I am an orphan

Just imagine...it's Christmas morning and I am an orphan.

There is noone who cares enough about me to make sure I have the most perfect Christmas possible. My parents are either both dead, or my only parent has abandoned me, and someone has dropped me off to live in this orphanage. Some who live with me have lived here most of their lives. Others have lived here for just a year or two.

Well, the Berbice zone of 10 elders + 2 senior missionaries decided to visit our orphanage where I live with about 20-25 other children with a couple of Muslim women. They wanted to do something special for us who live in the orphanage and to make a memorable Christmas for them, also.

From the looks of this Nativity picture, it looks like they did a pretty good job of it, don't you think?

Here's a look at our orphanage. It's 3-4 blocks from the Bullock's apartment.

And here's the Muslim mom who is in charge of us. (Editor's note: We hope she is as warm and loving to the children as she was to us.)

When the elders first poked their heads through the open doorway we were all seated and anxiously awaiting their arrival. The minute we spotted them, we began to yell, "Ho, ho, ho!" We were all dressed in the best clothes we had.

The missionaries left their shoes at our front door and entered. I knew we were going to have fun with them when I noticed they were all wearing red Santa hats.

Elders Hamilton and Fillerup had planned a short program for us. Elder Hamilton was perfect as the MC. You'll see later the special part his companion, Elder Fillerup, got to play.

Now, I'll show and tell you all the details of their visit with us. Are you ready?

First off they sang us some Christmas carols. I liked the song about Rudolph the best.

Then, they did this funny skit about the "Ugliest Man" .

He was so ugly than anyone who looked at his face instantly died. One by one the elders looked at his face, screamed and fell dead...except the last one to look. The ugliest man screamed and died when he saw his face and suddenly there was a switch. The last man to look became the new ugliest man!

We were all invited to play parts in a show they called "The Nativity" . The elders dressed us all in costumes.

As you look through the photos that follow, notice our faces and the missionary's faces. See who you think enjoyed the program and visit the most...we, the children, or the missionaries...

Elders Lauritzen and Hamilton dressed up the wisemen.

Elder Lauritzen was being careful that we looked perfect in our costumes.

Wow, our wisemen looked fabulous! Check out the bright looks on their faces. Where did the littlest wiseman disappear to whom they had dressed in the yellow wiseman outfit?

Oh, there he is...right behind where Elder Jones is dressing Mary.

Joseph, Mary and the innkeeper look like they were all set for the "show" to begin. Sister Bullock said they all looked beautiful.

Elders Lee, Fillerup, and Duncan had the shepherds ready to go. Were they all smiling?

Elders Coronado and Bullock helped Sister Bullock set up the stable.

These three stooges were ready for the show to roll!

Just as we were to begin, Sister Bullock asked little Mary to climb on the donkey's back and take a ride to the stable. Little Mary had instant stagefright and ran and hid. Sister Bullock tried to show her how easy it would be to ride on the donkey . But, she was finished being Mary.

So, they picked one of the wisemen to be Mary. Meet the new Mary! Do you think she's pretty?

The new Mary climbed right onto Elder Fillerup's back and rode to the stable with Joseph walking at her side. Here you see Joseph asking the tiny innkeeper if he and Mary can stay in his stable with the animals.

Did you notice what special part that big tall Elder Fillerup got to play. He was the donkey!

Mary was supposed to be pregnant so had a baby stuffed under her costume. She and Joseph took their place in the stable, preparing to spend the night. More smiles? I think so.

In the night something wonderful happened, and the baby Jesus was born looking more like a teddy bear than a real baby.

Mary wrapped up the baby Jesus and just cuddled him and loved him.

The angel announced the birth to the shepherds ...

The rest of the angels jumped from their seats to stand behind the angel and join her in singing to the shepherds.

The shepherds found their way to the baby Jesus after looking for him everywhere in the orphanage...under the chairs, etc.

Anyone ever heard of a smiling donkey?

The wisemen were waiting at the back of the orphanage room to follow the star (I was the star). I think Elders Lauritzen, Lang and Hamilton were checking the stars or the horoscope to tell the wisemen just when to begin their trek!

I was holding the star on a stick and I got to lead the wisemen to where they could find the baby Jesus.

We all finally made it to the stable! Yeah! You can see me at the very back holding the stick with the star over the stable. You have to look closely to see my star.

Do the shepherds look excited to have found the baby Jesus?

Holding the real baby Jesus must have felt wonderful!

After the program and "show" were finished, they gave each of us a bag of candy with a small toy and talked with each of us. I loved that part.

Sister Bullock seemed to love to hold us on her lap and put her arms around us.

I would have liked them to stay a lot longer than the 90 minutes they stayed. I hope they come back soon to play and talk with us some more.

Elder Lauritzen...

And his really tall companion, Elder Bryan. A little bird told me he can really eat a lot!

Elder Duncan was fascinating us all with something he had in his hands. I think it was his camera. I think he was showing us the photos he had just taken of all of us.

What were you holding, Elder Duncan?

Oh, there I am again. Do you think we are cute? Could you love us?

Elder Fillerup was so tall and he made the perfect donkey... I think I would have liked to ride on him, too. Do you see me? I'm trying to see the photos on his camera.

He was really nice to us.

Elder Hamilton... Well, he was just really nice, too. He seemed so happy to be with us.

Some of the elders liked sitting on our couch... Elders Lauritzen, Lee, Green, and Lang...

When they all turned to leave, our "mom" said to them, "Come back soon...very soon".

We loved having them talk to us. They seemed to like us a lot!