Monday, 22 December 2014
We ended the day by watching the BYU Football team loose to Memphis....it was terrible....they were so close and tied and went into overtime...such a sad loss...waa! Everyone kept going upstairs to work on a puzzle that President and Sister Brighton are attempting...it was as difficult as this game! 
We all tried to cheer BYU on...
Elder Neeley went a little crazy when they lost and everyone was laughing at his sorrow...needless to say we all felt bad for the team. Even the team decided to have a boxing match after...whoops.
We were watching intensely.
We had a great dinner after the game. We then went home and pouted because BYU lost. Ha.
Tuesday, 23 December 2014
We served in the Temple this morning. Then we rushed home so Elder Bushman could watch the BYU basketball team vs UMass. There was a lot of shouting going on in the spare room...I chose to wait to watch the last 5 minutes of this game, which ended up going overtime for another five minutes! Elder Bushman about went wild over this game...Ha! They tied 62 and then BYU won 77 to 71 YAY!!! I got a dinner out of the deal! I bet Grandpa that if we win we go to dinner...if we loose we have sausage at home in the Inn. Oh, the joys of sports! I think Collinsworth won this game for us....thanks Collinsworth and Winder for a fantastic game.
Now we get to worry about BYU against Gonzaga on Saturday! Both Elder Bushman and me had a stomach ache after that game...made us so nervous!
Elder Bushman enjoying his winning salad!
Grandpa had ham and Grandma had hamburger, yum!
Today is The Prophet Joseph Smiths Birthday. Happy Birthday Joseph! He would have been 209 today! I wonder what he thinks of BYU Sports?
Happy birthday to our dear prophet Joseph Smith !
“Great blessings await us at this time, and will soon be poured out upon us, if we are faithful in all things, for we are even entitled to greater spiritual blessings than they [the faithful at the time of Christ] were, because they had Christ in person with them, to instruct them in the great plan of salvation. His personal presence we have not, therefore we have need of greater faith.”
— Joseph Smith
— Joseph Smith
It has been such a privilege to walk where Joseph Smith walked. We feel so blessed to be where His prayer was answered and He had the Vision of God The Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. To be celebrating the birth of Joseph and Jesus in the same week is humbling...especially when we are in Palmyra, New York. Thank you Joseph for believing in Jesus Christ and teaching us of His existence in our lives today. We look forward to meeting the both of you. We thank Thee, Jesus, for the Gift of the Atonement.
Happy Birthday!
"Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24
"Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." John 20:28
"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." John 20:30
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
"Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." John 20:28
"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." John 20:30
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
It is Christmas Eve!
I put on all the tree decorations other missionaries have shared with us. We have a grand dwarf Alberta Spruce Christmas Tree I hope I can get it home and plant it in our yard for a Palmyra missionary remembrance! Thanks again Patty and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
This is our room on Christmas morning!
Our tree on Christmas Morning....
The Inn is decorated for the Site Missionaries for their Christmas Feast.
We are going to the Kruckenbergs for Christmas Eve and then to President Brightons for Christmas Dinner tomorrow. The Site missionaries decorated so pretty I just had to take a picture. Merry Christmas to all the Missionaries in Palmyra and on the earth at this time of Hastening the Work!
These are pictures taken at the Kruckenbergs Christmas Eve party. We had a very tender evening as we all shared a Christmas memory with our co-heart missionaries.
I sat across the room from Grandpa because we ate on our laps and I was worried about spilling on the couch...you know clutzy me!
The hostess, Sister Kruckenberg took a photo of all in attendance for our keepsake of this special evening.
Grandpa shared his story of seeing a boy walking past the window, on Christmas morning, with a new sled. He told his mom he wished he had a sled. His mom said, he had something more valuable. He has the gospel of Jesus Christ and all that it entails. He said it was hard to understand as a seven year old, but as he got older it became a tender mercy from his Mother that has stuck with him.
Thursday, 25 December 2014
Christmas morning we awoke to sirens about 5:30 AM. We learned from Kristi, the main housekeeper, that our friend Patty's home has burnt down. Patty is the friend who gave us the Christmas Tree. This is so sad. I spoke with Patty and she and her family are safe and they are going to spend Christmas with relatives. Her Priest is providing clothing for them so they can change from their pajamas...how sad is this. They were at her sisters showering as I phoned. She said the upstairs collapsed into the main floor which collapsed into the basement, but no one was hurt. They heard what they thought was a cat scratching on their bedroom door around 5:00 AM. Her husband got up to check and it was popping sounds coming from a fridge or freezer in their kitchen. The kitchen was already in flames. She went to midnight mass on Christmas Eve and got to bed at 2:00 AM so sounded very tired. Our love and prayers are with you Patty. We know Christmas presents and memories of her twin boys growing up have been lost. There are some things that can't be replaced. I think Heavenly Father was watching over Patty's family this morning.
Sister Mortenson made this festive jello. It took her six hours to make it. It was so colorful and delicious. Hurrah for jello!
Grandpa Arthur was pleasantly full.
We have lovely sisters that we serve with.
When we finished our meal we had a gift exchange.
President Brighton started it off.
We ended with Sister Neeley. Thank's for all the work you did for this dinner Lynnette. We will always remember this Christmas. She and Jon created a video, "Let It Snow" that is on you tube that describes their California thoughts of this mission. It is a masterpiece and we thank them for sharing with us. They are great missionaries as are each of these couples we serve with.
