A Christmas to never be forgotten.

We apologize for such a late email and realize that it has been awhile. perhaps if you make it thru this email, you will understand that we were trying to get this amazing project ready.

Before we came out on our mission our Mission President and his wife sent us the following text:

"You and your wife are going to change Christmas for the rest of the North American Missionaries. We tested something in one stake (last year) and want you and your wife to run with it to implement it in all of the stakes, all the Stake Presidents are good to go, you will love it!" - President and Sister Kotter

This project began last year, where a group in Pueblo connected with a person who helps with the Homeless People and all soup kitchens are closed on Christmas Day, so they wanted to have the missionaries help to feed the homeless. They put together hygiene kits and made peanut butter sandwiches and then handed out donated coats, hats and gloves. It was such a success that the Mission Leaders wanted to have all the missionaries have an opportunity of service on Christmas day to keep them busy all day.

Well we began pushing this project in May and then it happened on Christmas Day.

We gathered with Stake Presidents, Stake Relief Society Presidents, (RS) High Counselors, Just Serve Representatives and Communication Specialists. We have 9 stakes throughout our mission with a total of 185 missionaries in our mission.

It wasn't without hesitations, and annoyances of not wanting just one more thing to do. Each Stake had to come up with an idea that would help bless their area. Homeless was not an option for all areas, and some of the homeless areas are just not safe.

We hope that this project met our Mission Leaders expectations, but we do know one thing for sure and that is that the Young Missionaries loved this day of Service. We had all the Senior Missionaries available to help us. It was amazing how they were all placed at certain places and it was just perfect for them and the group they were working with.

Alamosa Stake the Stake RS President shared her experience of how this all came together. She had felt impressed beginning last January with some ideas, but couldn't figure out how to work with the sisters of the stake. Then when we came and presented the idea, it confirmed to her that what she had been feeling inspired to do she now understood how it would work. She entitled the project: Serve the One: Come unto Christ and be Perfected in Him.

They had Stake RS opportunities of painting scenery paintings for the Elderly to put in their rooms, and had local artists donate some of their artwork to make pictures books for the care facilities, made wheel chair pocket holders, and quilts.

The Manassa Stake joined and they provided the lunch when they presented the projects to the missionaries the weekend before Christmas. They had a wonderful devotional and both Stake Presidents were there and gave them each a bag filled with items for breakfast and each companionship had a box to open on Christmas Day for themselves. and then a big box filled with their projects to be handed out to the different homebound individuals, or care facilities. This was done so that the missionaries didn't have to travel so many hours on Christmas day.

Castle Rock was coordinated by a High Councilor and his family. Their whole family participated with the missionaries. They had a devotional, Sang Christmas Carols and visited with Residents, had a nice lunch given Christmas stockings for each missionaries. Finished the day by sharing experiences.

Colorado Springs Stake All Elders in this stake met at the Salvation Army where they helped prep and serve food and ate with the patrons. Wrote cards, Sang Christmas Carols and mingled with residents. Decorated cookies and had a devotional.

Salvation Army Representatives loved how well the Missionaries just jumped in and were willing and looked for ways to help without asking.

Colorado Springs North. This was an interesting project. A newly asked Coordinator literally called us the day before Thanksgiving from Chicago. On Thanksgiving day we had a complete agenda and places for the missionaries to go. They began at a Senior Center then came back to the church and had a nice lunch and a devotional then went to another Care Facility, decorated cookies to give to the residents.

Fountain Stake - This Stake struggled to get a project figured out so we stepped in and helped organize the project one month before Christmas. We asked a Senior Couple who we work with if they would be willing to help us out. We got together a Care Facility for them to go to and we made 25 lap blankets for the residents. The missionaries had a nice breakfast while they braided blankets and each received their own Christmas Stockings. The Facilitator of the Care Facility was so touched by the individual love given to each of these residents. they then went and sang Christmas Carols to some Homebound individuals.

High Plains Stake made 125 braided fleece lap blankets. They were served breakfast and had a devotional , then went to a Care Facility where they ate with the residents and sang Christmas Carols and handed out the lap blankets. This stake had a day where all were invited to help sew and cut these blankets. 85 blankets were made on this day. All the materials were donated. This is the stake that Brett and I serve in. To help with this project, we bought a sewing machine. We cut and sewed and cut and sewed for weeks. The Aunt of the coordinators for this project came to help every time. She is 102 years old.

Pueblo Stake, they had a member who drove missionaries the hour and a half drive to the project and took them home. They put together 400 hygiene kits and 200 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The missionaries served food at the Pueblo's Soup kitchen and two other locations. Golden Corral donated a lunch for the missionaries after and they had a devotional.

A Few thoughts shared by some of the missionaries:

"When we walked in and started singing, there was one lady who started smiling and clapping along. It was cool to be able to minister to those that the world had forgotten. Jesus Christ is so aware of of each one of us! Even when the world forgets!

"A volunteer told us not to talk to someone name Mike since he was not very receptive . We mentioned that we had already talked to Mike since he asked us to sing Christmas Carols. He was very happy. The volunteer told us thru tears that he doesn't like to accept visits."

"We sang silent night and gave her a gift as we were leaving the sisters was giving the lady a hug and tears were streaming down her face".

Brett and I traveled to all of the Stakes on Christmas Day except for Alamosa and Manassa because we were with them the weekend before. We put over 200 miles on our car that day. (which on this mission 200 miles is nothing). The Missionaries were all so happy. Just to see their smiles made for such a blessed day. A sister said, how she has now decided to work with the elderly people because this experience helped her know that is what she needs to do.

There were many times of frustration in planning and re-planning and lack of sleep and many prayers. But in the end God Prevailed and it was wonderful. A project I would highly recommend for all missionaries. I know it made for a good day for me, so that I didn't feel as sorry for myself missing our family at home on Christmas Day. It was a different day for sure, but it is truly a Christmas I will never forget.

from Brett:

The Christmas Humanitarian Project has now come to a close and here are my thoughts from the experience.   I can honestly say this has been an amazing experience, I have watched people step up and truly accomplish the Lords work.  The inspiration for this project has truly blessed the lives of so many of Gods children in ways that I think are not fully seen yet.  As sister Hatfield and I launched out on this adventure, we didn’t really know what to expect at first but as we began meeting with the different Stakes and began bearing our testimonies of this project and its goodness, miracles began to happen.  My heart is full as I reflect on this experience, I am not sure I can truly write what I feel.   I have been so inspired by all who participated from missionaries to leaders and all those we came in contact with through the process.  To hear the missionaries share how they were able to connect with individuals on a one on one basis and to develop a spiritual connection with individuals in the limited time they were able to spend.   I was amazed to hear how peopled smiled, cried and sang with the missionaries, being lifted from where they were to a place of love, they were truly feeling the Saviors love for them as they spent time together.  I never cease to be amazed at how much love our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ have for us as their children.   The one was truly ministered to in this project and that is how the Savior would do it and did it through this project.   All I can say is Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb, he truly is all that the scriptures say that he is, Wonderful, Councilor, Almighty God and many more.  I am thankful for my small part, I am a different person because of this opportunity.   Amen and Amen.

Elder Hatfield