B-R-R-R-R-R-R-R in DC

      We started out this week waiting on the storm of the century.. Hurricane Sandy was on the path to head right into DC..then a cold front was joining it and also a huge storm from the west.. All officials have said it would be a big storm and one for the record books. We spent the day watching the TV to keep up to date on the time it would hit landfall. We had our overnight bags packed ready to evacuate if necessary and were all stocked up on water, food, flashlights and our cars were filled with gas.  The Governor had advised everyone to stay put and stay off the roads for 24 to 36 hours.  It started raining early in the day and poured rain all day. We received  around 7 to 10 inches of rain during this storm and wind gusts up to 70 mile per hour. When I went to bed on Monday night the wind sounded like a train right outside my window. I kept looking at the clock to see if it was on and that meant we still had power.  Even though we had lots of wind and rain it wasn't nearly as bad here as was predicted.  Huge trees were down and lots of small trees and branches but nothing like they had in New Jersey and New York. I am so thankful.

       This month we started working in the Visitors Center at the Temple.  Every year from Thanksgiving to New Years the VC is decked out in holiday glam, 650,000 lights adorn the trees and bushes outside the building.  It is the Festival of Lights and it is so beautiful.  We are working on setting up the huge room filled with about 85 nativity sets.  The coordinator Julia has it all organized and we are working for her. Wednesday was our first day, due to the storm.. when we arrived they were putting fabric on the walls as a background for the nativities.  The center of the room was filled with crates, boxes, and lots and lots of Christmas trees in all sizes.  We got the tables all set around the room and draped in black cloth and got the trees fluffed and lit and sitting on the tables.  We hung some beautiful pictures of the Nativity around the room also.  

 

The room when we arrived

 

 

 Some of the beautiful pictures we hung

 

Julia the coordinator this year for the Nativity display

      Each day when we go in Julia lets us know how we can help. On Thursday there were about 8 people there all working hard and we joined in to help.  

      We still work at the Family History Center every Wednesday from 9:30 to 1:00. I am learning more and more each day and love it.  It is so much fun to research my ancestors and see what I can find and who I can find.

      On Thursday we also visited Barbara, our friend in the assisted living facility.  She is always so excited for us to come. She is sitting in the small parlor in her wheel chair waiting for us to arrive. We spend about an hour with her and answer any questions she has and read the scriptures with her. Such a truly wonderful sister.

      Friday we spent the entire day at the VC working on steaming the many different beautiful fabrics that are used under each of the nativity sets. We also unpacked sets and replaced lights that were burnt out on the some of the trees, and helped Julia  in any way she needed us. It was a full day and so fulfilling. Each time someone walked in the room they were so thrilled with all the work we have accomplished so far.

 getting started with the nativity's

 

      I was asked by the Visitors Center director if I would be in charge of the meals that are brought in each day during the festival of lights to feed the 30 young sister missionaries and 10 adults who serve at the center every day.  The meals are provided each day by the local wards (congregations of the church) and I will make sure they are heated and that they have everything that goes with the meal and then that it is served and then cleaned up each day. Each one of the senior couples choose a day that they provide the meal for a day. Sister Wege and I are providing the meal on December 1st.

      Saturday was a catch up day for us, we stayed in and did chores and caught up. We did go out to Bethesda for lunch, what a neat area. I hadn't been there before and it is really a bustling little part of DC.. We wanted to go to "5 Guys", for lunch and that was the nearest one.. Great burgers and fries..

      Our Sunday started at leaving home about 6:45 a.m. to head to our first meeting of the day.  We had great church services and set up some visits for after church.  We first visited with Jadesola. She is from Nigeria and is in school here in DC. She is getting her degree in  Criminal Justice and then wants to go on and get her Masters in Criminal Forensics or get her Law degree.



 Jadesola

Yvonne was our next visit and she was very excited to have us visit. She has a long time friend Nicole living with them now.  When Yvonne came to the US from Africa she lived with a sponsor family and that family had adopted Nicole from an orphanage in Africa. So they have known each other for a long time. Yvonne is now married and working and Nicole (age 20) is coming from New York to live with them so she can go to school & get an education and work. Nicole said her mother home schooled her while she was growing up and in talking to her she is a very smart young woman. We had a wonderful visit with them both. 



 Nicole & Yvonne

      This coming week we have another week filled with nativity sets and trees at the visitors center and are looking forward to it. The visitors center has been going under major renovation and they are working around the clock to get finished by Thanksgiving, when the Festival of Lights begins.  So it is a busy place to be.

Everyone have a wonderful week and drop me a note sometime.. I love to get them from you.