Service with Heart and Soul : Fun Family Times!

I am continuing to do the same work at the Bishop's Storehouse and Deseret Industries, which is that on Mondays I leave my house about 5:30 am and arrive at the Storehouse at 6:30 am to load meat (food) orders to be put in the trucks where they go to the greater Portland area. I work there until about 9:30 to 9:45 and then I walk over to the Deseret Industries (DI) and sort clothes that need to be removed from the floor or tagged to be sold. I work here until 5:00 pm and then my dad picks me up and we make the 75 minute drive home. I eat dinner and then I go with Garrett to the Young Single Adult Family Home Evening Activity (YSA FHE). I am still enjoying my work at both of these places on Mondays. It makes for a long day, but I'm glad I can learn work skills. And I really like going to the YSA Activities. They are alot of fun!

I am doing the same work on Tuesdays at the Family History Center, although it was closed this past week, and will be again this week. I am enjoying it and I'm glad I can help put in the information about people so that their relatives can access that information. I also like hearing the stories from the patrons and the other people that help run the History Center. For example, when they shares stories from their past. I find it very interesting to hear these stories. One of the patrons shared that he and his wife are waiting on a mission call where they will go and take pictures of the documents that need to be indexed!

On Wednesday December 14th, I was going to go be a Priesthood worker at the Temple for our Youth Temple trip for my family ward. Three of my siblings were going to do baptisms and my youngest sister was going for her first time. But we had a big snow storm that day so it was canceled. We are looking forward to going another time.

I still like going out with the ward missionaries to visit people and I like getting to know those people that we visit.

This past Friday at the Hillsboro Washington County Bike Coalition and Transportation Shop, I got to cut up old bike tires that were deemed too old and damaged to be resold. I am really enjoying my work there, learning how to recondition and recycle and fix bikes.

My brother Brad and his wife Michelle and their baby Banks, all came from Utah on Tuesday and my sister Sara, her husband Trevor and their kids Mayli, Elena, Derek and Roselin came on Friday from LaGrande, for Christmas! We have had so much fun playing different games and spending time together as a family. We really miss my brother Brock and his wife Brittany as they are spending Christmas in Utah with her family.

Today was a wonderful day as we celebrated Christmas! I really like having mostly everyone here for Christmas! We haven't had a chance to do that for several years. I really liked going to church today. I really felt the Spirit, especially through the songs performed by the different choirs. I also liked Brother Boinay's talk about his childhood and early adult life, and even though it was hard, he learned important lessons and he gained a strong testimony. He is a great example of courage and perseverance. Even though his early life was hard, he didn't turn his back on Christ and Heavenly Father by blaming them for his misfortunes. I know that Christ has more love than we can comprehend for each and every one of us. So we need to do our part and get back to Him. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Markham