MacArthur Family Reunion this year was a little bitter sweet. All of Don's ten siblings and spouses and their combined 31 and counting kids (under 12) gathered for a weekend of fun and farewells. This would be the last large gathering before Grandpa Sparky and Grandma Sherri left for their three year mission to Chile.
The reunion started on Friday afternoon with all the adult children and spouses meeting at the church office building in a large conference room where the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles regularly hold meetings. It was pretty amazing to sit at the large table shaped like a "T" with three chairs up front and twelve surrounding.
We visited with Elder Robert D. Hales for about an hour and then he set apart President and Sister MacArthur and blessed them with the keys they would need to lead the almost 200 missionaries in Rancagua, Chile. I'll tell you, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. It was a very touching hour.
Later that evening, we gathered at Don's oldest brother's home for a backyard bbq and games. They have a really great house with a huge yard and sport court. It easily accomodated the 60 or so people there that weekend.
The boys loved having Wii tournaments on the huge projection screen TV!
We feasted like kings!
Every meal was a huge production---it had to be--feeding that many people!
The three-year olds had run of the yard.
They (mostly) got along great!
We met our newest nephew, baby Christopher, who traveled from Arizona
to be there when he was just two weeks old!
During a rainy spell, we played a fun game called "cracker whack" where you tie a cracker to the back of your pants and with a rolled up newspaper you try to whack the cracker off your neighbor! Hilarious!
I think Brayden is communicating with his rolled up newspaper,
contemplating their next move...
Whack!
We feasted like kings!
Every meal was a huge production---it had to be--feeding that many people!
The three-year olds had run of the yard.
They (mostly) got along great!
We met our newest nephew, baby Christopher, who traveled from Arizona
to be there when he was just two weeks old!
During a rainy spell, we played a fun game called "cracker whack" where you tie a cracker to the back of your pants and with a rolled up newspaper you try to whack the cracker off your neighbor! Hilarious!
I think Brayden is communicating with his rolled up newspaper,
contemplating their next move...
Whack!
It was a rainy weekend, but we did manage to find some sunshine!
We love our cousins!!
We wrapped things up on Sunday where Grandma and Grandpa gave their farewell talks in church. The Spirit was so strong and the talks were amazing. You really couldn't chose two people more suited to serve as missionary presidents. The missionaries and people of Chile will be truly blessed, and we are happy to share our grandma and grandpa with them.
A lot of hard work and planning went into the reunion and we are so thankful for those who put it together. The next official reunion will be in three years when Grandma and Grandpa return from their mission in Chile...until then!
We wrapped things up on Sunday where Grandma and Grandpa gave their farewell talks in church. The Spirit was so strong and the talks were amazing. You really couldn't chose two people more suited to serve as missionary presidents. The missionaries and people of Chile will be truly blessed, and we are happy to share our grandma and grandpa with them.
A lot of hard work and planning went into the reunion and we are so thankful for those who put it together. The next official reunion will be in three years when Grandma and Grandpa return from their mission in Chile...until then!
1 comment:
I love this post! Families are the best! Congrats to the MacArthur family, and good luck!
Post a Comment