Scenes from the Tabernacle Christmas Program

Here are some scenes from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Program.  I have always wanted to go.  So jealous Michael got to see it this year!!! It's spectacular!!!!

Almost Christmas Eve

Hello Family and Friends,

Since tomorrow is Christmas Eve, I’m emailing today, and for 2 separate 1 hour shifts, because we’re going to the temple today.  Anyways, it’s been another great week here. 

Thursday 12/17 – After emails we went to our night zones to work.

Friday 12/18 – We did our usual day and night zone work.

Saturday 12/19 – We worked during the day and then during the night we got to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert, which was awesome.  Interesting fact- we went through the standby line in the Tabernacle and EVERYONE in the standby line got in. (see posted pictures)

Sunday 12/20 – We got up and went to our final branch choir practice of 2015, and then we went to see Music and the Spoken Word and then later on we had our branch Christmas program during church.  That night my companion and I saw the lights TWICE, which was awesome.

Monday 12/21 – We got up at 4:45am so we could get to our mission choir practice on time and then we had our mission devotional – Christmas themed.  We then went to work in our regular work zones and then had District Meeting that night.

Tuesday 12/22 – We did our usual day/night zone work and of course it was kind of busy but also good.

Wednesday 12/23 – Today besides me emailing we’ll go to the temple for our monthly temple trip and then we have our mission choir practice this afternoon. 

Thanks as always for your continued love and support.  I hope everyone has a Happy Holidays!  Love you all! J

Elder Frederickson

New P-Day

Hello Family and Friends,

Yes, I'm emailing on a THURSDAY, since Thursday is my NEW p-day (for this transfer at least!).  It's been a great past 5 days since I've written.  Since it's been under a week since I've written, this email will be a bit shorter than usual.  Here's my rundown of the past 5 days.

Saturday 12/12 - After emails I had branch choir practice and a Double Male Quartet rehearsal.

Sunday 12/13 - We had our special stake conference where Elder M. Russell Ballard came to speak to us.  Then we had our church meetings where we got to hear from Elder Renlund; he spoke to all the young elders during Priesthood and I learned many things from him; one is which we must magnify our own callings.  That night my companion and I had a dinner appointment and then spent a few minutes looking at the lights.

Monday 12/14 - We got up at 5am so we could make it to our mission choir rehearsal on time.  We also had our first "big" snow of the season and we actually were dismissed from our zones an hour early because of the snow.  Despite the snow we still had our district meeting and then my companion and I shoveled some snow at our stake center.

Tuesday 12/15 - We spent the day working in our regular work zones and I also had my first Double Men's Quartet performance in the afternoon at the senior mission conference.  It was a great meeting where we got to hear from our mission president and his wife.  We then went straight to the transfer conference where I found out that ONLY my p-day was changing.  We then worked in our night zones.

Wednesday 12/16 - We spent another day working in our regular work zones and I had my second Double Men's Quartet performance (which was for the same occasion haha!) and both days it went great.  We had our mission choir practice that afternoon. 

Thursday 12/17 - We already did shopping and laundry and tonight we will work in our night zones.

Thank you so much for your continued support.  Love you all and have a GREAT week! :)

Elder Frederickson

One more Week until the Blessing

Hello Family and Friends,

Another busy and great week has come and gone all too quickly.  I also hit my 3 month mark this week - THAT'S crazy.  Here is my week in a nutshell.

Saturday 12/5 - After emails we had the opportunity to go to the temple which was great.  We then went to dinner - we tried to go to a pizza place and they ran out of dough; we ended up getting a card that said FREE PIZZA (score for us haha!) and we ended up getting Subway, which was good.

Sunday 12/6 - We got up and went to my Double Male Quartet rehearsal and then branch choir practice.  We then went to see Music and the Spoken Word which is in the Conference Center this month to accommodate larger crowds.  Then we got ready for church and then had church.  After church we went home and had dinner, then we went to the 1st Presidency Christmas devotional.  Interesting story - we originally went to the Tabernacle and then about15 minutes into it - we found out that there were more seats in the Conference Center, so we got to see the remainder of the program there. 

Monday 12/7 - We got up at 5am so we could be to our mission choir rehearsal on time and then we had our mission devotional.  We then went to our work zones for the remainder of the day.  That night we had our District Meeting and then got our free pizza that night.

Tuesday 12/8 - We did our usual work in our day/night zones.

Wednesday 12/9 - We spent an hour in our work zones and then we had our monthly Young Elders conference.  After the conference we had lunch and went back to our work zones.  Then our zone had a monthly farewell event for all the missionaries leaving the mission (this month only some of the seniors are leaving!).  We then had choir practice and afterwards had dinner and went to our night zones.

Thursday 12/10 - We had another busy day working in our usual day/night zones.

Friday 12/11 - We did our normal work in our usual day/night zones.

Saturday 12/12 - We already did our shopping.  Tonight we have branch choir and Double Male Quartet rehearsals to prepare for our performances.  The Double Male Quartet is performing on Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week as well as the following Sunday (12/20) - as well as the branch choir performance. 

