What a marvelous week, we are at the visitors center every day and it has been wonderful. We see many tender mercies and feel such a wonderful spirit as we serve there.  We served at the family history center on Weds. morning and were able to get many errands accomplished this week and also finish our assignment of the Christmas gifts all the senior missionaries went together to get for President and Sister Matsumori. 

The Visitors Center was a bustle of activity as so many people came to celebrate with us. The Nativity room is always a popular site and all of the new interactive displays are very popular as well.

 This week at the visitors center we had these performances: Each group performs at 7:00 & 8:00 and if needed they will perform at 9:00 also.

• A triple performance by Jenny Oaks Baker.  She always has a packed house.
• The Brass of the Potomac. The Brass of the Potomac is comprised of over 30 professional musicians from around the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area pulling its talent from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. BOTP is an all-volunteer group based in Northern Virginia, performing full-scale concerts

Brass of the Potomac

• Rockville Swing Band: The Big Band is Back. Under the musical direction of Rob Putt, the Rockville Swing Band brings together a unique group of talented musicians of all ages from the greater Washington D.C. Community who play together during weekly rehearsals and performances. This exciting mix of musical talent performs contemporary jazz big band arrangements as well as traditional swing charts from the Golden Era.

Rockville Swing Band
• McDonough High School - Madrigal Lords and Ladies:  Dressed as Lords and Ladies, singing beautiful Christmas music.. they had a wonderful time as they performed, both song and verse. 

Madrigal Choir

• Capitol Carillion (bell choir) The 15 members of the Capital Carillon handbell choir have professional careers in design, education, business, technology, banking, government, science, and the private sector. All are experienced musicians who are auditioned annually by the director. Many of the members play additional instruments, including organ, piano, flute, recorder, trumpet, and violin.
• Suzuki Assoc. of the Greater Washington DC Area - flute Ensemble - This is a group of 100 talented youth from 4 to 18 years of age.. They played beautiful Christmas music and it was so fun to watch each of them, from the littlest to the older ones.
• Gene Summers and Rebecca Takemoto (vocalists) Tonight as I sat down to watch the concert, I looked on the stage at Gene Summers and thought "I know him".. I asked someone if he was from Calvert Ward and they said yes and then I knew that it was the same man that I had heard sing a couple times before when I was serving down in Southern Maryland. He has the most amazing voice and I have told him before that if he had a CD I would buy it.  I found out that he and Rebecca both attended the same college and were in the music dept. and sang together there and have performed for many years since.. They were wonderful. 

Every night for the last 25 years of the Festival of Lights, Chris Brewer has been the greeter outside at the top of the steps as people come up to the Visitors Center. He hasn't missed a night in the 25 years, cold, rain, snow he is still out there from 5:00 to 10:00 every night. Some people he has talked to every year for many years. He has so many wonderful touching stories to share with us each day in our prayer meeting that is held just before we all start our shift.  This week he shared a story about a young woman who had been coming to the festival of lights for many years.. this year she brought her boyfriend and she was so excited to introduce him to Brother Brewer. When they came out of the visitors center, her boyfriend asked if he would take a picture of them and as they got all posed and Brother Brewer was ready to snap the picture the young man got down on one knee and proposed and of course the young woman said YES.. they asked Brother Brewer if he would be a witness at their wedding.. It had us all in tears as he told us the story.. He has young families come up to him and tell him that they used to come and talk to him when they were kids and now they are bringing their families.. He is truly a wonderful blessing to all those who come to visit the festival with his smile and beautiful spirit..

Chris Brewer

 

 We went out on Saturday morning to head over to the College Park ward to participate in a service project and my car wouldn't start.  I had one of the men in our apartment building Elder Dickey come take a look and he couldn't figure it out.. so I called Midas and have an appointment for Monday.. then I called AAA to get them to tow me to the garage.. keep your fingers crossed it isn't too $$$$$..

 This week I learned that one of my favorite uncles passed away.. I received Albert Choules as my uncle when I married Kent, but I feel like he is my uncle and not just by marriage. He was such an important part of our lives from the time we got married and moved to Phoenix, as a young couple and then as a young family. He and Aunt Rosemary were like our folks away from home.  He served as Scottsdale Stake President, an area Seventy, New York Mission President and Mesa Arizona Temple President.  He will be missed by so many, but what a wonderful reunion there must have been in heaven with his beloved Rosemary and his older brother Tom and his parents..

 It was a very good week and we are 1/3 of the way through Festival..

"Life is not meant to be appreciated only in retrospect. 'This is the day which the Lord hath made … ,' the Psalmist wrote. 'Rejoice and be glad in it.'  No matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it." --President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Have a wonderful week..