"All I want for Christmas --- Grand babies with 2 front teeth!"

It is incredible how fast 5 days can pass by.

Here is a look at some of our Christmas highlights:

We were so busy chasing after the grands that we didn't get nearly as many photos as we should have.  The ones we took of the teens were all too dark and blurry (such a bummer).

But Christmas was a wonderful time spent with family and friends.  

We sang Christmas carols, ate pie, played games, watched Christmas videos, ate pie, shared gifts, 

ate more pie, and cleaned up the whole mess.

If you happen to be in the neighborhood,
 stop in for a slice of pie!

From Boy to Man

 I sent this first photo to Joshua last week and this is the response I received:

2011@ Home

"Wow my goodness, I looked at that picture of Noelle and I, and it was really weird. I am soooo not that boy anymore. I don´t even remember being him. That´s so weird. Its like it´s a different person 
I´m looking at. What they say about conversion really is true; you become a new creature in Christ. I was wondering if I could really say I am converted (and not just with a testimony), and after seeing that great change of heart, looking back a year at a past me, I really do know I have indeed tasted of that mighty change." 

Can you see that change in him!?

I comes from serving other's needs, and not always your own.  It comes from working hard, dang hard, and loving it in spite of the calluses, criticism and closed doors.  All with the hope that someone else will have that same "great change of heart" and turn to Christ.  

2012 Campina Grande, Brazil

"Testimony comes of the Holy Ghost, but Conversion comes of the Atonement. Testimony weathers the storms, and brings us to learn of Christ. 

Conversion walks out into the tempest, to bring lost sheep into the shelter." 

--Elder Joshua Farr

Missão João Pessoa

2 December 2012

Visiting the Grands!

We had a really fun time visiting everyone and playing at the pumpkin patch!

Elder Farr - João Pessoa Brazil

Here are some of my favorite photos 

from the ones Elder Farr has sent from Brazil.

He is working hard and enjoying every minute.

Care package from Gpa!! Peanut butter is not sold in Brazil!

He loves working with the youth! This rapaz is Tiagre.

This was the second time this man came to church and they had a
great discussion about Christ.

Guava??

These are such great guys! Don't cha just want to invite them over for dinner?!
Go ahead, it won't hurt!

Happy Birthday Banner

Happy 20th Birthday Elder Farr!

"Laddie" turns 20 in November and since he is far away in Brazil for 2 years, I gathered

photos of his friends and family to send him these birthday wishes from everyone.

Thank you to everyone who participated, 

I'm sure this will be a very special birthday surprise for him!

The banner hangs in three rows.

Here are some close up's so you can read the message and
see who else joined in the fun!

Gmas and Gpas, cousins, teachers, sibings, a former babysitter, our Bishop...

Uncles, aunts, 2 friends who are currently serving missions as well...

people from church, his martial arts instructor...

 Bear gives the banner's size some perspective.

I will add an update when he receives it and I hear his reaction. Thanks again everybody!

Update: From Elder Farr
"This last week was so so so hard. It was a week of really hard work, but then Sunday happened. Sunday was one of the best days in my life! We had seven people in church, including the children of a family that we had thought lost on account of a pastor of another church "poisoning the well" against us. The father of an all member family, was baptized with his 8 year old son, after two years of receiving the missionaries. Then Sunday night we had a visit from the Counselor of Paraiba, and he and his wife were really nice and brought a great spirit into the home, and they brought letters and I got the package! It was just so thoughtful it overwhelmed me and touched me até amago. 
I lost it when I was looking through the picture banners you guys sent me. I am just so amazed how much you all prepared to wish me happy birthday. Photos of family and friends I haven´t seen in what feels like years (and for some it has been!), it was just all so much, and I don´t know how I can thank you all. I have never felt to special or so loved, and have never felt so much caring support and wind at my back as I have last night. I want you to know that that package absolutely changed my life. Those pictures of everyone holding up a letter were entirely overpowering. I want you to know how much I love all of you. I can only imagine the great overflowing love I feel for you being as a fraction and a sliver of the encompassing ardor our Lord and Savior feels for us. What joy will fill our hearts when we will see His face, and His open arms. What I felt last night was an embrace of charity and a pure love that I have never felt so strongly. I thank all of you my friends and relatives who were able to be part of this. And I thank my dear family for the caring that caused you to do something so thoughful. I thank you for your support. I love you all so much, and I hope I can show it, and that you can feel it as I have." 

Summer harvesting 2012

The garden is on the back-burner this summer, I'm afraid to say.

But the things I planted in early spring are ready to harvest and doing well, 

Notice the boy with his mothers lucky machete
waiting in the shade.

A couple whacks, and Voila!

Broccoli as big as your head!

Cabbage is a winner as well, we harvested 4 heads and have 9 more to go.

Green tomatoes aplenty.

Need...more...heat.

But harvesting the garlic I planted during a mild week in December
was very rewarding.

Organic Inchelium Red Garlic.

I sowed 3 bulbs worth and reaped 42!!

Today we harvested many weeds.

Tomorrow we will harvest many more.

I don't want to talk about it.

Biking to the Beach

When it's sunny and pushing 79 degrees it's time to 

pack up a lunch and head to the beach!

Good thing there is a cute country store on the way.

"Have nothing but fun!"

"Be home by dark!"

"Cut people off!"

"Use your road rage if you have to!"

Missionary P-day

"P" actually stands for "Preparation".

While serving an LDS mission, typically Monday is P-day and that is the day to 

prepare for the rest of the week. 

Laundry, 

Writing Home, 

Shopping for Food,

Recreational activities with other missionaries,

a Little sightseeing occasionally,

visiting with families in the area for a little R and R,

and  

Crazy photo ops.

...meeting up with Elders they entered the field with and
haven't seen in weeks.

For the 19 year old Elder, it could also mean the weekly shave!

 All to help prepare them to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the
people who will listen in the area they are serving.

Because THAT is really why they are serving a mission and they take that
opportunity sincerely.

Even if they wear a Batman band-aid when they cut themselves shaving!