OCR Text |
Show A2 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2008 - N E W S - Spanish Fork 280 North Main St. Spanish Fork, UT 84660 Lane Henderson Publisher Namon Bills Editor Dana Robinson . Assoc. Editor The Spanish Fork News is published each Wednesday for S37.50 per year in area and $41.50 out of area by J-Mart, 280 North Main St., Spanish Fork Utah 84660. Email stories to editor@spfo rk news .co m Email ads to ads@spforknews.com Call us at 794-4964 POSTMASTER Send address changes to Spanish Fork News 280 North Main St. Spanish Fork, Utah 84660 The entire content of this newspaper is Copyright © 2008 Spanish Fork News. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the editor or publisher. THE SPANISH FORK NEWS (USPS 024716) is published weekly for $37.50 per year by JMart Publishing, 280 North Main St., Spanish Fork, UT 84660. Periodicals Postage Paid at Spanish Fork, UT. POSTMASTER; Send address changes to The Spanish Fork News, 42 East 300 North, Spanish Fork, UT 84660. DEADLINES Weddings, anniversaries, missionaries, 1st birthdays, articles, photos, letters to the editor ,. ... . v . / Friday, 12 p.m.' ommunity ews Covering what matters mo'st Remembering 'Christ' in Christmas children to my heart as I sang, "I'm trying to be like Life After Birth Jesus; I'm following in his Janene Baadsgaaid ways. I'm trying to love as he did in all that I do and One Sunday the children say." The children in my class in my class of three-yearolds at church were having didn't know the words to a heated debate. During the that song and they didn't course of most Sunday les- appear to be watching the sons I am called many dif- chorister. One boy poked ferent names by my young his neighbor. One child students including Mommy crawled out the back of the or Hey You. I am comfort- folding chair and another able with all of these names started disrobing. Though but the children often feel it appeared they weren't they must educate their listening, they were. It ocfellow students about my curred to me that these "real" name which happens children were already like to be the one they like to Jesus. I was the one who needed to live the meaning call me. of that song. One tiny thin-boned litDuring his ministry Jesus tle girl took a deep breath, placed one hand on her often asked for the children hip, pointed the other at to be brought to him. Then her rowdy male classmates he told the adults to behold and stated emphatically, them with new eyes and be"Her name is Sister Baads- come like a child - humble, submissive, teachable and gaard!" quick to love and forgive. "No she's not," a boisJesus always had the time terous little boy answered jumping to his feet with his to love and bless people one fists forming punching ma- by one. Each soul received chines ready to defend his his individual time and atclaim. "Her name is Grand- tention. When all my children ma!7' were small, I could Another little boy with big blue eyes and long eye- never find baby Jelashes who rarely spoke sus in the nativity set whispered, "Her name is during the holiday season. I usually loteacher." cated the tiny porcelain That day at church we sang, I'm trying to be like babe in a manger tucked Jesus by Janice Kapp Perry. away under my daughter's The words welded those pillow or hidden under my son's bed. I finally understood that each of my children wanted baby Jesus for themselves. So I purchased a nativity set for each of them. When my children are young they call out to me in the blackness of their bedroom for comfort and reassurance when they feel lonely and scared. As adults my children call me on the phone when life is hard and they feel sad or afraid. I try to tell them what Jesus would say if he were on the other end of the line. Yet I always feel inadequate and limited in my ability to bless That each needs o w Jesus Christ gives hope to a confused world and to us. Because of Jesus we know love conquers fear and the meek will eventually inherit the earth. It doesn't matter what we call him but if we call him. Whether we call him Savior, "Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6) or simply friend - if we call him, we'll never be alone or comfortless again. Janene Baadsgaard is the author of many books including 15 Secrets to a Happy Home, Fam- ilies Who Laugh - Last, 0n the Roller Coaster Called Motherhood, Winter's Promise, Financial Freedom for LDS Families arid The LDS Mother's Almanac available at local book stores or on-line at www. springcreekbooks.com. Read her past columns.at www.janenebaadsgaar-d. blogspot.com. '' JllQ * • • * . - •«*..- Serving around the world The meaning of Christmas Ron and Patty Dunn ARMENIA YEREVAN MISSION To Our Family and Friends, December 12, 2008 We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year! Eighteen months have flown by. Life is busy, interesting, challenging, and very rewarding. Our missionaries continue to serve with enthusiasm and dedication in spite of challenging living conditions and occasional political unrest. They are amazing young men and women of faith and honor. They are truly anxiously engaged in the work of the Lord and we love serving with them. The people of Armenia and Georgia are very gracious and kind to us. They have endured much adversity and in spite of their many trials, are able to keep moving forward, ever trying to make their lives better. We have established strong bonds of friendship that will be everlasting. We miss our family and friends but we are happy to be serving in this assign- ment at this very interesting time. If there are any among you who would like to have an adventure of a life time, we can always use more missionary couples. You would love the people and the work is incredibly rewarding. We promise it would be a positive, personally satisfying, and life-altering experience. Thank you for your love and support. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers in our behalf. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season of peace, faith, and giving. Courtesy photo GREETINGS FROM ABROAD: Ron and Patty Dunn are serving a mission in Armenia. canes, four pair of socks, etc.) and delivering it to Galloping Geezer someone we thought would Gary Davis be both pleased and surprised. Most of those years "What do you want for we delivered the goods every night for 12 nights, ringChristmas this year?" "Nothing," I replied, and ing the bell and running for 1 meant it. I live in a com- cover. That was hazardous fortable house, sleep in a duty in icy weather. One warm bed, have food for family we know passed out my table, too many clothes $100 dollar bills to people in my closet and a car that who looked badly in need starts every time I want it of some help. This year I felt privileged to. Our four children are all to donate some money to a married and have families of their own so I won't be niece. Kinsey is a student at up on Christmas eve putting BYU and spent this semestogether toys with, "some ter in Romania working in assembly required." Most an orphanage. She asked important of all, my wife is for donations to buy gifts recovering nicely from her for the oiphan children. I cancer surgery and subse- think Jesus would approve quent chemo treatments. I of that. don't really need anything A few years ago, while and the passing years have serving as a missionary at brought a modicum of wis- the Referral Center in the dom along with some per- Provo MTC, I came in conspective which has reduced tact, via email, with George my wants to a low ebb. If Sanji, who lives in Shinyanthe economy is depending ga, Tanzania. At the time, on people like me for a re- George's father was dybound, we're in heap deep ing of cantrouble. cer and I shared When you're young, with him Christmas is all about "what's in this for me?" If you happen, along life's path, to pick up an actual understanding of what the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ truly means for each of us, Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman don't seem very important. For many years, we had a tradition in our family of assembling a box full of goodies representing the 12 days of Christmas, (five candy derstanding of the purpo'se of life and my faith that h'e would see his father again. He found comfort in that. Later, he lost a niece to malaria and came close to dying himself of the same disease. George and I continue to communicate with one another every few week's. When I helped him out with a hospital bill recently, he sent me an email overfloyying with gratitude, "G6d bless you a million times," he wrote. I liked that better than a new bike. My youngest offspring lives in Chile with his family. Last Christmas he and his wife took their three children to visit some poor families and give presents to the children. At die time their son was two; the daughters were seven an'd five. When they had finished making their round's, dad asked the girls if they had enjoyed their gift giving. "No," came the unanimous reply. It takes a while to get trie picture. Some never do. Email- ipil940@msn. com |