MERRY CHRISTMAS

I am just wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. I have not been very organized this month and, thus, did not get out cards. We are all doing well and keeping busy. It was so good to see Julie and her family last night. Julie and Katrina did such a great job singing, so great that Joel just had to stay and listen to one more song! I wish we all lived closer together so we could have Christmas parties, make Christmas candies, and make Christmas projects! I just want everyone to know that Hunter is getting baptized December 31st at 2:00. I know most of you won't be able to make it, but I just wanted to make sure that you all knew. I hope I haven't already written this at an earlier date, just being thorough. I am glad to see the new car (nice!), but more glad to see that you are both whole and healthy!! What a blessing! I love you all and feel so grateful that I am sealed to you and that we know why we are here and what this season is all about. He loves us all and that is enough to help us to try a little harder to do all we have been asked to do. Have a great day tomorrow.

Love, Rachael

Mom and Dad"s Christmas Present!

Here is a photo of Grandma and Grandpa Skinner’s new "wheels" (a sporty Pontiac GrandAm) thanks to their head-on with the Bull Elk. Not my way of getting a new car personally :) but thankfully they are both “Well and Happy” as the photo attests. Merry Christmas one and all!

"All I want for Christmas is a new car!"

When the insurance adjuster looked at our car she said that there was also damage to the dash and it would cost to much to fix it up like new so they are just going to pay us off. We talked to the guy who runs that repair place and he got us another one at the auction. It is a 2005 Pontiac with only 34,000 miles on it. He said it is a good car it is a 4 door with cruise which Dad wanted and you will be happy to know that it is silver in color so now you can't bug us about having the same car. I hope that we can get it before long since it is the pits not having a car to drive. It is good today though James is hear with his wheels. Hope that you are all ready for Christmas.

Love,

Mom

Sportsmanship?

I had some guy come in at work and tell me about this one.

Christmas in Loas

DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
BY THE TIME I WRITE AGAIN IT WILL BE NEXT YEAR, SO ............

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU. MAY EACH OF US REMEMBER AND BE THANKFUL FOR THE REASON WE CAN HOPE FOR AND WORK FOR LIFE ETERNAL WITH OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. MAY EACH OF US HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR, REALIZING WE ALL HAVE A NEW START EVERY DAY, BECAUSE OF OUR SAVIOR, A CHANCE TO LIVE BETTER THAN WE HAVE AND DO MORE THAN WE HAVE TO BLESS EACH OTHER AND THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY.

THURSDAY, THE 17TH OF DECEMBER WAS A SPECIAL DAY IN THE HISTORY OF THE LAO MEMBERS, AT LEAST 5 OF THEM. AT 12:50 PM THE BOOK OF MORMON COMMITTEE FINISHED READING THE ENTIRE BOOK OF MORMON IN LAO. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO TOD HARRIS’ VISIT, JAN 20-25 AND HOPEFULLY SOME TIME DURING 2010 THE BOOK WILL BE PRINTED AND SENT TO THIS NATION AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO LAO SPEAKERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. THIS IS ONE OF 14 TRANSLATIONS GOING ON IN THE ASIAN AREA RIGHT NOW. IF YOU HAVE ANY EXTRA PENNIES, PUT THEM IN THE BOOK OF MORMON FUND THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE A TITHING SLIP. IN FACT, THERE ISN’T ONE AREA ON THAT SLIP THAT COULDN’T USE YOUR HELP. THAT IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO HELP BLESS PEOPLE OUT SIDE YOUR PERSONAL SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.

OF COURSE, HUMANITARIAN AID IS NEAR AND DEAR TO US, TOO, BECAUSE OF YOU WE HAD A WELL AND TOILET TURN OVER IN NAMONE---A SMALL HMONG VILLAGE ABOUT THREE HOURS FROM HERE. WE HAD TWO OF THE TOP HMONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THERE ALSO, WITH THE BIGGEST CROWD WE HAVE HAD AT ANY TURN OVER, EVER. IT WAS THE HMONG NEW YEAR – THE HMONG DRESSES WERE AMAZING – HUNDREDS OF THEM!

THE SEA GAMES ENDED FRIDAY. IT WAS FUN TO SEE THE PEOPLE OF VIENTIANE, LAO SO EXCITED ABOUT ALL THAT WAS GOING ON. IT WAS GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY.

DR. CALL AND HIS WIFE FINISHED THEIR STAY AND FLEW OUT MONDAY NIGHT. THEY WILL PROBABLY BE BACK ABOUT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR AND DO A GREAT JOB ON A VISION PROJECT. HE IS A TRAUMA VISION SURGEON AND WILL BLESS LIVES AND TEACH OTHERS HOW TO DO THE SAME WHEN HE LEAVES. THEY REALIZED AT THE AIRPORT FLYING OUT THAT THEY DIDN’T HAVE A VISA INTO CAMBODIA. THEY HAD USED THEIR SINGLE-USE VISA AND DIDN’T HAVE ANOTHER ONE AND CAMBODIA DOESN’T HAVE VISAS ON ARRIVAL AVAILABLE AT THE AIRPORT. THEY WERE PLANNING TO JUST STAY THE NIGHT AT A HOTEL NEAR THE AIRPORT, BUT WITH THAT INFORMATION, THEIR ONLY OPTION WAS TO STAY THE NIGHT IN THE AIRPORT! FROM ABOUT 7:30 PM WHEN THEY ARRIVED TO 11:00 AM THE NEXT DAY WHEN THEIR PLANE LEFT! THAT’S SACRIFICE! AND THEY WERE SCHEDULED TO DO SURGERIES IN ST. GEORGE THE MORNING AFTER THEY GOT HOME!

WE FINISHED PUTTING 95 FAMILIES IN THE “PAF” PROGRAM. NOW, TO PUT THE INFORMATION ON “NEW.FAMILSEARCH” AND GET SOME OF THE NAMES THROUGH THE TEMPLE.

AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

LOVE,

ELDER AND SISTER RISER, DAD AND MOM,

GRANDPA AND GRANDMA, SCOTT AND JOLENE

Windy

It has been really windy here and we have just been staying indoors. But Leanna had a piano recital on Saturday and she played two pieces. One was a solo and the other was a duet with her teacher. Here is a bad picture. I was too far away.