We hope you remembered The Savior, Jesus Christ, this Christmas. Because of Him we can endure and carry on. May 2015 be a peaceful and joyful year for all. Merry Christmas to each of you.
Friday, 26 December 2014
We are getting our Sunday School lesson prepared today. We will be teaching on our granddaughter Hannah Gene Bushman's 15th birthday. Happy Birthday Hannah!
Saturday, 27 December 2014
We served all day Saturday and then sorrowfully watched the BYU basketball game that BYU lost.
Sunday, 28 December 2014
We had a lovely Sabbath day. I took a picture of our Brooke who is in our Sunday School class. She comes most weeks with different hair styles and many are very unique. This week she came with this do! She is a cute girl. She brought a friend with her this week that is interested in learning the gospel. You are a great example Brooke, keep up the good work.
Monday, 29 December 2014
We received word this morning that one of our Cortland Ward Members passed away yesterday. Her name is Vivian Moynihan. Her father-in-law is Bill Moynihan that we visited a couple of weeks ago. He had open heart surgery, and a temple worker and widower in the Cortland Ward also. We hope this death is not too hard on him. Vivian was a temple worker with us also and served on the 4th Saturday. We pray blessings to be with her family. Vivian sang in all the Christmas cantata's this year. She remembered the Savior this Christmas. It is touching to know He also remembers her on this year end celebration. Blessings to you Sister Moynihan.
We pray you all had a great Christmas. We enjoyed speaking with all our children and their children too. May each of us follow President Monson's ABC advice this during the coming year.
"At the advent of a new year, I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the abundant life—a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings. Just as we learned the ABCs in school, I offer my own ABCs to help us all gain the abundant life.
I put on all the tree decorations other missionaries have shared with us. We have a grand dwarf Alberta Spruce Christmas Tree I hope I can get it home and plant it in our yard for a Palmyra missionary remembrance! Thanks again Patty and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
This is our room on Christmas morning!
Fum, fum fum, the fireplace works at the Inn for Christmas. We are suppose to reach 50 degrees outdoors today...and no snow in Palmyra.
"Ever sing of His Glory, Fum, Fum, Fum." ...16th century Catalan Christmas Carol
Christmas morning we awoke to sirens about 5:30 AM. We learned from Kristi, the main housekeeper, that our friend Patty's home has burnt down. Patty is the friend who gave us the Christmas Tree. This is so sad. I spoke with Patty and she and her family are safe and they are going to spend Christmas with relatives. Her Priest is providing clothing for them so they can change from their pajamas...how sad is this. They were at her sisters showering as I phoned. She said the upstairs collapsed into the main floor which collapsed into the basement, but no one was hurt. They heard what they thought was a cat scratching on their bedroom door around 5:00 AM. Her husband got up to check and it was popping sounds coming from a fridge or freezer in their kitchen. The kitchen was already in flames. She went to midnight mass on Christmas Eve and got to bed at 2:00 AM so sounded very tired. Our love and prayers are with you Patty. We know Christmas presents and memories of her twin boys growing up have been lost. There are some things that can't be replaced. I think Heavenly Father was watching over Patty's family this morning.
We met at President and Sister Brighton's home for the missionary dinner again today. I felt so somber after knowing what Patty is experiencing today. We spoke with each of our children and their families today also. We just have to hope that The Lord will protect each of them as we serve here. We had a ham dinner with all the trimmings.
There was more than enough food as usual.
Friday, 26 December 2014
We are getting our Sunday School lesson prepared today. We will be teaching on our granddaughter Hannah Gene Bushman's 15th birthday. Happy Birthday Hannah!
Saturday, 27 December 2014
We served all day Saturday and then sorrowfully watched the BYU basketball game that BYU lost.
Sunday, 28 December 2014
We had a lovely Sabbath day. I took a picture of our Brooke who is in our Sunday School class. She comes most weeks with different hair styles and many are very unique. This week she came with this do! She is a cute girl. She brought a friend with her this week that is interested in learning the gospel. You are a great example Brooke, keep up the good work.
We received word this morning that one of our Cortland Ward Members passed away yesterday. Her name is Vivian Moynihan. Her father-in-law is Bill Moynihan that we visited a couple of weeks ago. He had open heart surgery, and a temple worker and widower in the Cortland Ward also. We hope this death is not too hard on him. Vivian was a temple worker with us also and served on the 4th Saturday. We pray blessings to be with her family. Vivian sang in all the Christmas cantata's this year. She remembered the Savior this Christmas. It is touching to know He also remembers her on this year end celebration. Blessings to you Sister Moynihan.
We pray you all had a great Christmas. We enjoyed speaking with all our children and their children too. May each of us follow President Monson's ABC advice this during the coming year.
"At the advent of a new year, I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the abundant life—a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings. Just as we learned the ABCs in school, I offer my own ABCs to help us all gain the abundant life.
A in my ABCs refers to attitude.
B is for believe—in yourself, in those around you, and in eternal principles.
C is for courage. Courage becomes a worthwhile and meaningful virtue when it is regarded not so much as a willingness to die manfully but as a determination to live decently."
Hug's to each of you as we close 2014 and begin anew 2015. We love each of our children and each of you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Elder & Sister Bushman
Grandpa Arthur and Grandma Gene
PS We will be cheering for a BYU win tonight! Go BYU! If you haven't seen Elder Jon Neeley's gift to us...please go to YouTube and watch LET IT SNOW by Jon Neeley Our Californian, Palmyra Temple Missionary. Thank you to the Neeley's for the memorable video!
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