Merry Christmas to all
and especially to Steve and Marian in Africa
Another snowbound day and no-one really cares as it is Christmas and most everyone is at home with their families. Six inches of snow this morning with way over a foot on the ground, and another foot of snow expected this afternoon when the weather front comes through. I don't think we'll do anything other than stay at Mike's home and try to stay on top of the storm with the snow-shoveling.

Our entire family is with us at our son Mike's place and we just finished with the gift-opening. Carrie and Kurt were just able to make it out of a snowblown Portland Oregon on Tuesday to join us. It was interesting to see little Nora opening some of her gifts and then climbing up next to grandma to help open other presents.

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, and especially extend greetings to Marian and Steve in Accra, Ghana where snow is almost mythological -- show this picture to your local leaders if they want an idea. We appreciate the wonderful Christmas story that Marian posted on the Shipley mission blog; it gives us pause to comprehend the real meaning of the holiday.

Where's Global Warming when You Need It?
The coldest weather in the west since 1951 (the early 50's were noted for winter cold) Mt. Wilson shown here picked up 20" of snow; there was snow in La Canada, and there was 3" of snow in Las Vegas. It was easy on the satellite to see where it was coming from -- a great sweep of continental air over a perfectly clear southeast Alaska, around the low pressure off of the western coast and directly into California. We got an undeserved snow day on Tuesday (could have been a 2-hour delay), and more delays yesterday. Santa Fe will have a white Christmas, though most of the snow around home is gone this evening. The storm spent its energy in California and Nevada and there wasn't much left for us today, though the winter forecasts had been up.

What time is it?
Art Mineer had his funeral on Monday, December 1.

There was a viewing at the mortuary on Sunday afternoon where there were lots of family with little kids who were running around all over. I wouldn't have taken them to a viewing, but these were among Barbara's 36 grandchildren, and nobody seemed phased by the racket.

The most interesting thing about the viewing was that the mortuary director was a North German Mission president in the 90's. He brought me up on the Church there. There's actually a meetinghouse with a branch of 80 in my first town of Leer. I couldn't have possibly dreamed that there would ever be a Church presence there.

The morning funeral service was at the ward meetinghouse because too many people were anticipated for the smaller room which the mortuary had for the purpose. It turned out to be a wonderful service as two of the daughters, Barbara and Susan spoke of Art's life and what he did for the family. The final speaker was a neighbor who revealed what Art meant as he spoke his only words at Carma's funeral; "What time is it?" The neighbor speaker was Art's home teacher and the Elders Quorum President and he would visit with Art and Carma as part of his home teaching assignment. After some time, Art would say to Carma, "What time is it?" and that was a cue for the home teachers to bow out. The neighbor had another tale to tell about Art going with him to the Church farm to fix the tractor, after calls to other Quorum members failed. "I'll do anything for you", Art said.

The burial service was in the afternoon. I dedicated the grave; the pallbearers placed the flag-draped casket, and a contingent from the military folded the flag and gave it to Marolynn as taps were played. All in all, a beautiful graveside ceremony on a very warm for December afternoon.