18 Months in Lumberton: January 2016

January 2, 2016

The Maung's gave the sisters Karenni outfits for Christmas. They all decided to wear their Karenni clothing to church that week. Both Myo and Esther asked me to wear the Karenni shirt.
Sherry Lay, S. Higgins, Myo Aung, Esther Lay, S. Skalla, me

Once again, Sister Maung wanted her picture with me.

Esther and me

NEW YEAR'S DAY
January 1, 2016

Picture of the food we had. It was one of the first times I didn't dislike the food. I didn't have to put any on Ned's plate.

I guess Robert Barnes thought he needed to be in all the pictures. He sat down and didn't move.
This is the Maung family: Kolay Maung, Sare Krue - in front.
Esther Lay, Sherry Lay, Naw Lay, Christina Lay & Sue Reh

Pure Reh is always being funny. He grabbed the vase of flowers before we took the picture.
MiMi (Juleice), Bu Reh, Oo Meh
Ma Meh, Seilice, Pure Reh

Tin Myoe, Christopher, May Aung
Mo Neh, San Lai, Myo Aung

Zung Heih, Nang Tan, Mercy
Kun Tu, Nang Shi

Christina Lay, Me, Soe Meh, Nang Tan
Tin Myoe, Ma Meh, Sare Krue (Sister Maung)

Kolay Maung (Brother Maung) Ned
May Aung, Pure Reh, Zung Heih

These sweet sisters wanted their picture taken with me.
Tin Myoe, on the left. I heard she wanted to cut her hair short like mine. It used to be a lot longer.
Sister Maung, on the right.

The missionaries playing games with the children.

Ned and Seilice

I wore this Karenni shirt because the May Aung family had given it to me. All of them were tickled to see me with a Karenni shirt on.

CHRISTMAS DAY
December 25, 2015

The missionaries brought their gifts from home to open at our place.

This is Elder Bush. He'd only been out about 2 1/2 weeks.

Eating cake. I made a gluten free cake mix so that E. Smith could have dessert too.

E. Harris, E. McMillan, E. Bush, E. Smith, Us, S. Higgins, S. Skalla

Always doing something to make us laugh. E. Harris was seeing if he could fit this huge bite of cake in his mouth. We were all so full that we didn't really have room for cake, but one can't have Christmas dinner without dessert.

Playing Farkle. Once again, Elder Harris had us in stitches. He played the devil's advocate by always trying to get us to roll one more time and lose points.

SENIOR MLS & MILITARY RELATIONS CONFERENCE
December 17, 2015

What a great time we had. Most of the couples took part in teaching something.
L to R: Charles & Renate Junker, Mike & Nancy Madeo, Russell & Carolyn Brooks, Pres & S. James, Us, Lynn & Linda Hellewell, Vaughn & Peggy Hyde, Verl & Shauna Wadley, Kim & Jenny Francis, Wayne & Sylvia Hansen, Joe & Patricia Nielson

After the conference we went to the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville

CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND CANTATA
December 13, 2015

We went up to the stake center in Fayetteville for the most wonderful cantata, written by Sister Jenny Francis. We were able to take Bernadette and her mother with us. We had a wonderful evening. We got to see Sister Pruner again. She is now in the zone next to ours. She taught Bernadette. Bernadette was absolutely thrilled to see her.

Bernadette & Margaret Greene

Us with Margaret and Bernadette

CHRISTMAS ZONE CONFERENCE
December 11, 2015

Me & Sister Pruner
So happy to see each other again. She trained in Lumberton

With Michael Friant. He asked to have our picture taken with him. He spoke about the trials he's had in his life. He has been a member a little less than a year. He has cerebral palsy.

Us with Sister Kaitlyn East. This was our last time seeing her before she went home.

LIGHTS ON THE LAKE AT LUTHER BRITT PARK
December 10, 2015

We had to leave before the boat parade on the lake. They had decorated their boats with Christmas lights. We had fun taking our pictures at the photo booth.