Serving others

I baked 24 dozen rolls yesterday evening. It was for a very good cause.

I serve with these lovely ladies in the Mesa East Stake Relief Society presidency. It was our turn, along with the presidency of the Lehi Stake, to prepare a lunch for one half of the missionaries serving in the Mesa Arizona Mission. That meant that 130 hungry missionaries would soon be joining us.

The tables were set and the food was ready (chicken noodle and broccoli cheese soups were staying warm in the kitchen.)

The cookie buffet looked beautiful. Lisa approved.

There was a kind for every palate.

The room soon filled with all kinds of missionaries, elders, sisters, and older couples.

I was thrilled to see Sister Stephens, 2nd cousin to Glen.


The elders let the sisters go first,


but that didn't keep them from munching on cookies as they waited!

Sister Gina Stephens and friends.

Before the missionaries arrived, packages were brought in. They were stacked around the perimeter of the room. This caused lots of excitement! Hopefully there was a package for every missionary. It was fun to walk around and read the return addresses on the packages. Families from everywhere had sent a box filled with things, but more important with love and support.

It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of my four missionary sons over the years. Now I was experiencing how the missionary felt as a piece of home followed him across the world at Christmas time to Chile, Peru, and north and south Brazil. So sweet and tender!

These young men and women serve with the love of Christ in their hearts. When you see them, take a moment to talk with them. They are living to serve at this time in their lives.


A week ago, Glen was in charge of a Ward Christmas dinner and program for the adult members of our church congregation. This was how it looked just moments before the guests arrived. It was a lovely meal with harp music in the background. Mesa Mt. View High School's choral group, Encore, provided the musical program. It was truly beautiful. They are a talented group.

Now that we are done with the "big" parties, it is time to focus on family activities. There will be a week's worth of them beginning tomorrow night. Christmas time is wonderful, and food preparation and providing service make it even more so.