Our Christmas Letter

Here is an unusual Christmas story.
It was Christmas eve, 1944, during the height of WWII. An American sailor on watch was startled to see a German submarine break the surface nearby. He gave a cry of alarm. And the other sailors on deck immediately saw their danger. The U-Boat was so close that its torpedoes couldn’t possibly miss the American ship, and there was no time for evasive manoeuvres. With only a minute or two left to live, the sailors were surprised to see a signal light on the rising submarine blink a message in Morse code. "M-E-R-R-Y-C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S", then the sub sank beneath the waves and was gone.

Christ taught us to love others, even to love our enemies. A U-Boat commander and his crew were willing to spare the lives of their enemies on Christmas eve. Perhaps we can, in our own small way, help to bring peace on earth and goodwill towards others.

2019 has been a good year for us. We move a little more slowly, but we are still able to enjoy our weekly shift at the Edmonton Temple, where we have had some special experiences. We have also enjoyed special times with family and friends. Many of our family have had important accomplishments during 2019. N. is in medical school, and in 2019 he and T. gave us our first great-grandson. M. is in her EMT program, and others are making major progress in their lives. I continue to serve about 25 hours weekly in FamilySearch Support, and also have made some breakthroughs in researching family lines. On July 20 we drove to Calgary to attend the Calgary Temple with members of my FamilySearch team. My friend Bob H. saw me there, and pointing to my Buchanan tartan tie, said “I have a tie just like yours.” I thought he meant that he had a tie like it, but in a different tartan. A few minutes later he came to see me carrying a tie identical to mine. “My mother was a McCammond.”, he explained with a big grin. Yes, a branch of the old Clan Buchanan! Incidentally, in 2019 the Clan Buchanan was granted its first new chief since the last chief’s line died out in 1682!  

May we all be blessed with peace and progress, and may we try to be instruments in Christ’s hands to bless others. And may we all feel God's love. Enjoy a happy 2020!

The Buchanans