P-Day, 18 Dec 2010

We think of our friends and family every day and would like to communicate more, but anyone who has served a mission can tell you that there is little time to write letters or even clean house and shop. 

I'm a little under the weather today, so Ken went shopping by himself.  We will save a LOT of money this way, but I am sure I will have to fill in all the stuff he forgets or decides that we don't need.  We are seldom apart, so it's very strange to be without my companion. 

Here are a few pictures of what's been going on with us the past few weeks:
   

Visitors' Center Sisters' Musical

These wonderful, beautiful missionaries performed a Christmas musical a couple of weeks ago at the Oakland Temple Visitors' Center, where they serve.  Most are from the US, but some are from Singapore, Bolivia, Hong Kong, Japan, Kiribati, Mexico, and England.  One is from Puerto Rico.  We love them so much.  They greet people and give them tours of the VC and of the Oakland Temple grounds.  Most of them have college degrees and are very talented.  Also, the VC is open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM every single day of the year.
                 


Big Christmas Cards from Britton & Reagan

 Susan, Dolly, and Faith sent us "25 Days of Christmas" presents and each night we take turns opening a gift and taking pictures of each other to email the girls. We usually get home late and tired from the mission office and look forward to coming home and opening a gift.  Thanks, Girls!!! 






Ken with Three Assistants

 Elder Campbell, left, is our new assistant to the president with Elder Reeves.  Elder Ross on the far right departed on 15 December.  He was an outstanding missionary and we miss him.  Elder Jackson noticed that all 3 assistants had on red ties and I couldn't resist taking this great picture of them at the office.





Missionaries Caroling at Sister Jackson's Desk

These sweet missionaries, three of whom left on 15 December, sang a Christmas carol to me at my desk.  They are all great missionaries and each is a leader in the mission.  They are from the Philippines, Tonga, Utah, Canada, New Zealand, and Florida.  Ours may be the most internaional mission in the world.






Sister Jackson at Work

 This is my desk at the mission office.  I answer the phone, handle the email and correspondence, work with the mail and packages, and manage all the missionaries' files, the 200-plus that are serving and those who are coming here between now and next June.  The work is never done, but I absolutely love what I'm doing, which is serving our wonderful mission president and his wife and all the great missionaries in the California Oakland/San Franciso Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

                                                                                     



At the Nutcracker



Even though we were very tired, we couldn't resist attending a performance of the Nutcracker at the Inter-stake center on Temple Hill.  It was Ken's first time and he said it was "okay," but I loved every minute of it. 

 

 

Days of Christmas #17

It was Ken's turn last night and he opened an umbrella that was obviously meant for me!  He really is a good sport, don't you think?

Our mission is divided into 10 zones and the first of the month we held five zone conferences with two zones attending each one.  Our mission president and his wife did a great job with training, talks, food, and fun.  I wanted a picture with this awesome bunch of missionaries.

 

Oakland Zone Conference, 9 Dec 2010

 

Which Gift Should I Choose?!

It was fun watching the missionaries fighting over Christmas presents that were donated from the various wards and stakes in our mission.  The favorite gift was a giant pack of toilet paper.  Only someone whose been on a mission can appreciate how valuable laundry detergent, deodorant, shampoo, canned food, and toilet paper are!  

  

International Missionaries Playing "Dirty Santa" Game



Some of the gifts were for women and these elders really wanted to get rid of this type of stuff.  We had a lot of laughs.

A highlight of the day was having our picture made with our two zones, the Oakland and the San Francisco East zones.  We love all these wonderful elders and sisters who have given up two years or 18 months in the service of our Lord.