Best Christmas Ever

Dear Family and Friends,

I hate that I haven't written on the blog since December 11th.  So much has happened in the last 3 weeks that this post maybe a novel.  But I will try and only hit the highlights.  Its been a whirlwind or maybe a hurricane, no----a tsunami is the right description.

But first, I must thank everyone who sent us a Christmas Card.  Thank you for taking the time to think about and remember us.  Bruce was the first to the mail box every day and we enjoyed each and every note and picture.  I must have looked at them at least daily and loved remembering moments with each of you.  Thank You!

Along with our regular shifts at the sites and VC, we had events at the Tabernacle every night starting December 1st.  We couldn't make all of them, but were expected to attend at least 3-4 a week.  They ranged from High School Choirs, too individuals who played, violin, flute, guitar or other instruments and professional musicians from around the country.  Most of them were fabulous.  We enjoyed the music and couldn't believe, that for such a small town, what marvelous talent is here.  One of my favorite things about Christmas is the beautiful music and the spirit it brings.  For me, it makes Christmas.  Just ask Bruce, I start playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving, which drives him crazy.  Can't help it, its a trait passed down from our mom.  Mom loves beautiful music and filled our house with tunes all the time, but at Christmas, it was constant.  I love the memories and the traditions it brings.

The Saturday before Christmas, December 19th, all our kids arrived.  We couldn't have asked for a better gift.  They came late Saturday night and we didn't get to see them, but arriving at Church Sunday morning there they were in all their glory, saving a seat for us.  I have to admit it brought tears to see all our kids and grand kids together at Church.  We had to leave right after the sacrament to go and open Jacob Hamblin's home, but after Church they all came to for a tour.  

Then Sunday night, December 21st, we had our Missionary Musical Fireside.  Again, there they were out in the audience.  The Fireside was wonderful.  There were 72 missionaries who participated.  We had three practices, and to be frank, I was worried that it wasn't going to be very good.  But the music director, Kris Barber, pulled a rabbit out of her hat.  Even my kids were impressed.  They are our worst critics.  Bruce gave the story of "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who wrote the words of the song, first in a poem in 1864.  The choir sounded fantastic and the Instrumental numbers were beautiful. Just ask Kati about the bassoon.  They even compared President Center to Carlos Santana on the guitar.  Pretty good for a mission president.  It was so much fun to be a part of this event and will be one of the highlights of our mission.

Monday I was able to take the kids on a couple of hikes, actually one, but I had them go on the Temple Quarry hike and then took them up the Anasazi trail.  We put Ben in the stroller and pushed, pulled and carried him over the bumps, rocks, ruts and mud.  The kids had a wonderful time crawling all over the rocks finding the petroglyphs.  Becky felt the spirit of the Anasazi and practiced her yoga along with Rubie on the rocks.  It was a very very good day.  

                           

That night we worked at the VC and the Kids came down for family night.  They looked at the nativities from around the world, watched Mr. Kruger's Christmas, He is the Gift and other Mormon Ads.  We then went back to their Condo to visit.  On Tuesday, Bruce and I opened BY's again and worked until 2:00 pm.  Then we really started the party.  Because of our limited cooking facilities we decided to have a Mexican Fiesta instead of our traditional Prime Rib Dinner.  But what a fiesta it was.  We invited the Watkins over and held our dinner at the Club House at our Condo.  The food was wonderful and the kids were flying high waiting to open their gifts.  Buttttttt...we had another event at the Tabernacle.  So after dinner we packed everyone up and headed to the Tabernacle for the Community Sing-a-Long.  Bruce was asked to give the Christmas Message and you would think that would be the highlight of the night, but nooooooooo. 

