Mwan CHRISTmas Celebration

 "He whose birth we commemorate this season is more than the symbol of a holiday. He is the Son of God, the Creator of the earth, the Jehovah of the Old Testament, the fulfillment of the Law of Moses, the Redeemer of mankind, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace". Gordon B. Hinckley

Here in Micronesia, we celebrate Christmas a little different from what we are used to back home.  Because everyone is family (Family of God) they celebrate all together on Christmas morning.  As everyone begins to show up and find a place to sit, all the presents are put into a big pile until it is time to hand them out.  It all begins with everyone singing a Christmas song together and then having an opening prayer to give thanks for the joyous season, family, and the gifts God has provided for everyone.  Then it is time for the handing out the gifts, each name is called and told who the gift is from.  Some are from Santa and others from someone in the family.  It is quite a show.  To receive your gift you get to do a little dance of some kind.  Some pretty smooth moves from these shakers. Some wouldn't dance but those who did were pretty funny.  Everyone got a good laugh.

Dance, dance - shake your booty!

The pile gets smaller 

Anticipation and waiting for a present . . .

Come on up, shake your stuff and get your present. . .

After all the gifts are given out it is time for eating (Sia Monga) One thing the Chuukese know how to do is eat... Even the tiny ones are great eaters.  This is what the adults ate. The children had chicken and a hot dog instead of fish.

After eating we had entertainment skits and singing... 

This the story of the Prodigal Son

Some of the many happy members --- 

These next pictures are just a variety of the many beautiful children in the branch.  It was a full and fun day for everyone.   

 Brothers and sisters, this joyful season brings to all of us a measure of happiness that corresponds to the degree to which we have turned our minds, feelings, and actions to the Savior, whose birth we celebrate. Let it be a time of prayers for peace, for the preservation of free principles, and for the protection of those who are far from us. Let it be a time of forgetting self and finding time for others. Let it be a time for discarding the meaningless and for stressing the true values. Let it be a time of peace because we have found peace in His teachings. Most of all, let it be a time to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the Wise Men. President Thomas S. Monson