For Christmas we were with Jeff’s family. Brian and Stacy were also there and we got a call from Jeff’s brother who is on a mission on Christmas Day. Scott and Iris had lots of fun playing with the train and running around the house. I love having so much help with the kids, it makes it hard to come home and be alone with them when Jeff is at work or church.
Brian dressed up like Santa this year and Scott loved it. We haven’t really ever told him about Santa, but he has figured it out somehow. I am pretty sure he doesn’t understands it, other than Santa wears red and has a white beard and looks oddly like Uncle Brian! Scott was a little upset when Santa left on Christmas Eve and didn’t let him open the rest of the presents under the tree. We did open them the next morning and Scott loved it and Iris loved eating the ribbon.
I was able to talk to my family a lot even though I wasn’t with them. We got wonderfully fun gifts for Scott, Iris, and for us. I will post pictures of them.
Scott got a singing “O little Town of Bethlehem” book for Christmas a couple of years ago from Great Grandpa Anderson. The book plays the song and has a story to read, at the end of the book the words to the first verse of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” are printed. I have often thought about the phrase “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight”. With these words the Lord helped me to appreciate why we celebrate his birth. I went to the temple with my good friend the day before we left for Ohio. As I was waiting for my friend I put a few names on the prayer roll and then stood back next to the wall, still in view of the notepad that is used for the prayer roll. Almost everyone that past by stopped at the prayer roll and put a few names on it. As I was in the temple session the phrase “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight” kept repeating through my head. I began to think of the many hopes and fears I have for me, for my family, and for my friends, some of whom I had written on the prayer roll. I thought of how I saw many others stop and write on the pray roll those they had hopes and fears for. Jesus came into the world to atone and take upon himself all my hopes and fears, for surely I would nothing without him, but not only for my hopes and fears but all the hopes and fears of all that live, have lived and will yet live on the earth. Jesus was born into this earth as the prophets have testified and lived a perfect life and then gave his life as the great and last sacrifice; he did this because he loves mankind because he desires to take upon him the hopes and fears of all people if they will only accept him.
I will post pictures soon.
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