Script for Ward Presentation at Christmas

A LIFETIME OF CHRISTMAS

Paul:

Happiness is the creation of pleasant memories.

Afton (looking addressing Paul:

THESE MEMOR1ES GO BACK SOME 51 YEARS.

As I look back and remember there are some things that continue to stand out in my memory.

Our first Christmas as a newly married young couple living in San Diego Calif while you ‘were serving in the US. Navy. How proud I was of you – so handsome your ‘were in your Uniform as an Ensign. We made a long trip home by bus so we could share this Christmas with our parents in Salt Lake City.

Paul

We both felt that Christmas, was a time to remember the Christ child and the teachings that Jesus gave us while he was on the earth,  We determined that he would be the focus of our Christmas celebrations on this fact of our Savior’s birth.

Afton

Our second Christmas was spent apart, you were on a small ship in the Pacific and I was at home with my parents with our young son, who you had never seen. He was born four months after you had gone overseas in World War II. This little son was a reminder to me of the joy that Mary must have felt as she held her newborn son so long ago in the manger. It was wonderful for me to have this little boy so newly come from Heavenly Father entrusted to my care and I wondered of all the things he could have told me about his life with HF and Jesus.  All would have been perfect if you could have been there to share these days with us.

He grew and developed and a year passed and it was Dec again, and our third Christmas was a joyous occasion for 2 days before Christmas your ship pulled into San Francisco Harbor and Paul Jr and I were there to welcome you home. We found a tree but there were no decorations in town so homemade popcorn and cutouts covered our tree. It was a joyous time to be together again as a family, it was a year to remember as you and your son got acquainted. We had so much to be thankful for. You were back from the war safe, we had a beautiful son and it was Christmas. We again choose to honor the Christ child and make him the highlight of this Christmas and Christmas’s to come.

Paul

Logan

In Logan, another little son was born to us.  How wonderful!  to have you home to enjoy these early months with him. When Snow covered the ground, a neighbor who had cattle in the field west of town, would come down our street in a big sleigh, pulled by two big horses, ringing bells to let everyone in the neighborhood know he was on his way and all of the parents would bundle up the children and run out to climb aboard and ride over the fields, with him to feed his cattle. What fun to go in this big sleigh with everyone sitting on straw, singing and having such fun.

This would be a Christmas tradition for the years we lived in Logan.

Another tradition we seemed to have each year that was not planned was a little child’s curiosity about the Christmas tree and the lights and decorations and little hand reaching up and giving it a tug, causing it to fall over. I gave up having  icecicles, for they were a pain to try to straighten.

Paul

We have a tradition that we go to Temple Square and see the lights, the beautiful nativity scene and go to the visitor center and see the Christmas. On one of these visits, I asked Jason (Olsen, Jessie and Corrie’s boy) who was about 5, why Christ was holding out his hands that way.

Jason answered,” Grandpa don’t you know? He is saying come to me”.

It is a fine evening and begins to prepare us for the events of Christmas season. There is a film we like to see called “Luke II that shows the scenes of Christ’s birth.

Afton

Each Christmas Eve we have had a nativity scene with our children.  Each year as this event takes place as we share this wondrous story as we read from Luke II. Each child shares and they take the parts of Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, the Sheppard’s and wise men. We usually had a baby to play the part of Jesus, but as our children got older we sometimes used a doll. Then Grandchildren started to come and again there was a baby to act out this beautiful Christ Children part, as the baby born in the manger. Each year one little Grandson Wyatt ‘wanted to again be the baby Jesus, so each year he was wrapped up tight in a blanket to represent the swatting clothes, and took the part. He is a very active little boy but as he took this part of baby Jesus he is so still all the time this pageant is taking place,

I never get over the thrill to watch our little ones, whose eyes glomming and was filled with wonder as they act out this wonderful story. ,. We have a supply of costumes for all ages so that now our grandchildren and great-grandchildren take part in this wondrous event that happened many years ago on a star lite night the little town of Bethelem, when angels came and sang to shepherds as they watched their sheep. And a new star shone in the sky over a manager were Jesus was born in a manager.

Paul

Our children and our grandchildren come to know something about the Savior early in their lives. In those tender believing years they rediscover him.

Jordan and the Olive wood Christmas

Afton

Our singing leaves much to be desired but we all join in singing the Christmas carols that tell of this event so long ago.

Mom’s Christmas begins months before the actual event, as the children and I have made gifts for them to give to their friends. What fun it has been as even some of the boys have been at the sewing machine making frogs of dogs to share.

Each year has been a challenge to find a project to share with their friends and brothers and sisters and our with our grandchildren. When the children were a Wasatch school they had a wonderful shop teacher who gave them the opportunity to make many things and often we would receive these special gifts that they had gone to school early many days to make.

You and I have appreciated gifts that have been made for us, some of the most gifts treasured have been a doo made of paper mache, a Ceramic vase, a woodcut our deer, an animal carefully assembled and painted a picture, an apron, a dishcloth, a vase a doll or ‘whatever it may be. For it says I made this just for you because I love you.

Over the years I have made gifts for each of the children and the grandchildren, and with the numbers are so large and as they get older it is harder to find things to make for them, so now I will make things for the younger children and have a gift for the older ones.

Paul

We hope have taught our children that Christmas is for giving and sharing, when we give of ourselves we find a joy and happiness that the saviour would like us to have.

Christmas Eve is our celebration. A time when have to get together as a family and enjoy this special evening when we remember Christ’s birth and make it the focus of this wonderful holiday. After the wise men came following the star to find the Christ Child and share their gifts with him we share one gift, that we for each them. Sharing the love that we have for each with them.

The Lord is my shepherd–I shall not want

The Lord is my Sheppard that’s all I want