unsilent night

We had the young missionaries over for lunch and dinner on Christmas day and facilitated  their calling home using our skype and internet connection.  (for the uninitiated, lds young missionaries only call home on Christmas and Mother's day)  Judging from the reaction of young men and parents, the exercise was a success.  There were a few tears on the Mozambican side and I suspect a few on the Brazilian and US sides as well.  I continue to marvel at the technology that makes videoconferencing between multiple people in multiple countries easy and nearly free.  I was expecting poor connections but it was mostly very clear.  The only trouble was lack of time and we finally had to give up on our own calls at 2 a.m. and go to bed.  We did have a delightful talk with our own missionary son though  "Elder Osborn, this is Elder Osborn").

Opening christmas gifts at the dinner table--Debbie was of course uncontrollable and has been shopping for little treats and trinkets for the missionaries for weeks--as well as reaching into her stash of precious baubles that she brought from home.

Among Debbies creations for the occasions were Mozambican capulanas trasformed into very manly-looking aprons.

My gift from Debbie was a pair of Muslim hats (neither of which was large enough to fit my misshapen head--but here appropriated here by Elders Brogan and Barlow.

My gift to Debbie was the one thing that she wanted more than any other--though she didn't quite know it.  A couple of days before Christmas, I found a place that fumigates houses for to kill insect infestations--guaranteeing three months of relief.  I gave Debbie a gift certificate for one fumigation (call me a hopeless romantic).  As promises are always easier for me than actual delivery, I also gave the elders a certificate for a shoe shine.