Christmas Day we attended church for an hour between 9 and 10. I love having Christmas fall on a Sunday. I love being greeted with wishes for a Merry Christmas. This year it was "Joyeux Noël." All the missionaries gathered after lunch. We began by viewing the First Presidency Christmas Devotional which the missionaries hadn't had a chance to see. When the missionaries joined in singing "Silent Night" with the broadcast I thought they sounded like a choir of angels and I loved looking at their sweet, sincere faces. They want so much to serve the Lord and it was a privilege to be celebrating this Christmas with them.
After the devotional the missionaries had planned a talent show. Each district performed a number and then whoever wanted to could share a talent.
Some of the districts:
Some who volunteered:
Some who were volunteered by others:
The Idahoans and the Canadiens
Among the highlights were:
Sister Gastaldi singing songs from her native French Guiana in French Creole and
the Tahitians sharing a Tahitian Christmas song with their beautiful harmonies.
After no more volunteers and no one else could be coerced into performing and the talent show ended we had a picnic outside.
The evening concluded with the missionaries exchanging gifts and a visit from Pere Noël bringing gifts for each missionary by way of Vanuatu.
Our tallest elder got a princess crown and Elder Ursenbach seems pleased.
The missionaries loved their new shirts, mission video, mission cookbook, and m and m's.
After the devotional the missionaries had planned a talent show. Each district performed a number and then whoever wanted to could share a talent.
Some of the districts:
Some who volunteered:
Some who were volunteered by others:
The Idahoans and the Canadiens
Among the highlights were:
Sister Gastaldi singing songs from her native French Guiana in French Creole and
the Tahitians sharing a Tahitian Christmas song with their beautiful harmonies.
After no more volunteers and no one else could be coerced into performing and the talent show ended we had a picnic outside.
The evening concluded with the missionaries exchanging gifts and a visit from Pere Noël bringing gifts for each missionary by way of Vanuatu.
Our tallest elder got a princess crown and Elder Ursenbach seems pleased.
The missionaries loved their new shirts, mission video, mission cookbook, and m and m's.
After all the festivities were over Elder Glade and I returned to our apartment to open the gifts we gave to each other.
I'm so grateful to have had the experience of a Christmas as a missionary. Grateful for the gift of the Savior, his teachings, his example, and his atoning sacrifice. Grateful to have an opportunity to show Heavenly Father our love and gratitude by serving a full time mission.
Festival of Lights at Place de Cocotiers
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