Good Morning,

We are all anxiously awaiting your call/skype.  I think we are almost as excited about getting a Christmas Eve set up call as we are about Skyping on Christmas day LOL.  We have been busy with Christmas preparations....neighbor gifts, wrapping, etc.  We had a great family home evening last night and really felt the spirit and talked about being the best family we could be and I had Mason retell one of my favorite Christmas stories, "A brother like that".  This is the one where the man gets the new car and the little street urchin ooo's and aaa's over it and the man tells him his brother gave it to him for Christmas.  He thinks the little boy will wish that he could have a car like that but instead he says he wishes he could be a brother like that.  Then they go pick up his crippled brother for a ride and the boy tells him that someday he will be a brother like that and buy him a new car.  I think I love this story because I think of you brothers when I hear it.  I told, ok with some tears, how last year when you said you were going to give Easton your Batman video game I thought you were being selfish and not wanting to spend any money on him.  I am sure you remember when he opened the gift and became very emotional, almost braking into tears himself and hugged the game so tightly.  I was very humbled and thought, "Layton is a brother like that".  You were willing to give up your game, not to save money, but because you knew how much he would love it and wanted it for his own.  Easton was a bit teary as I retold that story from last year.  I am sure it still means so much to him.  Anyway, we talked about spending quality time together and went to deliver neighbor gifts.....after about five minutes in the car together dad said, "ok, I think that is about enough bonding"  LOL.  It was good though and we made it through the deliveries :)  We had a great visit with the Darringtons after and Scott still can't convince Dustin into letting him have a kitty LOL. 

I am sending another package for your and Elder Barnes, it will be late but is small and will be fun I think.  Here are some ?'s for the family and friends.



I am going to save a few questions for the call this week but we want you to know we love you and are sooooooo happy you are where you are supposed to be.

Lots of love,

Mom




Dearest Mom, well ill talk to you in 2 days so i dont really know what to say, everythings great and ill tell you more on wendsday

1.  Who will you be spending Christmas Eve with?

         A. A family named the Landons and a bunch of less actives haha it will be awesome

2.  Who will you be spending Christmas Day with (when you are not Skyping me LOL)?

        A. The O'neills

3.  How did your baptism go with Nicholas?

         A. He fell of date because his family wouldnt come to church, but they have started coming so he will be baptized on Jan. 11th

4.  Did Elder Barnes ever forgive you for the phone prank?

        A. Yes, it was funny though haha

5.  Are your other on date investigators coming to church so they can be baptized?

        A. kinda, we are still struggling to get them there, but they are slowly starting to come so thats awesome

6.  Did you sit on Santa's lap at the ward Christmas party and get a picture for me?

        A. no, he wouldn't let me

7.  Did you have any more of your interested potential investigators come to church yesterday?

         A. No, they are still not keeping the commitments

8.  Is it harder or easier to share a message of Christ during Christmas season?

         A. both, its way weird some want to hear it, and some have their own thing and dont want to hear anything from us.

9.  Are you getting enough food?

        A. to, much im getting fat

10.  What ward(s) are you serving in? (Elder Phillips(who is from Moses Lake and serving in our ward right now...His Uncle and Aunt are in the 7th ward....he is very shy and said he only lived there his senior year but I drug some info out of him)

          A. 3rd, elder Knight and Asplund are in that ward.