December 15-30, 2013

ad at bus stop

In Spain there's a tradition of Christmas decorating by recreating not just a Nativity, but the whole town of Bethelem, or Belen.  You can find Belens in churches, in government buildings, in the central display areas of shopping centers, and in private store fronts throughout the city as well as in private homes.  There was even a large one inside the gate of the army headquarters.  We went with Payas and Grieves to see a famous 18th century Belen in a downtown cultural center.  The figures were about 8 inches tall, but elaborately carved, and dressed in a mix of bibilcal and 18th century styles.  


Several days later we took a dozen or so fellow missionaries to see a Belen in the town of El Escorial, where the townspeople create life-sized figures out of papier mache.  It took up much of the downtown area, and besides the Holy Family it included the angel appearing to shepherds, the three kings coming to adore, the temple mount, a marketplace, a gypsy encampment, a caravan encampment, and dozens of animals and townspeople.

A child admiring the Holy Family

One of the three kings

Elders Jones and Paya discussing height of king´s horse

veggies for sale

Elder Jones holding back charioteer

Sister Jones talking with camel driver

Donkey with a heavy load

It was so cold that we had to stop and have some churros and chocolate to warm up.  Churros are sticks of deep fried batter that you dip in your cup of melted chocolate bar--pure energy!

On the 21st the Madrid mission brought all of its missionaries in to present a concert of Christmas music at the Stake Center on temple square.  It really brought the Christmas spirit.  We temple missionaries were asked to provide an array of cookies for people to munch on while the missionaries mingled with the crowd after the concert.  A week later Marguerita's choir, the Coro de Helaman, which Sister Jones sang with on our first mission presented a concert.  She only made it to two practices, but Marguerita asked her to join them anyway.  It was a fun evening.  

Two new families arrived just before Christmas, the Hawkins and Dechamps.  They took the apartments vacated by Iguales and Lloyds.  It is wonderful how people come and go and are always loved.

Christmas Eve we were invited up to the MTC devotional, where the missionaries and teachers performed a Nativity, complete with sing-along Christmas carols.  Then we went down to the hostal dining room on the first floor where the Spanish temple missionaries put on a fancy dinner for the Americans, complete with lovely table decorations and delicious food.  

Christmas Day was mostly reserved for missionary couples to Skype with their families, But for lunch, Tenneys organized a pot luck and white elephant gift exchange which also took place in the comedor, or hostal dining room.  Although we were missing our kids and grandkids everyone had a lot of fun.

Just after Christmas the Salas' went to visit their daughter in the US for a few weeks, and our old friends, the Perez’s moved into their apartment and worked their shifts at the temple.

Saturday the 28th was our 47th wedding anniversary.  Usually we are hosting some of our kids and their families from out of state, and don't really go out to celebrate.  This time we decided to really do something special, but had a hard time choosing.  Finally we decided it would be fun to eat downtown at a Cuban restaurant that had been recommended by the McDougals--black beans and rice, fried green bananas, and more fun food from the Caribbean.  It was a relatively small place, but there was a combo playing loud Latin music, photos of Havana decorating the walls, and people at the bar dancing in place to the music.  It felt like the whole world was celebrating with us!  Afterwards we walked around downtown and Greg surprised Monti by buying her a nativity with the figures in Spanish costumes to remember Spain by.

Monday night the 30th we did something a little crazy.  We stood in a line at night in the cold for 2 1/2 hours, waiting our turn to ride an open-topped bus to see the city Christmas lights.  Everyone was frozen, and two couples opted out about half way through the wait, but those of us remaining had a good time.  Surprisingly, it was warmer up on top of the bus than it had been down in the street.

The next night, New Years Eve, we went to bed early, and listened to the fireworks go off as we went to sleep.  Happy New Year!