CHRISTMAS!!!! Google Video - December 25th, 2011

Christmas Day! We got up early. Our Christmas tree fell over that morning as Jim was putting some last minute gifts behind the tree for Alisa (yay!)! That was exciting! Elder Peterson and Elder Haycock came over and brought their Christmas their families had sent them! We had our Christmas and saw what Santa had in store for us this year.

Sportin' our GATOR SHIRTS!!!!

Levi sent us a package - all of us got "GATOR" shirts! Now we are not necessarily all "Florida Gator" fans. However - if you haven't noticed, Elder Wise refers to all investiGATORS as "Gators". So, thus they are all "Florida Gators"! :)

We went to sacrament meeting where Alisa sang in the choir and also played "Christmas Walz - The First Noel" by David Lanz, and all-time favorite. It was a wonderful program where they Primary sang, the YM/YW sang, Brother Gurney gave an incredible talk, the ward choir sang....just an amazing church program. 

Elder Wise!!!!! ((((((((((HUGS)))))))))) (and a kiss from mom)

We came immediately home and contacted the Tilton family. They had contacted us earlier in the week to set up the Google Video accounts and get ready for Sunday. We got hooked up and began to chat! 

Jim and Elder Wise!

"Oh how sweet it is"....to see Elder Wise's face, hear his voice and see how great he is doing! He has such a strong testimony, he is being so obedient to the mission rules - knowing that it will bring him happiness and success. He wants to waste no time on his mission, but use every minute and day to his best. He expressed how a current missionary that he lives with is already going home next transfer and it seems so strange because when he first arrived, that missionary had over 6 months left! So Levi expressed this is his first taste  of how fast time flies and he cannot waste one minute! 

There was one moment when I said, "Awesome!" He told us that their mission trains them very strictly to not use "slang" words such as "awesome", "like", "freaking", etc....this must have been very hard for Levi because he was the KING of slang before he left! He sound so professional, however, and I think it is a wonderful thing that when you represent Jesus Christ, that you sound and present yourself in a professional manner! We could really tell he was striving to do the right thing. 

Stockton could not stop smiling while talking to Levi! 

It was fun to watch his brothers talk to him and look up to him. 

Stockton had a smile from ear to ear as he was talking to his brother - about basketball etc. Levi told him to keep practicing and working out! He also asked him how his reading of the Book of Mormon was coming along! 

Teagen and Tish were able to "compare" mission experiences and talk about mission life! Teagen had some great advice to give. They teased him a bit about having to part his hair on the side. : ) 

BROTHERS....PRICELESS! "Are you going bald?" 

Levi and Micah were comparing "dating", girl and school experiences. Levi told him it wouldn't be long before he would be out on his mission, to prepare now! 

The hardest part about these wonderful phone calls - is saying goodbye! Tears stream after the phone/google video gets hung up. They are not so much tears of sadness - but of joy, longing, happiness - just MOTHER tears! My heart was just too full to hold all the emotions, so it started leaking through my eyes! 

Overall, it was such a wonderful 40 min! The best Christmas gift the Wise's could receive! It was fun having the Elders here for Christmas and having Christmas on Sunday!  

I can't wait to talk to him again on Mother's Day!