On Sunday 8 December we attended our own Ellijay branch.  Eileen offered the benediction in sacrament meeting.  I taught the lesson in Gospel Doctrine (Adult Sunday School) and did the section of the lesson about "Strengthening the Community."  I had several members tell of volunteer efforts in the community and had input from several more.  Eileen received a calling to be 2nd counselor in the Primary organization and will be sustained to that position next Sunday.  I have been asked to head up one of the several cleaning teams to clean our building but that won’t be up and running until the new year.  After the meetings Brother Ashworth and I gave a blessing to one of the sisters and then Eileen and I visited with her.

Lastly we met with President Boland for tithing settlement.

"After commanding His people to pay their tithes, the Lord promised to 'open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it' (Malachi 3:10; see verses 8-12). Those who have seen the fulfillment of this promise can testify that the blessings are often more spiritual than financial, but the Lord also promises, 'And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field' (Malachi 3:10).

"Tithing is an important test of our personal righteousness.  We are accountable for what we have been given by God. And we shall be judged 'out of those things which [are] written in the books, according to [our] works' (Revelation 20:12; see also 3 Nephi 27:26 in the Book of Mormon). President James E. Faust said, 'One of the great blessings the people of this Church have is to meet with the bishop once each year, settle their tithing, and report that what they had paid in contributions constitutes a tithe. It is also a great blessing for the bishops to have this experience.'

"At the end of the year, the bishop or branch president is asked to record on the records of the Church the tithing status of each member in his unit. It is our privilege to exercise our accountability by declaring to him our own tithing status." (www.lds.org)

We enjoyed leftovers for supper as we watched the third part of the DVD "The 3 Great Scottish Castles" about Edinburgh Castle which we visited on August 13th.

Edinburgh Castle

I finished reading "The Age of Chivalry" by Thomas Bulfinch which took over eight months to read on my iPhone. 

Thomas Bulfinch (1796-1867)

We enjoyed the second half of the Christmas Devotional broadcast from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City in the evening.  (I had dozed off and awoke when it was half over!)

Mormon Tabernacle Choir and
Orchestra at Temple Square

I finished reading "Abbotsford and Newstead Abbey" by Washington Irving.

Newstead Abbey, home of Lord Byron

Washington Irving (1783-1859)

On Monday 9 December we began decorating our Christmas tree and adding decorations around the house. 

Observe the four figures in the back from the U.K.

Enjoying the rocking chair

Christmas figures in the front bedroom

Santas

Advent Candles

Figures on the Counter

Figures on the Credenza

Santas and Nutcrackers atop the wall unit

Guest bathroom

Outside lights

Front porch

I mailed the Book of Mormon to the fellow who worked at the car wash in Florida.  We watched most of the Bears - Cowboys football game.  

On Tuesday 10 December we continued Christmas decorating.  Eileen found Christmas tree ornaments made by her sister Jane years ago with pictures of the children on them.  We went by the post office and mailed the ornaments to all the kids.  I mailed the Book of Mormon to the Wal-mart cashier who lives in Ellijay and I mailed the DVD about the three Scottish castles to Terry and Linda Hale in Idaho.  He had served an LDS mission to Scotland as a young man.

We went by the local car wash called “Squiggles.”  Eileen enjoyed her visit to North Georgia Diamond where she is a frequent customer.

Squiggles

North Georgia Diamond

In the evening Eileen made her first delicious fruit cake in a couple of years.

We enjoyed “Classical Rewind” on PBS.  “Hosted by Martin Goldsmith, 'Classical Rewind' takes viewers on an incredible journey to explore the music of the masters. This visual and auditory joyride offers a fanciful look at the classical masterpieces, providing spectacular video of dancers, phantoms, masked men, and fireworks to accompany each composition. Goldsmith brings his expertise to the podium, adding insight on the history and creation of this stunning music.” (www.kpbs.org)  Beethoven’s "Moonlight" Sonata, Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, and “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9 were featured.

Ludwig von Beethoven

And we watched a documentary about Buckingham Palace with Fiona Bruce.  It was part one of three of “The Queen’s Palaces.”

Eileen and Ben in front of Buckingham Palace

Fiona Bruce

On Wednesday 11 December we volunteered at the Gilmer Community Food Pantry.  We helped 170 families with Eileen doing #170!  We mailed half of the fruit cake to the Cubberley’s in Arizona.  I put up a lot of the outside Christmas lights.  After supper we drove to Blue Ridge to home teach Darlene Burgess.  I am now through the “B’s” in our Christmas card list.  And we watched a documentary about Windsor Castle with Fiona Bruce.  It was part two of three of “The Queen’s Palaces.”

Windsor Castle

Eileen began reading about Primary on www.lds.org and she asked me to order her a subscription to “The Friend” magazine. 

On Thursday 12 December I finished putting up the Christmas lights on the front of the house.  I finished the “C’s” in our Christmas card list.  Eileen made chocolate chip cookies to be used as Christmas gifts for people that we visit.  We enjoyed the Pantry Christmas Party at Hope Lutheran Church.  We brought a lattice apple pie and a two-layer vanilla cake with chocolate icing from Ingles.  The hors d'oeuvres were delicious!

Eileen and Cindy

Hope Lutheran Church in Ellijay

On Friday 13 December I finished reading "Free Joe and Other Georgian Sketches" by Joel Chandler Harris "Uncle Remus."  I have read "Stories of Georgia" and "Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit" by him.

Joel Chandler Harris (1848-1908)

We had the sister missionaries and our home teachers (David and Caroline Echard) here for dinner where we had Eileen's Hungarian goulash and tomato basil and ground beef spaghetti sauce on rotini. Caesar salad, artisan bread, pecan pie, and lime bars completed the menu. Yummy!

We watched a documentary about Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, with Fiona Bruce.  It was part three of three of “The Queen’s Palaces.”

Palace of Holyroodhouse

On Saturday 14 December I finished reading "William Penn" by theologian George Hodges.  Two of Penn's quotes that I particularly liked were:

“Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both.”

“He that lives to live forever never fears dying. Nor can the means be terrible to him, that heartily believes the end. For though death be a dark passage, it leads to immortality; and that is recompense enough for suffering of it.... And this is the comfort of the good, that the grave cannot hold them, and that they live as soon as they die.”

William Penn (1644-1718)

George Hodges (1856-1919)

We enjoyed the Army-Navy game as Navy won for the 12th year in a row, 34-7.  When we were living in Maryland, we got to know the Niumatalolo family who are Latter-day Saints.  Ken Niumatalolo is the Navy football coach and was in the bishopric of the Broadneck Ward.

In the evening I went to the new Hobbit movie "The Desolation of Smaug" at the Ellijay theater.

I finished "Jamestown Settlement A Pictorial Guide." 

Lynda and Allen White at Jamestown Settlement in October

And I finished reading "Endymion" by Benjamin Disraeli which took 8 1/2 months.  “Endymion” is a novel published in 1880 by Benjamin Disraeli, the former Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.  Like most of Disraeli's novels, “Endymion” is a romance, and it takes place in the U.K. between 1819 and 1859.  It was rather good!

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)