DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, CHRISTMAS 2010,
WELL IT IS CHRISTMAS HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA AND OUR THOUGHTS ARE TURNED TO HOME AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WE HAD OUR ELDERS HERE IN TOWN COME BY LAST NIGHT JUST FOR A VISIT AND FOR SOMEONE TO TALK TO. PEOPLE HERE GO TO VISIT FAMILY OR ARE BUSY WITH THE CHRISTMAS RUSH AND THEY WERE FINDING IT HARD TO VISIT ANYONE. WE HAD NOT EATEN WHEN THEY STOPPED SO WE PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND HAD A MEAL WITH THEM. FOR THE SPIRITUAL THOUGHT THEY READ THE CHRISTMAS STORY TO US AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT EVENT IN EACH OF OUR LIVES. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT FAMILY TRADITIONS AND THAT THIS COULD BE ONE TO READ LUKE CHAPTER 2: 1-20. I THOUGHT AS I STARTED TO WRIGHT THIS LETTER THAT THIS IS MY FIFTH CHRISTMAS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. TWO IN JAPAN IN THE SERVICE, TWO IN ENGLAND ON MY MISSION AND NOW WILL SPEND TWO HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA. AT THOSE TIMES I'M DRAWN CLOSE IN THOUGHT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND THE BLESSINGS THAT COME FROM EACH OF YOU.
WE JUST RETURNED FROM SWAZILAND WHICH IS A COUNTRY IN OUR MISSION. WE HAVE A SENIOR COUPLE THERE WITH 14 ELDERS SERVING IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. IT IS A LOT LIKE SOUTH AFRICA, BUT I WAS GLAD TO GET BACK ACROSS THE BOARDER TO SOUTH AFRICA. THERE WERE 13 COUPLES AND THE MISSION PRESIDENT AND WE ENJOYED THE TIME TOGETHER. SISTER HUDSON AND I WENT UP TWO DAYS EARLY TO VISIT WITH THE COUPLE THAT IS SERVING THERE AND TO GET A HEAD START ON THE SHOPPING. I'M GLAD WE DID, HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO HEARD 13 SENIOR COUPLES IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, IN THREE VEHICLES AND ALL WANTING TO GET THINGS TO SEND BACK HOME TO THE GRANDCHILDREN. WE HAD DINNER TOGETHER ON WEDNESDAY EVENING THEN WENT TO A CHAPEL IN THE TOWN WHERE WE WERE STAYING AND HAD A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES AND TELL ABOUT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR ASSIGNMENT IN THE MISSION FIELD. THERE WERE 250 GRANDCHILDREN COUNTED BY THE MISSION PRESIDENT BETWEEN ALL OF US, WHAT A BLESSING YOU GRANDCHILDREN ARE TO US AND YOU KEEP US GOING. ON THURSDAY WE WENT ON A GAME DRIVE AND ENJOYED SEEING THE ANIMALS IN THE WILD WITH LUNCH PART WAY THROUGH. IT WAS ONE OF THE HOTTEST DAYS EVER IN SWAZILAND AND IT WAS MORE THAN MOST OF US COULD TAKE SO SOME OF US CUT THE DRIVE SHORT. THAT EVENING WE HAD DINNER AT A NICE RESORT CLOSE BY AND THAT WAS ON THE MISSION PRESIDENT. I WAS READY TO COME BACK TO LADYSMITH AND LEFT AFTER AND EARLY BREAKFAST. THAT WAS OUR WEEK, LEAVING EARLY MONDAY AND RETURNING ON FRIDAY. ONE OTHER THING, FAMILIES SEND PACKAGES TO THE MISSION HOME IN DURBAN SO MAIL WAS BROUGHT OUT AND GIVEN TO THE SENIORS TO TAKE BACK TO THE ELDERS IN THERE AREAS AND WE HAVE SOME HERE FOR OUR ELDERS FOR DINNER. SOMEONE SENT SWEATERS FROM HOME AND WE HAVE ONE FOR EACH OF THE ELDERS HERE AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE A GIFT GAME TO PLAY WHERE EACH CAN OPEN A GIFT.
WE WOULD LOVE TO BE WITH EACH OF YOU THIS CHRISTMAS IN PERSON, BUT ARE ENJOYING DOING THE LORDS WORK HERE. KNOW THAT EACH OF YOU ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND WE WISH EACH OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR BLESSINGS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM SOUTH AFRICA,
ELDER AND SISTER HUDSON
P.S .
WELL CHRISTMAS IS OVER FOR US DOWN HERE AND WE HAD A FUN TIME WITH THE SIX ELDERS FOR DINNER AND SOME PRESENTS. IT WAS ALSO FUN TO SEE HOW EXCITED THEY EACH WERE TO TALK TO HOME AND HOW THEY ARE NOW LOOKING FOREWORD TO MOTHERS DAY WHEN THEY CAN CALL NEXT. WE WILL GO ON A SMALL GAME DRIVE TOMORROW WHICH SHOULD BE FUN FOR THE ELDERS.
P.S. P.S.
WE WANT TO THANK OUR FAMILY HOME EVENING GROUP AT HEALING WATERS FOR THINKING OF US AND SENDING THE CARDS AND PICTURES. IT WAS SO NICE TO SEE YOUR FACES AND REMEMBER THE TIMES WE HAVE SPENT TOGETHER AND WE THINK OF YOU OFTEN. YOU ALL LOOKED GREAT AND WE SEND OUR LOVE AND BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR.
P.S. P.S. P.S.
JUST SENDING SOME RANDOM PICTURES.
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