On Saturday, December 20, we went through the Arizona Temple with W, Kev M, L and K B, J, and L were with us. It was a good day.
On Sunday, December 21, W spoke in sacrament meeting. Bishop asked the counselors to speak, and I attempted to decline, but he said that I was assigned as a counselor in the bishopric, not a father.
When the other counselor arose to speak, he spoke about W in his talk. He said that since he wasn't the father he could do so. I told him afterwards, “Thank you for giving the talk I wanted to give.”
When I was waiting for W in the temple, I read Luke 2, and I was greatly impressed with how Simeon and Ana were in the temple when the Savior was brought by his parents. The record especially notes that Simeon was prompted to be in the temple.
Something else that impressed me was that Simeon's prophecy concerned Messiah to be a light unto the Gentiles—foreshadowing the apostolic charge to take the gospel to the entire world.
After the block we had about forty people come over to be with us. It was a good day.
On Tuesday, December 23, we had the family Christmas party at K M's. We had a great time there.
On Wednesday, W was set apart as a missionary by the stake president. It was a great experience. He told him that he would find the best of the best, but that also he would be blessed to work with members who didn't understand the gospel, but that working with them would be a blessing.
On Christmas Day we drove to Saint George, and the following day we drove to Salt Lake, picking up J at the airport. From Cedar City up until about Fillmore there was a lot of snow on the roads, and we had to drive carefully.
After picking up J we stayed at D C's home. On Saturday, we had a family dinner at the Church, and short program where the children sang “More”, which was very nice. We then had pictures and then the open house that evening.
We stayed up at C C's on Saturday night, and we came in to North Ogden to attend Church at their ward.
On Monday, we visited with R and L B; then the children and I went skiing. P and her parents brought us dinner up, and after dinner we decided that I'd take the jeep down; the C's Avalon would go back with them; and the Suburban would stay for those skiing late. I took the extra food and put it into the Suburban and then went looking for the Avalon which was to be parked by the lodge. There was an Avalon there, so we waiting, thinking they were in the rest room. Then a man came out and drove that Avalon away, so we went walking through the parking lot looking for the Avalon. I finally asked someone to borrow a phone, and found out that they were down by the jeep in another parking lot, but they'd been walking through our parking lot trying to find us. They then gave us a key to the jeep and we left. That was totally puzzling that we couldn't find each other; nor could they find the Suburban. P said that she had walked that row of vehicles and just didn't see it.
The following day we attended the Ogden temple with C, P, C, D and M C, and J and W. It was great that we were able to have that experience with those in Utah also.
That night we drove to Provo and stayed overnight, and the following day we dropped off W at the Mission Training Center. He was very eager to be on his mission.
We spent the rest of the day with S and S and J.
We returned to Ogden that night and stayed at D C, and T and J A C's family came in that morning. They weren't able to come until then because of snow and T's work, but it was good to spend a day with them.
After returning to Tucson, P and I moved into the large bedroom at the back of the house, and G M started remodeling our bathroom and bedroom.
My project has been announced. Here's is the press release:
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26608.wss
