December is here! So fun to be wearing festive clothes and bright colors, after warm fall tones of orange, brown, etc.! Since I wear skirts or dresses three days each week, I will continue to wear the brown skirt or it would be pretty boring to see how many variations can be made with a black skirt. I even have a beige Christmas vest that looks smashing with my new red field coat! Layers of clothing are needed because the stake center where we have our GED Study Center was not heated, until recently. I was going to invite the associates to come on over to the igloo!!! It's somewhat improved now that we know about the thermostat that can be turned on, but with all the cold cement bricks taking a while to warm, I'm wearing multiple layers just the same! (But, if I think about other places in the world that are really, really cold I am glad to be just where I am!)

We have had three Associates pass their GED in November. I made a Hall of Fame Bulletin Board to hang in the hall. Yesterday we took their pictures in red cap and gown and will post these on our wall of fame. I will insert a photo of this as soon as I get lesson no. 2 on how to do this. It's not that I haven't been taught, it's just that I can't remember the steps! Please be patient, as I know the blog will be enhanced with some pictures.

Every morning at DI, before the store opens, the associates and staff gather for a devotional. On Mondays we are combined. The other days the group divides between sales staff and back room processing groups. There are seven Job Coaches who each work with around 13-15 associates. I think I've mentioned before that I'm rereading the Book of Mormon for my morning scripture study. So, Monday morning I was in Ether and reading about him trying to convince his people that we have to exert some faith and then good things start to happen! I had been thinking about my message for the devotional and bingo! these scriptures fit in to what I wanted to say. It concerned the realization that has come to me while tutoring---these folks have very intuitive skills in deciphering math or other situations, notwithstanding they might not be able to prove it in a "school-related set of processes"--but they should have trust in themselves that they can achieve this goal of passing the GED.

After I had shared my thoughts and read my scriptures from Ether (Ether 12:3-4), Moroni writing on the plates of Ether (vs. 6) and even the Lord himself speaking (vs. 27), I bore my testimony and sat down. The "tender mercy" of my using those thoughts and scriptures really hit me when Chad, one of 3 staff directors, concluded the devotional with his remarks. Posted on the wall was one word "ATTEMPT". He gave a great story to illustrate what can happen when we stop procrastinating and make an attempt to do what's right. He concluded with Moses 1:39 and also "When ye do what I say, I am bound; when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." I realized that our combined comments were extremely coordinated and I marveled that I had been a part of what the Lord wanted the associates to hear that day! Needless to say, I'm loving this mission. As I told the associates, I know I'm where the Lord knew I needed to be and it's a testament to the fact that he knows us individually and loves us and sees to our personal growth as we "hearken" to the commandments and the prophet.

Today I'm having a P-Day and it's the beginning of holiday parties as well, as my Material Girls Friendship group is gathering at the home of Joyce Jensen. In this group we share a small gift with each of the other 5 members, so it is quite festive! I purchased my gifts of mini quilts at the Quilt Show in April 2009 which Bev and I co-chaired, so it is a meaningful gift from me that I hope they will enjoy as well. The fabrics from these quilts were obtained as scraps from a Kaleidoscope Star class that I had taught for our guild in 2008!