'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all throughout Shillville,
All the creatures were stirring, even Joe, Grant and Jill Shill.
The Roberts were hosting the whole family herd.
With the Elders there also to give the good word

Jakob and Tyler, will each eat their weight,
And Mitchell will too, but mostly in cake.
David, McKayla, and Morgan will all dig in quick,
And Grant will entertain with his latest new trick

We’ll eat yummy stuff and then talk for a while,
Sing a few songs and do it with style
Flip through the channels and then walk the looong way,
Back to the homestead to await Santa’s Sleigh,

The cousins will soon be all huddled in bed.
And they’ll sleep for awhile, at least that's what they said.
“Dad, Mom, Santa Claus came” They’ll say.
When 30 minutes earlier we’d just hit the hay.

Jordan is in training and will sorely be missed.
But he’s been a good boy and is on Santa’s list.
No phone call to the family is a small price to pay,
For the honor of serving Him whom we honor this day.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

AN “AWFUL” BEGINNING TO THE WEEK

This week was an awesome Lehi Tradition that we all love. The Connolly Awful Waffle Eat and Run. The Connolly Family has been doing this for over 30 years. Anybody who shows up at the Connolly’s house gets Green and Red waffles and sausage. We love going and seeing old friends and neighbors that we don’t see often enough. The line stretched out their front door and down the walkway and into the street. This is one of the reasons that Lehi Living is the best.

For mutual this week the youth went around singing to elderly, widow and homebound people in our ward. McKayla and the younger kids went on a hay ride and stopped at several places in the ward where they sang carols and gave out cinnamon rolls. The Priests and Laurels went to some other homes in cars doing the same thing. They had a little smaller group and were able to go inside most of the homes and spend a little time there. Jake played his guitar for the group. It was wonderful to see the happiness that the Young Men and Women brought into the homes of the people they visited. Afterwards we hung out around the fire and had hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls.

Jake was also in Westwood High Schools Christmas program and did a great job. He played the guitar for one song, the drum on a second and the cymbals on a third. He has a great talent for music. You can see the choir perform on Christmas morning on channel 10.

Jordan reports that he is working hard to learn Italian and loves being at the MTC. We miss him, especially at this time of year, but know the gifts he will be giving over the next two years are the most important. His letters and pictures can be found at http://www.missionsite.net/elderjordanshill/letters

David was able to go Christmas Caroling with the youth and then again with the Cub Scouts the next night. He is growing like a weed and eating like a horse. He had his Birthday this week and is now a Weblo. He got a compound bow for his birthday and has been getting to be a pretty good shot. (I am not ready to stand in front of him with an apple on my head, but he can hit the target).

Of course McKayla and David had Christmas concerts too and at the same time. I am sure that it takes careful planning to get all the concerts on the same night!

My brother Joe has decorated a large mesquite tree in the field in green and red lights. From the Mesa drive it looks like a lone tree in all lit up with nothing around it. The strand of lights leading down the fence line toward the tree makes the scene reminiscent of Lehi’s Dream in the Book of Mormon.

Merrrrrry Christmas, Ro Ro Ro