It was almost the last number when a man walked up the stairs of the balcony and went right to the front.  He sat down and then started putting up pamphlets all along the balcony railing.  I was watching him and I looked at Bruce, who was on the stand, and his eyes were glued to the guy.  At the same time, I have Becky in back of me asking me "what is the dude doing?"  I didn't know, but it looked like he was barricading himself in.  I then told our son-in-law, Dave, to go up in the balcony and keep an eye on him.  Becky was watching Bruce and starting to freak out, because Bruce was zeroed in on the dude.  She got up and ushered her kids out.  We are now at the closing prayer.  During the prayer, the dude put ear plugs in and Dave immediately started heading towards him.  Amen, was said and Bruce started up the stairs to the balcony.  He was ready to take him down.  By this time one of our security guards at the Temple came up to me to see if I recognized him.  I stood up and walked a little closer and in fact I did know who he was.  He had been in the VC a couple of times before Christmas wanting our Pass-along-cards.  As it turned out, this poor soul was off his medication and had been down at the Temple wandering around and gathering up all our information that we give to guests.  He was going to baptize 1000 people.  Love his enthusiasm, but he pretty much cleaned us out of cards at the Tabernacle, then Elder Watkins caught him, (BTW, Elder Watkins is X-FBI) and made him empty his back pack.  No bomb or gun but lots of excitement and pass-along-cards.  We pray someone helps get him back of his meds.

After the sing-a-long we headed back to the Club House.  We dressed the kids in the nativity costumes and read the Christmas Story.  What a beautiful message of peace, hope and love that story brings.  We especially love that our teenage grand kids are willing to participate.  We loved Logan as our donkey and Noah as our lamb.  What good boys----you make me proud.  Now its finally time for opening gifts.  They were so pumped up, it was mayhem with ten grand kids opening presents from Papa and Nema.  We hope they enjoyed what they received, but how do you go wrong with marshmallow bow and arrows.  We had marshmallows flying everywhere.  Great Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning, we joined the kids at their condo and opened presents with therm until 8:30. Then we headed down to the VC to have breakfast with the Sister missionaries and Sr. missionaries.  I had my girls make 400 crepes, and Sister Sutherland, another Sr. missionary, brought a chocolate fountain.  Sugar high, but what a fun breakfast.  We had gathered scarves for the Sisters and ties for the Elders.  They loved picking out their favorite, in fact we had such a good response from the wards in donating scarves and ties, that each Sister got two or three scarves and the Elders that many ties.  People are so kind, "just ask and it shall be given."  We then had a White Elephant exchange.  If laughter is the best medicine, we cured everything that morning.  After breakfast we brought Sister Nicholls (from England) and Sister Lipke (from Germany) back with us to spend the afternoon with our family.  We were so excited that these two sweeties, were able to SKYPE their families at our Condo.  I cried the whole time they were talking.  There was laughter, singing and prayers.  After their calls, they both laid down in front of the fire and fell asleep.  I think the anticipation exhausted them.  We had a wonderful Christmas buffet and then played reverse charades.  They had to be back to the center by 3:00 pm for a get together with their Zone, but we loved having them with us.  We hope it helped a little with the home sickness they must feel during the Holidays.

The next two days were spent with the kids, playing tennis, bowling, golfing, hot tubing and movie watching, eating and more eating while Bruce and I kept on working.  Then, Saturday the 28th came too soon.  But the last gift was given when all the kids, again, came to Jacob's in their St. George Mission t-shirts for a final picture with us.  They even kept their t-shirts on when we went to Chuck-a-Rama and the movie, Into the Woods.  They kept telling me I had hit the tri-fecta.  Family picture, buffet and a movie all with matching t-shirts.  Not something my family does or will probably ever do again.  What a treat for us.  After dinner back to the club house for more games with my sister and her husband Ken and their son and daughter-in-law, Brett, Sue and family.  A perfect ending to a perfect week.  Thanks to our kids and grand kids for giving us a Christmas to remember.  They dubbed it their "Mission Christmas".  We pray the grand kids will remember how they felt as they get older and begin their mission journeys.

 

Well, its now New Years Eve and I am sitting here with wonderful memories of the past 3 weeks of our mission.  We loved the church's new video "He is the Gift".  We used it at the Center and at the sites to invite people to share this gift or to discover the gift and apply it in their lives.  We had over 40,000 visitors at the VC in the month of December.  It was amazing to see how this 3 minute video affected people.  They felt the love the Savior has for them and so many wanted to share it with friends and family.  Today we received the movie "Meet The Mormons".  We haven't advertised we have it, and yet this afternoon our theaters were full.  We are hoping this brings the same results as He Is The Gift.

I want to end with another big thank you to our kids for coming and making Christmas wonderful.  Another big thank you to all of you who sent cards and messages and remembered us.  And one last thank you to our Savior for his love and sacrifice for all of us and for the message of peace and hope that this season brings.  We send our wishes for a Happy New Year to all.

With All Our Love,

Bruce and Dawna

(Elder and Sister Borchert)