Our Christmas Call and Christmas Update!

Dear family,

I know many of you are interested in our call with Scott.  It has taken me a few days to sit down and write about it mainly because when I talk about it I still get emotional.  It was the best part of Christmas to SEE him and to be on a conference video call with Taralynn, Kory and Bowen as well.  Our family was "together" for that hour and it felt so good!

Scott LOOKED GREAT.  He was using his favorite blue blanket to keep him warm as he sat in the Branch President's office (at the church) to talk to us.  For him, it was December 26, at 9:00 a.m.  For us, it was December 25, at 10 p.m.  His companion, Elder Reed, was also in the room, though we never saw him!  He said hello and that Scott’s Russian is excellent! 

Here are a few highlights of the call.... in no particular order!

• They spent Christmas with the other elders and sisters in their zone, playing games (ping pong and others) and eating. The senior couple in the zone made the main food and the missionaries also brought "pot luck."  Scott's companion made peanut butter squares (Scott said he helped as he could!).  They went to a WWII museum, which Scott said was interesting.
• I got the feeling that those missionaries in the zone live pretty spread out so it was fun for them all to be together on Christmas.  They stayed with some other elders on Christmas Eve.  He said there is a set of sisters that live fairly close and that is all.  In fact, later that day, they planned on helping the sisters get a kitchen table and other things for their apartment.
• The branch is small.  He said that Sunday they had the biggest turnout so far--about 20 in attendance.  The branch president's family is just him and his wife and an older son.  They also have an older daughter but she is away at school in Utah.  He said there are older men in the branch and then single sisters (ages 20-30) mostly.  He has not had to speak in church yet, but it is probably coming soon!
• He does have sheets on his bed...but his bed is BIG--like two mattresses together and he only has one sheet set so he just sleeps on one and the other mattress is sheet-less!
• He is warm.  His coat that he brought is "fine."  Only his feet get cold!  (We hope he buys some warmer shoes/boots REALLY soon!).  When he goes out he says he wears ear-warmer pulled up as far as it can go and his beanie down so all that is showing is his eyes. Someone commented to him that he looks like a German soldier.
• They mostly go to the city and talk to people on the street to find contacts.  "Knocking doors" doesn't work so well in Russia as it is hard to even get into the buildings unless you know someone.
• They have one investigator right now.  He has been an investigator for a while and would like to join the church but his wife is not in favor of it.  They talk to him (and his wife) every week and he does go to church.  It sounds like they have a good relationship with this family.
• The English teacher they met on the street (from a recent letter) has not gotten in touch with them again.  Though another set of missionaries had a similar experience with an English teacher so hopefully they will be able to help her and her class. 
• The mission president is nice.  They just implemented a new "rule" where you speak Russian on the street NO MATTER WHAT, even just missionary to missionary.  During personal and companion study time, also, much is done in Russian.  Scott said this is really good.
• He received some dearelder mail and one card (from the Shields) but no other mail or Christmas package or letters :(.  He is not sure how often he will get the mail from the mission home but that is still the best, and only way to send him something.  Keep the dearelder letters coming as he enjoyed them when he got them!
• He wanted to hear about our Christmas, about the Suns and NBA season and Grandpa next door updated him on UofA--the most important news!  He asked about the ward and got to talk to Hunter and Cannon. 
• He is eating and they can get pretty much everything they need.  They even found peanut butter the other day!  (What is it with peanut butter and missionaries??)
• We told him that the Mainland China mission call was a rumor (memo sent to seminary/institute teachers, and secretary, Marki, confirmed the rumor).  He didn't believe us at first, but then did.  We had heard that the missionaries in his mission could watch Russian cartoons to help with their language study.  I asked about that and he said that was okay with the previous mission president but has since changed.
• He spoke a little Russian for us and again said that it was fun to learn and improving everyday.

Here's a bit about our Christmas here also...

• FAMILY in town!  I missed Taralynn, Kory, Bowen and Scott A LOT, but we were lucky to have Jay's sisters and their families all here.  It was so much fun to be together!  Our house and Mel's was full!  Just as it should be at Christmas time :)  
• Jay and Jason went skiing (meeting up with friends) the weekend before Christmas.  THREE boys came home with broken bones.  Ouch!  Happy it wasn't either of them but bummer for those boys.
• Service with a smile!  We got to wrap, wrap, wrap, helping a family.  No better way to feel the Christmas spirit than through service.  Many hands made the work light!
• Lots of good food!  Mexican for Christmas Eve!  Cinnamon rolls, hot chocolate for Christmas morning!  Ham/potatoes and a divine green salad with pears for Christmas day.  Sweets and snacks continually!  Again, many hands made the work light!
• Christmas morning began at seven!  We had a crowd in Grandpa's living room!  Unwrapping took a few hours!  "Santa Mella" always does a fine job! 
• Sister missionaries came over for lunch Christmas day!  It was fun hearing about their phone call as I was still anticipating mine--that was still NINE hours away!
• Christmas movie tradition--saw LesMiserables this year!  What a wonderful message - my favorite message?  "To love another person is to see the hand of God."

The company has been slowly leaving.  It is better having them leave in shifts than all at once!  Life will be back to normal too soon!  The best part of normal will be Scott's letters on MONDAYS! 

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that your families are well and happy.

Christmas night I lay in bed and summarized the season this way…

1.     We began the Christmas season early in the month with an Andreasen 12 Days of Service.  Jill compiled it all, beginning with these choice words... And it came to pass that the Andreasen Family members were in the same country, yea, the same United States, and lo, they desired to do service for the space of two weeks. And this, in part, is the service they did...

2.    Christmas Eve, after we knelt in family prayers we read Luke 2.  In part we were reminded that…She brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

3.     Christmas night, I felt a little like Mary, as I lay pondering on the season and the joy I had felt throughout…and I kept all these things, and pondered them in my heart.  This is what life is all about!

How grateful I am for this Christmas season!  The Savior lives!  Families are Forever! 

And Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured!

With love always,  

 Lori