During this Advent season, we are continuing our tradition of taking a trip around the world, exploring Christmas traditions from different countries. Last year, we visited Scandinavia, Colombia & Venezuela, Nigeria, and the Philippines. This year, we’ll begin our journey in Spain, specifically the region of Cataluña, where Barcelona is located.

Thanksgiving is nearly here! We’d like to offer you an activity that will not only help you fill your family’s Thanksgiving gathering with gratitude, but will also help you prepare for Christmas – gratitude boxes.

This week’s sermon and scripture reading both featured the story of the feeding of the 5,000. We also packed boxes of donations to feed troops who are far away from home. In that spirit, feed your head as well – learn something new as a family!

Veterans Day is this Thursday, and the annual parade is back! The parade begins at Montebello and Central at 11 am on 11/11, and your family can come and honor our veterans in person. If you cannot make it, you can pay your respects from home by observing two minutes of silence beginning at 11 am. If you’d like to deepen your experience, we invite you to take note of all of the 11s in the preceding sentences, and use them to guide your observance of this day.

Happy Halloween, Desert Mission families! This time of year is full of candy, whether you’re trick or treating, trunk or treating, or buying candy to give out. If November 1 finds your family with more than you could possibly eat, why not share some of the wealth?