and was worried her feet were hurting. He hadn't noticed she was the organist until the last song when he noticed her at the organ. He apparently had some training when he was younger on the organ so he then understood completely. We had a laugh about it with him after meeting.We are getting ready to watch the Christmas Devotional from Temple Square. It is televised at 8:00 p.m. here which seems quite late. This coming week we will be at the Temple on Tuesday and Wednesday to be with half the zones each day for their Christmas Activity. We will take the Elders with us on Tuesday and the Spanish Sisters on Wednesday. We will have to leave here at 6:00 in the morning and drive through Atlanta. Half the mission is there each day. We will meet at the Stake Center next to the Temple, then go to one of three sessions at 8, 8:30, or 9. Those in the early sessions can do some sealings while they wait for the others in the late session. There will be talks by the Temple President and his wife about their conversion to the Church, lunch, and then they will watch the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." None of the young Elders in our district has seen that movie. I was surprised. Gramma Hammond has made all of her Grandchildren watch that movie at Christmas. They will then hand out presents from home to all the missionaries. Wednesday will be a repeat of Tuesday, thus the whole mission will have a special Mission Christmas. We will be glad to have the Christmas program behind us, but it has really helped us get to know the Ward members better. We hope all of you have a great Christmas and that you do not forget why we celebrate this special season. It helps us remember the Savior and His life, and that we can all be together again with our Father in Heaven. We love you all. We pray for you every night. We know the Lord will bless you and us as we strive to do what is right. God bless ya'll.
Grampa and Gramma Hammond.
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