Christmas 2014 Part 2

On Christmas Eve the southern part of the mission's devotional was held in Thousand Oaks and included zones 5 - 8, which are:  Camarillo English and Spanish, Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks, and Simi Valley.  

We ordered lunch to be catered from Mimi's cafe.  President and Sister Olson of the Thousand Oaks stake picked up the food and the Stake Relief Society president with some helpers decorated the tables and served.  Sorry that I fogot to get pictures when the tables were set.  I was so grateful for their help.  They pretty much insisted on helping, which was a blessing.

For all who sent baby pictures, THANK YOU.  The missionaries had a good time trying to figure out who was who.  It was really funny when they came to Sister Felix asking which one was their picture.  To announce the answers, the missionaries stood by their picture. Many do not know each other so hopefully when the correct answer was said and we acknowledged who the missionary was, others learned who they had not already known.   

Elder Banks, Sister Arndt, Hermana Clark, Elders Davis, Tuffts, Comin, Bailey, Sister Heslop, Elders Hurst, Moser, Welker, Hermanas Young, Hurley and Garza

Sister Brown, Elders Miller, Gray, Hermana Eastman, Sister Thompson, Elder Magoon, Sisters Coombs, Scoresby, Hermanas Shepherd, Griffes, Elders Powell, Carpenter, Sister Evans, Elders Walker and Fisher

Elders Carpenter, Powell, Walker, Thornell, Mortimer, Fisher, King, Stewart, Dort, Jackson, Peterson, Sister Nicholas, Hermana White, Sisters Unga and Hunsaker

Hermana Wallace, Elders Harper, Parrish, Gibb, Sister James, Elders Driggs, Morrell, Lewis, Deschamps, Hermana Newland, Sisters Williams and Woods, Elders Chatterton and Pace

Elder and Sister Stewart, Elder and Sister Matweyew,
Sister and Elder Ruse

The assistants performed again for this group.  You can tell the missionaries are into the performance.  Yes, they are snapping their fingers.

O Little Town of Bethlehem
Elders King, Pace, Potter and DeCosta

A medley of primary songs
Hermanas White and Eastman

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Sisters Thompson, Barnes and Proctor

First Noel
Hermana Huey

A Christmas Medley
Sisters Woods, Cox and Scoresby

O Emmanuel
Hermana Wallace

Mary, did you know?
Hermanas Wixcom, Young Elders Teeples, Driggs and Navarrete

Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains
Elders Chatterton, Teeples and Driggs

Silent Night (in Spanish)
Hermana Griffes

President Felix was the MC and managed to get a joke in

What Child is This?
Hermana Wixom, Sisters Unga and Hunsaker

These missionaries are so talented and accompanied some of the singers
Elder Lewis

Sister Arndt
After the program we went back into the chapel for a closing devotional presented by President Felix.  Power point and videos were shown.

We love your missionaries and are so grateful we could feel of the Christmas Spirit with them.

We are blessed to be in the Great California Ventura mission serving with so many wonderful missionaries!

Christmas 2014

Thank you to all who were so generous in helping provide for the missionaries this Christmas.

Elder and Sister Ruse sorting packages.  Fortunately because of the two devotionals we were able to take packages to the devotionals and missionaries picked their packages up.  We still had some packages arrive on Christmas Eve so the Ruses and Felixes delivered.

Next year we're hoping all packages will be mailed directly to the missionary at his/her apartment.

We hope you all had a wonderful phone call with your missionary.  They were excited for "the calls." 

The mission was divided into the north and south.  Tuesday and Wednesday we had Christmas devotionals.

Sister Felix and the missionaries discussed gospel analogies of the Polar Express after seeing a shortened version of the movie.  We don't think any of us will watch that movie again without remembering some of the analogies.

The following pictures are of Zones 1 - 4 which are:  San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, and both English and Spanish Ventura.

Lunch was catered by Bro Abbott.  Lunch was great with ham, augratin potatoes, green beens,  carrots, salad, rolls, and applie crisp ala mode.
Sisters Beatty and Hiapo

Elders Haines, Deem, Robinson, Rasband, Yager and Bartholomew

clockwise:  Elders Hamson, ?, Moreno, James, Ruby, Campbell, Harper and Gruwell

Hermana Zarate, Sisters Clark, Karatassos, Hermanas Tauiliili, AhMu and Miller

Elders Phillips, Jones, Hermanas Reyes, Keith, Elders Reed, Gregory, Trujillo and Clarkson

Elders Rosenlof, Hunt, Hokanson, Stewart, Sister Stewart, Elders Levitz, Hortin and Collard

Elders Kingrey, Rasband, Haines, ?, Gregory, Fagen, Hermana Cuevas, Sister Rasmussen, Elder Simpson

Elder Simpson, Sisters Wilson, Draney, AhMu, Ashworth...

Elder Elkington, Robinson, Hermana Justiniano, Elder Kanenwisher, Hermanas Miller, Killpack, Elder Fernandez, Sister Kemp, Elder Liddiard, Sisters Blake, Karatassos, Platt, Elders Forson, Law and Reed

Elders Summers, Hermana Gilchrist, Elder Harper, Sister Giambattista, Hermana Brown, Elders Goad, Soubie, Fyfee, Deem, Hortin, Hunt, Hull, Fridal and Davis

Elders Robinson, Payne, Sister Guthrie, Hermana Keith, Sister Hardman, Elder Hatman, ?, Sisters Beatty, Collings, Elders Rosenlof, Klingler, Davidson and Ruby

Elders Klingler, Davidson, Ruby, Sisters Clark, Reneer, Elders Shields, Epps, Santos, Hermana Jeronimo, Elder Jones, Hermana Hurley and Elder Collard

Elders Collard, Bartholomew, Spencer, Moreno, Hermana Winn, Sister Moure, Hermana Player, Sister Woodland and Elder Morwood

Elders Snyder, Yager, Carter, Sister Cox, Elders Spackman, Young, Hermanas Bennion, Young, Reyes and Elder DuPlessis

Missionaries volunteered to participate on the program.  We have many talented missionaries.  The following is the program:  

The assistants did a funny recitation and humorous rendition of Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.

The audience got into it.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Sisters Ashworth, Collings, Reneer and Dearden

Hermana Hurley ties balloons...

I know there are several pictures but even then I've been selective.  She not only ties and "designs" but she is so funny!  She had us ALL laughing.

She is holding a missionary.

President Felix is wearing his crown and Sister Felix's is being made.

President is telling a joke.  Elder Canzona joined in.

I left out the picture that I was laughing so hard.

District from Santa Maria

Angles We Have Heard on High
Martin, Giambattista, Guthrie, Stewart, Clark, Jones, Moreno, Young, Stewart

Silent Night
Elders Payne and Toa

O Holy Night
Hermanas Keith and Miller

He Sent His Son
Sister Woodland

O Come Emmanuel
Elders Robinson and Deem

Elders Mulford, Robinson and Deem

Sisters Karatassos and Clark

Away in a Manger
Sisters Kemp and Platt

What Child is This
Elders Law and Davidson

Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Sister Reneer, Hermanas Shepherd and AhMu

Have Yourself a Merry Christmas
Elder Cavazos

Look closely at her left eye
Hermanas Bennion and Hurley