Christmas with the Missionaries

 Christmas

We Love Christmas Time

Christmas was very enjoyable, most of our time was spent serving the younger full-time missionaries.  On December 23rd we stuff a Christmas stocking for each missionary.  On Christmas Eve the missionary couples (Bonnemort, Ogborn, Thorne) cooked a Christmas Dinner for the missionaries. Turkey with all the  trimmings.  They all enjoyed a traditional Christmas meal. There was plenty of food to eat and it was all very good.

Following the dinner, they watched a movie that had a good message about "overcoming the giants".  Can't remember the exact title.  Following the movie, the stockings and Christmas mail was handed out.  Unfortunately their packages from home did not arrive, due to the airline problems - but they appeared to really enjoy receiving a Christmas stockings.

Hungry Missionaries waiting for Christmas Dinner

Christmas Stockings for each missionary

Christmas fell on Sunday so following Church, about half the missionaries were able to use the senior couples SKYPE connection to call home.  The remainder of them called home on Monday, which was Christmas Day in the United States.  Eventually all of them were able to enjoy an hour visiting with loved ones at home.

We were able to call our families the day after Christmas to see what the grandkids got from Santa.  That is always special even if we are 6000 miles from home.  We have one more call to make to North Dakota when they return from Jackson Hole in a few days.

On December 23rd in Richfield, Utah they honored our National Guard Unit who all have arrived safely from their second tour of duty in Iraq.  For the past six years we have made small chairs honoring each soldier that serves in a combat area.  It is called the Freedom Chair Project.  Before we left we turned and assembled nearly 150 chairs for the soldiers.  Local businesses, government agencies, civic groups, and individuals donate money to sponsor one or more chairs.  This year we raised over $16,000 for the Family Readiness Group in Sevier County (the funds are used to help meet the needs of the soldiers families while they are deployed.  General Patrick Wilson sent me some photos of the event.

 Preparing for Banquet to honor 222nd National Guard Unit just returned from Iraq 

'Freedom Chairs and Gift Baskets presented to each Soldier

A supper was provided for the soldiers and their families along with a freedom chair and a large food basket for Christmas at the banquet.  This is a small token to thank them for defending our freedom through out the world.  The project started out as a simple idea to raise some funds to help and honor our brave soldiers, but during the past 6 years over 500 chairs have been handmade and presented to soldiers from Sevier County serving in combat areas.  Through the generous donations over $50,000 has been raised for military families.  The chairs take about 6 hours to turn, sand, stain, assemble and polish.  All chairs are made from hardwoods: Ash, Cherry, Maple, Oak, and Walnut.  A small plaque is placed under the seat of each chair with the soldiers name, rank, and a thank you for their service.

Overhead Photo of the 132 Freedom Chairs presented to Sevier County soldiers in December 2005.
 Over 100 chairs were presented to the 222nd in 2011