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.

The Drs. report

The specialist said that the tests show that Dad's lungs look good and his tests show good oxygen levels. But the test they did when he was sleeping spotlighted some problems, they think that he might have sleep apnea. In January he has to go to the sleep lab and sleep there overnight. He isn't looking forward to it but they told him that he could have a sleeping pill if he needed it. Other than that there hasn't been much change. We are still waiting to get our car back, so far I don't think much has happened. The insurance adjuster was to have looked at it yesterday but we haven't heard anything yet. Julie has been good to let us borrow her car and to take us places. Are you all ready for Christmas? We are getting there.

pictures of the car

It doesn't look too bad. If you look close at the front fender there is some blood on it. The windshield suffered the most damage. I was holding it up on my side after the wreck. There is a lot of glass in the back seat too but you can't see it so good since the uphostery is tweed. The man that towed our car said that there is a big collection a eagles and birds up on the hill by where we hit the elk, maybe he went up there and died.

revised list

I will have to revise my list for greatest t.v moments. After viewing Lord Monckton interviewing a greenpeace activist I have changed it to #1 on my list. You can view it at the skinner report