Since we are 3 hours closer to Times Square in New York City we stayed up and watched the ball drop on New Year's Eve. Our atomic clock proves the fact. Note that the outside temperature was over 50 degrees. We are having a winter heatwave. 2010 was a great year and we know 2011 will be wonderful too. We have been on missions on January 1 in the years: 2004, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Elder Millet won the prize (cheer, cheer, cheer) for the biggest Scrabble score yet: 123 points. I had just put down a 7-letter word TOWAGES. He then put down DETESTS which gave him a triple word score both ways: 27 for Detests, 36 for Stowages, 50 for a 7-letter word, and he also got 3 for DO, 2 for EN, and 5 for SLAG. Good going Elder Millet.

We received so many lovely Christmas gifts. We enjoyed Troy and Leslie's 12 day package; wondered why we received toilet paper from Roger and Leanne since they did not add the cute message; loved all the goodies from everyone; new bread pans from Marie; President Monson's "To The Rescue" from Marla; and this edible arrangement from Tom and Joette. Lori's package was appreciated as an after Christmas special. Thank, many thanks to all. We had a great Christmas.

Elder Millet and I wrapped up 48 of these little gifts and passed them out to whomever we chatted with on our way here and there. In addition to a package of M&S's and the cute poem we had a flyer for the Kirtland Stake Nativity Display, which was wonderful with over 700 nativities. It was fun for us to see if we could give 48 of them during the month of December and we did!

Our Christmas Mission Conference included a sacrament meeting at the Kirtland Temple. Each missionary had an opportunity to bear their testimony in the temple. What a choice experience.

I am slow in posting the pictures of our beautiful lobby. The Christmas decorations were lovely. It is wonderful to live in such a marvelous apartment complex.