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Show -NEWS- 10 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2006 Spanish Fork Covering what matters most CHRISTMAS MEMORY: Finding Christmas in Minnesota Gary Davis STAFF WRITER lunch. There were two bright eyed young boys around seven and nine, plus a younger sister in addition It was a bitter cold December to the mom, baby and father. The day in 1958. The shallow snow mood of the parents was somber. made a squeaking sound beneath We soon learned that dad was out of our feet as we approached the small work and winter in a small fanning frame house on the outskirts of New community was not a time or place Ulm, Minnesota. Though it was where jobs were easy to find. This the Christmas season, no lights or explained why pancakes were being served for lunch. garland decorated this home. A woman holding a baby' I don't recall anything my answered the door. We introduced companion or I said that day, but ourselves as representatives of the I do remember the look in that Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- father's eyes. The look of hollow day Saints and asked if we could desperation. A man staring at share a message about the Savior Christmas while wondering where with them. She invited us in and we next months rent was coming from joined the family around the kitchen and children who had likely already table where they were having been prepared for a day when there would be no presents to open. Leaving that home, Elder Black and I headed back to our apartment for lunch, wondering aloud what kind of Christmas it would be for that young family and decided to do something to make it better. At our apartment, we discovered the postman had delivered a large box of goodies for my companion from some of his many relatives in Blanding, Utah. There was a ham, and cookies and other assorted home made delights. That afternoon we went shopping at the local department store, where we ran into a couple from our branch. We told them why we were there and Orville Seivert immediately shoved his large weathered hand into his back pocket, pulled out his with one of the new games.Their wallet and handed us ten dollars for sister was lovingly attending to her doll.The parents weren't at home the cause. We purchased plaid flannel shirts but as we prepared to leave. Elder for the boys and a doll for the girl Black asked, plus some games and a few toys. "Did you have a nice Late Christmas Eve, the Seivert's Christmas?" came by to pick us up we loaded the "You bet!" came the beaming presents, the ham from Utah, and reply. enough food for a hardy Christmas Neither of us spoke for a while dinner and headed for the white as we crunched our way along frame house. We placed the goods the frozen sidewalk in that small inside a screened in porch at the rear Minnesota town. Finally, I broke of the house and made our escape the silence, undetected. "Have a nice Christmas, Elder?" A few days later we knocked "You bet," he replied. again on the door of that house. The oldest boy answered, he was Note: Hal Black lives now in wearing his new flannel shirt, as Mapleton and teaches at BYU. Gary wad his brother who sat on the floor Davis lives in Salem. Your local commercial driving school J6bs available! 687-2326 ^ J HOLI DAYiPREPARATIONsl \WE;D;LIJCEjTG^TAKE^TI%ErOUTTO^JSH'AL OF OUR'SUPP'ORTERS THE VERY MERRIEST HOLIDAY SEASON ON RECORD! THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS YEAR A BRIGHT ONE FOR US. ' CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DEC. 27-28 LIGHT REFRESHEMENTS WILL BE SERVED anciia FRQM ALL-QF YOUR FRIENDS AT Remember, your next office could have 18 Wheels. |