Millar Moments: IT'S NOVEMBER....IT'LL BE CHRISTMAS BEFORE WE KNOW IT

It's hard to believe it is already November. The days are getting shorter now that we are off daylight saving's time. It's colder, too, usually freezing each night and coat weather during the day even when the sun is shining.

The first weekend was a realization of plans made last month at our Russia Moscow Mission reunion. Kayla Hunter and Tara (Simmons) Brown arranged to have several of our former missionaries come up on Saturday evening. We had a light dinner of barbecue beef sandwiches, chips, fruit, and vegetables for 24 of us. Thirteen of our Russian missionary who served in our district were able to attend. Many are married now so we were able to meet their companions. Elder (Cache) Jewkes brought his beautiful wife and twin baby girls. What a difference a few years makes in all our lives. Also in attendance were Val and Tahir, friends from Russia, who are now living in Salt Lake City. We had such a good time eating and visiting. Sister (Lyndsi) Tolbert, Sister (Kayla) Hunter, Val and Tahir, and Sister (Tara Simmons) Brown and her husband (Chase) stayed later and visited until after midnight. Hunter and the Browns spent the night and left before we had to leave for a church meeting on Sunday. So fun to fill our home with our former young missionaries.

On the second Tuesday of the month, we had the privilege of attending the Provo City temple with Bret Tandy. At the end of October, he was reinstated in full fellowship in the church, was given a calling and a temple recommend. We taught him and his son, at the Stake President's request, for about two and a half month. It was a special experience to be able to share this culminating event in the temple with Bret. It had been over 10 years since he had been in the temple. That is what brings us so much joy as we serve this mission.

The girls and Casey practicing their song
for sacrament meeting

By the 10th of November, we were in Eugene, Oregon for Charlotte's missionary farewell. We flew in on Friday and spent Saturday getting everything ready for the open house celebration for Charlotte Sunday night. Sunday was her farewell and it was an incredible meeting. Casey spoke on the Savior's atonement and how we need to put all our sins on the conveyor belt for the Savior and He will take care of all of them if we adequately repent. The Westover girls then sang an amazing song about our Savior and His great gift to us. Charlotte was the concluding speaker and blew us all out of the water. Her talk was the best farewell address we have ever heard. As we left the meeting we all felt we had been spiritually fed.

That evening many of the ward and stake members, as well as Charlotte's high school friends, dropped by the Westover's home to say their good byes to Charlotte. Their home was filled with lots of people, all wanting to wish Charlotte well. At the end of the evening, the stake president dropped by to set her apart. After offering some beautiful advice, he set Charlotte apart and gave her a very special blessing. Such an amazing day.

Charlotte giving special gifts to her family

Charlotte with the stake president and his wife
after being set apart.

On Monday, we flew home and then found ourselves back at the airport the next morning to pick up Charlotte. She would be staying in our home till we took her to the MTC Wednesday afternoon. We brought her home to relax a bit before taking her to Provo to meet her Westover cousins for lunch. We were back home in Heber by 4 so we could fix dinner for Jon and Mindi and family. We had invited them to come have dinner and say their goodbyes to Charlotte. It was a great evening, especially as Charlotte bore her testimony as to why she was serving a mission.

Picking up Charlotte at the airport

The Westover's good friend Pamela and her daughter were
at the airport to surprise Charlotte.

Charlotte's cousins

Jon's family with Charlotte

The next morning we left in time to stop at the temple to take some pictures and then to meet Todd and Kailee and Taylor for lunch at Olive Garden. (That's a Millar tradition before dropping off a missionary at the MTC.) We had a great visit and soon it was time to drop Charlotte off. We stopped at the field in front of the temple for some last minute pictures and then drove her to the MTC. It was so organized with the new facility. We were directed to drive down into the parking garage and, as we drove in, a sister missionary met us, took Charlotte's luggage, gave us time to say good bye, and then took Charlotte into the building. Just like that she was in the MTC.

The sweet missionary who picked Charlotte up
as we dropped her off.

And she's off.....

Charlotte's district pointing to Pennsylvania Pitsburg Mission

Picture taken from Facebook
post as I failed to get a picture
of them when they were in our home.

That Sunday, we had Garrett and Kristen Fuller to dinner. They have moved to Heber and have even bought a home in the Red Ledges development. They had been living in Puerto Rico until the devastating hurricanes hit and put the island into a state of emergency. It will be months until it is livable again, so in the meantime, the Fullers bought a home here. They will spend summers here and winters in Puerto Rico when the island gets back to normal. We enjoyed visiting with them and getting to know their darling three little boys.

Left to right: Elders Terry, Carpenter, Hernandez and Morales

The Utah Provo mission white washed our districts here in Heber. The Spanish elders as well as our English elders were all transferred to new areas which meant we got 4 new elders to serve in our area. Elder Terry will be training Elder Carpenter, who is brand new to the field. Elders Hernandez and Morales will take over in the Spanish branch. Change is good. These elders seem to be really sharp and we expect the work will begin to prosper.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving we were invited to attend Michael McClain's Forgotten Carols. They were holding a dress rehearsal at the high school and we were told we could come and invite anyone we were teaching. We tried the Goodrichs but they realized they had a conflicting activity. We, then, invited Jessie who said she could come but then canceled out just an hour before the performance. Even though we had no one to take, we decided to go any way. We were so glad we did as it was an incredible performance and truly brought the Christmas spirit into our lives.

Thanksgiving morning brought our traditional tea ring and scrambled eggs even though it was just Paul and I for breakfast. Later that afternoon, we traveled to Jon and MIndi's to share Thanksgiving dinner with them and her family. We were glad we didn't have to spend it by ourselves and I especially was grateful I only had to make rolls and an apple pie. It was a good afternoon.

Olivia and Carly singing with their cousin

Dinner is served - turkey and ham and all the trimmings

Misty playing Fooz ball

Friday night we invited Sandra Verbino and her daughter, Misty to come have dinner with us and then watch a movie. We made individual pizzas, visited a bit and then watched 'Love Kennedy.' It was a great movie but Misty didn't like it because, in the end, the little girl dies. We'll have to find another time to watch a movie Misty will enjoy.

By Saturday we were out shopping to take advantage of the Black Friday sales. We had decided we wanted a new television and so went to Best Buy and bought a 60 inch one that fits beautifully in the cut out area above our fireplace. The picture is beautiful and we don't have to worry about our TV breaking down. Our old one was 11 years old so we were concerned about it. We ended up giving it to Katrina Baird and her husband who were just buying a new home and needed another television.