7 more and counting!!!!!

#47

Brit


#48
Hi Mallory,

Your sister Cassie is a friend from high school of my husband's and we follow each other's blogs.  I blogged the other day about service and Cassie introduced me to your service venture!  I went ahead and blogged about it and am doing small acts of giving a food box anonymously to a family, putting a Christmas gift in our mailbox for the post man, and we are now keeping granola bars in our car to give out to those we see on the street.  Hope these can go toward your goal.  Thanks for doing such a wonderful thing for us all!
Michelle


#49
I wanted to share a small act of kindness my husband and I have participated in. My husband has a huge heart, especially for people who are different. He works with a few guys whom do not have great people skills and are slow learners. One I particular was adopted by his grandma and grandpa due to unfortunate circumstances. His grandmother/mom passed away a few years back and his grandpa/dad's health was deteriorating. Two years ago, my husband along with my husband family donated money and gifts to this wonderful guy. Later we found out that he spent Christmas alone; his grandpa/father was in the hospital. Last year, we again gave him Christmas. Although he does not show emotion, I was touched to do something for someone else. This year, his grandpa/father passed away. He does not have much family, so my husband has played a brother figure to him since the passing of his grandpa. I can't wait for Christmas eve to deliver yet another package, and also to feel the true meaning of Christmas.   
-Brooke




#50


My friend Lindsay was planning a day for her to go to the temple. Instead of going by herself she invited several friends to join her. I was lucky enough to be one of those friends and almost a dozen girls came too. As I was sitting in the temple I realized that none of us would have been there that day unless it was for Lindsay. Just her simple invite was such a great service to me (& the other girls too, I'm sure) to get us to a place where we really needed to be that day.
Happy Holidays!
Emily Trost


#51

This is Owen. He just turned 5 this last October. He got some Birthday money that he has been saving for awhile. The other day he was at the mall with his family and they asked him if he wanted to spend some of his Birthday money, they suggested a movie or something. Owen suggested picking a name off the angel tree at the mall and buy some legos for a kid who doesn't have Christmas! Owen later told his Aunt that it made him feel really good inside & that was the spirit! I am amazed that a 5 year old can help get you into the "spirit" of Christmas!
Emily Trost


#52-#54
Three Families came together to provide Christmas for a sweet family with 5 small children. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Shopping for OTHERS!!!

How exciting for a Family to receive all this!

THANK YOU!!!!!!

THANK YOU to all who have served! Thank you to all of you individually for taking the time to send me your story! It means so much to me! I feel very blessed to know each and everyone of you! 

Tis the SEASON to be JOLLY!!!!

Teaching my children about service is important and every year we make a significant gift donation to someone at Christmastime. 

This year was a little different. We got some surprising news at the beginning of December and ended up being the recipients of service instead...

We were planning to help with our ward service project and buy a bunch of warm coats, hats and gloves for the Road Home Shelter. I had quickly grabbed about 4 hats and pairs of gloves from the shelves at Target when I was buying groceries one day and planned to buy coats, along with more hats and gloves later when I had more time. Just a few days later I took our 6 year old son to the pediatrician because he seemed to be running to the bathroom way more often than normal. Within 2 hours we were admitted to Primary Children's hospital and he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It required a 2-3 day stay in the hospital in order to regulate blood sugars and to allow time for me and my husband to be "educated" about how to help our son deal with this disease on an hour to hour basis from now on. 

Primary Children's Hospital is an amazing place. We were visited several times a day by happy volunteers and showered with gifts to help comfort our son. He loved it! I can't count up all the service that we received over those 3 days--toys, crafts, books, and even a large blanket to take home! The comment my son made as we were packing up to go home summed it all up. He said "Wow, this is the best hotel we've ever stayed in!" 

Our ward gathered for their service project for the Road Home Shelter while we were at the hospital. All I could do was send over my little Target bag (containing my small contribution) and I felt like I had fallen very short of expectations. But my phone started ringing, the email messages began piling up and we were offered help over and over again. Dinners were brought in every night and babysitters helped take care of our other children. Friends, neighbors and family members prayed for the comfort and support of our family as we dealt with this big change and tried to get used to a "new normal" in our lives.  

I started this Christmas season with plans to spend money serving others but instead we have been served over and over again by loved ones who surround us. As a result I have been buoyed up. I have been able to count our blessings instead of our obstacles. Prayers for peace and comfort have been answered and our 6 year old son is dealing with all the changes of his diabetes more bravely than I thought possible. 

Christmas is about giving to others, but it's also about receiving gifts and being so grateful that they were given.