December 22, 2019 - On Sunday morning, we had the privilege of witnessing the baptism of Rita who was so very well prepared. This was the best Christmas present EVER! Rita will be such a blessing to the Branch.

Mark, Sister Penrod, Rita, Sister Potts & Karen. Rita's baptismal day.
Mark, Karen & Rita
Rita
Sister Penrod, Rita & Sister Potts
Oh yeah, Sisters Potts & Penrod found joy in Massena - especially at Rita's baptism!
Sister Potts & Penrod checking out the wood stove at the Amish house where we buy freshly baked bread. And in the summer we buy fresh vegetables.
Elder Lund who serves in the Mission Office trying to keep track of 170 Elders and way too many cars!
They have crazy snow plows with a huge plow on the front and another plow on the side that they can also lower and then they plow two lanes at the same time or one lane and the shoulder.
Picture of the lower inside panel of the drivers door (door open) - throw together some snow, ice and road salt and you get a perfect combination for rust - it sticks like glue.
Check this picture of my phone: Current Temperature is-5 degrees, with a 9 mile an hour wind which brings the wind chill down to -23 degrees. Yes we LOVE the winter....Everybody is always home when we go to see them.
Day two: The wheelchair ramp started last week is closer to being finished
Day three: more progress on the wheel chair ramp.
Nature Center, Nature Nuts - All of the materials for making Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!
The Nature Center had an open house on Monday to say thanks to all of their volunteers. On the way back, we saw a ship going into the Eisenhower lock. The opening at the bottom of the picture is the road that allows traffic to pass under the lock through a tunnel.
Bitter cold day - you can see moisture coming back off the warmer water as this ship goes into the lock that we saw on our way home from volunteering at the Nature Center. This is the last ship we saw before leaving Massena.
Sisters Penrod & Potts and Karen with Christmas gifts from Eva whom we help at her Elementary School.
Eva and Bob - Eva teaches Elementary School. Her husband Bob unfortunately suffered a severe stroke and requires around the clock care.
This is John Sterlings 4th vehicle since we moved to Massena. He's owned 2 Ford Pick Ups, a Chevy Malibu and this Dodge Ram Pick up. He's talking about trading the Malibu and Dodge PU for another Ford Pick PU. 
Sister Penrod, Mark, Karen, Sister Potts, Brother & Sister Hann (Branch Missionaries) - Finalized plans for Rita's baptism and said goodbye at our Missionary Coordination Council Meeting - we are getting transferred.
Mark, Karen, Sister & Brother Hann - awesome long time stalwart members of the Massena Branch.
Awesome plaque that was created by Sisters Hann, Penrod and Potts. Sister Hann gave it as a gift to Rita at her baptism.
Goodbye dinner at Vino Vidi Vici Restaurant with the Sisters
Our Grandchildren: Nixon and Sadie getting ready to play the piano in their Christmas Concert.

We had a wonderful Christmas program for our Sunday Light the World Sacrament Meeting. The highlight of our program was Sister Potts and Rebekah (a Young Woman in the Branch) playing a piano, violin duet: O Come, O Come Emanuel. We videoed them practicing for their Sunday performance.

President Chapman - Goodbye to Massena
Everette - Goodbye to Massena
John Sterling - Goodbye to Massena
Sharon Webber - Goodbye to Massena
Elise - Goodbye to Massena
Aubriella - Goodbye to Massena
Elliott family - Goodbye to Massena
Beautiful Brasher Falls Sunset (Just south of Massena)

Another busy week in Paradise. Non-pictured activities:
Lots of Light the World Visits inviting members to attend special Christmas Sacrament Meeting. (The program centered on JOY. One of the quotes on joy that was read was by Kevin J Worthen, President of BYU!!! It always catches us off guard when someone quotes Karen’s brother.)
Young Women’s activity.
Cleaned the chapel
Bible Study – Luke 2 (It’s Christmas time after all!)
Breakfast with Betsy at Twin Leafs
Missionary Coordination Meeting – Final Plans for Rita’s Baptism
Piano lessons for two children in the branch
Carlena, young woman in the branch - singing practice – she’s singing in Christmas Sacrament Meeting (And she did make the Ensemble Group for the Massena High School Play: Newsies. (Along with Morgan and Rebekah – other Young Women in the Branch)
Rides for Michael Grady and Chris Snyder.
District Missionary Council - reviewed talk by Elder Jeffrey R Holland: Tongue of Angels from April 2007 General Conference - we are focusing on Positivity in the Mission - especially with how we approach winter and the work.
Practice with Rebekah (piano), young woman in the branch and Sister Potts (violin) – going to perform in Christmas program together.
Dinner with Rita – finalizing details of her baptism
Elders Quorum Presidency Meeting - Trained on how to organize and complete a service project.
Lots of visits and delivering Christmas treats to members and friends of the church.
Ministering with Craig – a Young Man from the Branch.
Hospice visits at the nursing home – now visiting two different people.
BYU PathwayConnect Gathering – Last Gathering of the Semester – Students get a break!!!
FHE Group at the Highland Nursing Home – we watched Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and Kristin Chenoweth sing and tell a Christmas Story and then shared what we liked about Christmas.
Trip to Malone to meet Elder and Sister Sudweeks (Mission Housing Coordinator and Mission nurse) to see if we would need anything from Senior Missionary Couple apartment that was being closed.