It's been another great week.  This was also the last week of the transfer, so we have transfers on Tuesday night, which means I don't know when my next p-day will be (so stay tuned haha!).  Temple Square is REALLY crowded at night - but we get through it.  3 companionships told me that Sarah tried to find me - pretty interesting haha.  It's been unusually warm here this week (upper 50's and lower 60's), but now it's chilly again.  We also got new elders this week, which was fun.   That's awesome that the Men's/Women's choirs are singing at conference, and Jenn should be really excited; I'd be excited too.   I FINALLY got the package yesterday - I'm not doing too much decorating yet because of transfers and because I won't know if I'm moving apartments until Monday, but HOPEFULLY I'll get to begin decorating on Monday.  You may want to send my Christmas package soon in order for me to get the package on time.  I'm excited to find out what's in the package. In addition to church tomorrow we also have a special Stake Conference where we'll get to hear from M. Russell Ballard and a 70 - seeing 3 general authorities tomorrow - that should be GREAT.  My companion and I also have a dinner appointment tomorrow night.  How's the weather in VA?  Like I mentioned before it has been warm this week, but now it's cold.

 Love you all and have a great week (and to the BYU-I and BYU students - good luck on finals this week!). :)

Elder Frederickson

Happy Birthday Grandma

Hello Family and Friends,

Another week has come and gone too quickly, but of course it was another good week.  Here is what happened to me this week.

Saturday 11/28 - Immediately after emails, my companion and I went with another companionship to dinner at a really good burger place, and it was fun.  We then went to play/watch sports at our stake center cultural hall. 

Sunday 11/29- We got up and went to my Double Male Quartet rehearsal and then had branch choir practice.  We then went to see Music and the Spoken Word and as always it was awesome.  Later that day we had church which of course was good.  That night we went to see the temple lights with another companionship which was fun.

Monday 11/30- We got up at 5am to go to our mission choir practice and then had our weekly devotional.  We then went to our work zones and then had Zone Conference that night.

Tuesday 12/1 - We worked in our regular day/night work zones.

Wednesday 12/2 - We had another busy day working in our day/night zones.  We had our mission choir practice in between day and night zones which of course was alot of fun.

Thursday 12/3 - In addition to working in our day zones, we had the opportunity to attend a Family History Christmas Devotional with Elder C. Scott Grow - and my companion and I were assigned to help pass out programs, which was alot of fun - we even had lunch there and of course we got the food for free (who doesn't like free food haha!).  That night we had to do our laundry and bag EVERYTHING (except our food!) since the bed bug exterminators were coming to our apartment the next morning.

Friday 12/4 - We had another hardworking day working in our day/night zones, and the bed bug exterminators came and sprayed our apartment (that's why we had to pack EVERYTHING minus our food haha!).  At least our apartment is (hopefully!) back to normal now.  We also found out that day that for tomorrow and the following Sunday we are going to the OTHER branch (the Ensign 3rd Branch - that branch meets in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building!) which will be fun and interesting.

Saturday 12/5- We already cleaned our apartment and went shopping.  Tonight I'm going with our apartment to the temple, which will be fun. 

I'm really grateful for everyone's love and support as always.  Love you all and have a GREAT week! :)

Elder Frederickson

Scenes From the Lights on Temple Square

This is where Michael gets to work EVERY day!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hello Family and Friends,

This week hasn’t been super busy because of it being Thanksgiving, but of course it was a GREAT week. 

Saturday 11/21 – That night we played some sports in our stake center cultural hall.  Interesting fact – after sports my companion and I found bed bugs on our beds, so we’ve been sleeping in our living room ALL WEEK to avoid getting bit by them.  Our apartment is figuring out ways to get rid of them.

Sunday 11/22 – We got up and I had an early morning Double Male Quartet rehearsal and then we had branch choir right after that.  After choir we went to see Music and the Spoken Word and then later on we had church. 

Monday 11/23 – We woke up at 5am so I could get to our mission choir practice on time and then we had our Monday Morning Devotional, which was good.  We then went to our work zones and then had District Meeting that night.

Tuesday 11/24 – We worked in our regular work zones that day and also at night. 

Wednesday 11/25 – We went to the temple for our monthly temple trip which was as always good.  We then went to our regular work zones and then had choir practice right after that.  We then went to our night zones.

Thursday 11/26 – For Thanksgiving the young elders watched 2 films and then we went to our branch Thanksgiving dinner which was a lot of fun.  We then played/watched some sports in our stake center cultural hall.

Friday 11/27 – Yesterday we cleaned our apartments and then had our apartments inspected by a senior missionary couple.  We then watched the lights of Temple Square turn on – it was COLD, but it was a lot of FUN.  My companion and I helped another young elder find his companion – we modified our plans a bit, but we were able to receive blessings, so that’s a PLUS.

Saturday 11/28 – We already went shopping and are planning on going out to dinner tonight which is fun.

I hope that everyone had a super Thanksgiving!  As much as I really miss everyone, I’m thankful to be where I am right now – on this mission with super fun people.  Love you all and have a wonderful week!

Elder Frederickson

A little extra info from my letter from Michael:

" I’m writing later today because for some unknown reason, my shopping time changed from 9:30am to 11:30am.  The films we watched were Joseph Smith:  Prophet of the Restoration and a film called Teacher (Teacher is a movie that involves Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan!); the films were really good.  For the dinner we ate turkey (obviously haha!) and then played some games .  The lights on Temple Square are awesome and I’ll be excited to see them each night when I go to and from zone.  The bed bugs have been a problem in our mission for over a year now – a sister from Italy brought them, and one of our current AP’s was the first young elder to get bit.  Luckily I haven’t gotten bit by the bed bugs yet.  All of my sheets and blankets have been in a bag on our deck all week, but I’ll FINALLY get to use them tonight since I’ll wash them later today – but we’re still not allowed to sleep in our beds yet.  Some of the other apartments have it worse than us (like the apartment next to ours!).  Also - WOW - that's alot of changes in our ward, but I'm sure you'll do great as an Activity Day Girls leader - I'm sure it was time for a new calling since you've been in Young Women's for almost 4 years now."