My zone sang Far,
Far Away on Judea’s Plains
and I
Stand All Amazed
in Spanish. The zone leaders of the Eastside San Jose Zone were Span Ams (Spanish speaking elders) and according to at least one of them, I Stand All Amazed is tons better in Spanish.
After each the performances of each zone, we broke for lunch. My trainer, and an elder who was with us in my first apartment, came and sat with me and my current companion. My trainer and I had not gotten along very well when we were together, but a few weeks before Christmas he sent me a card in which he thanked me for what he learned from our time together. That Christmas Eve at lunch we had a nice conversation; I couldn't get over how friendly he was being. Meanwhile, as part of reaching for a goal I had set to become more outgoing, I tried to take advantage of the opportunity to make conversation.
After lunch we had a surprise speaker, President Howard W. Hunter, who had some family in the area. President
Hunter had an informal, friendly chat with us about some of the neat
things that are going on in the church. For example, while the church did not have official recognition in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), some citizens in that country had found a priesthood leadership manuel and some other church materials and wanted to organize a branch inside the country. Because the church was not recognized by the government, they could not baptize these people or organize a branch, but the church was looking for ways to help these individuals without breaking they laws of Myanmar.
After his remarks, those of us who wished to lined up to shake his hand. When
I shook his hand I had the feeling that he would be the next
president of the church. At the time, President Hunter was in a wheelchair due to some health issues he was experiencing; at recent General Conferences he gave his addresses while sitting down. Some of my fellow missionaries were not sure when I told them of the impression I had recieved. Nonetheless, a few years after I came home from my mission, President Hunter did become president of the church. While he was the president only a short time, his example and teachings were endearing to many. President Hunter would pass away not long after the dedication of a temple in my hometown, Bountiful, Utah.
The Christmas Conference was an opportunity to talk to missionaries I had not seen in awhile, from old companions and apartment mates, to some elders who were with me in the MTC. After the conference, my companion and I went to a dinner appointment with a family in the ward we were assigned to. After dinner we play Pictionary with the two older daughters who slaughtered us . . . seriously, it was not pretty.
The next morning, Sunday and Christmas Day, we went a combined Sacrament Meeting for three wards. After the meeting we stopped by the home of the ward mission leader and watched his family open their presents; they found a few candy bars to give to us as presents. Then it was off to lunch with another member family. After eating we played another game, Whatzit, where you try to guess names or phrases from jumbled up images. I had a difficult time with this game because it helps to talk it out as you try to guess, and I'm just not that verbal. Otherwise, a fun time was had by all. After dinner that night, with yet another member family, we stopped by the bishop's home on our way back to our apartment.
All in all, it was a good Christmas.
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