Friday, December 28, 2007

Family together at Disney's Enchanted Movie in Hollywood


John and I gave all our family tickets for Christmas to attend Disney's new movie, "Enchanted" at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood yesterday. After the movie we enjoyed the Enchanted Experience they had set up next door where the kids got to take pictures with the Princesses and sword fight and climb rock walls and play video games, etc. all for the one price with the movie. It was so much fun to enjoy each other, especially after the events of the last couple weeks.

Visit to Salt Lake Temple Square


While we were in Utah the week before Christmas, we took Steffen up to Salt Lake City to see the beautiful lights of Temple Square and enjoyed the Spirit in the Visitors Center where the Christus is located.



John and I, our son Christian, daughter Trine and her baby, Leyna and son, Hans saying good-bye to our missionary, Steffen, at the Provo Missionary Training.
I'll be keeping up Steffen's blog while he is away if you want updated pictures and addresses.
SLassen.blogspot.com

Two Funerals at Christmas Time

The week before Christmas, my 96 year old grandfather, Carl J Beecroft, passed away peacefully in Mesa, Arizona and then 2 days later, my own mother, Rita Beecroft, passed away in her home. They both were blessed to join their spouses that have already gone on before them. My mother passed away minutes after we arrived in Provo, Utah as we drove our son Steffen up to take him to the Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, December 19th. (check his blog for pictures and his addresses http://www.slassen.blogspot.com/ I will keep his blog updated while he is on his mission).
I called my mother's home the night she passed, just in time to have my sister Lisa, tell me moment by moment what was happening as my mother took her final breaths. It was such an emotional time in our lives.
We left Steffen in Provo on Wednesday and drove down to Mesa to attend the two funerals; my mom's on Friday and my grandfather's on Saturday. We celebrated their lives with lots and lots of family and friends around. Our other 8 children and their children were able to be there with us. It was good to see loved ones we don't get to see as often as we would like. Funerals can be a Family Reunion time and that is what these became. The programs were lovely, with music and words that brought the Spirit of the Lord so close. It helped us focus more on eternal things and upon our Savior Jesus Christ at a time when the world celebrates his birth. I felt such peace and the comfort of the Holy Ghost that all is well with them. It was hard to leave my mother's home and all her and my dad's belongings. The house feels so sad now and it is hard to realize that their home will never be the same again. We have the difficult task as children to now distibute the material things they left behind. They made it a lot easier by leaving a maticulous letter of how to begin this process. My parents were both very prepared and organized and this helps so very much. We as siblings will return again to be together in a month or so and figure our the rest.
We are home now in Camarillo and have enjoyed having all our children and grandchildren around us for Christmas (except Steffen). We got an e-mail from him this week and he had a very Spiritual Christmas there in the MTC, so we are happy he too felt the Spirit of Christmas more than ever this year. He is excited to be a fulltime missionary for our Savior and take the message of the restored church of Jesus Christ to any who will listen and ask if it is true. He will be in the MTC until January 9th, 2008 and then fly out to Washington, D.C.

If you care to read my mom's and grandfather's obituaries and sign their guestbooks, please go to this link: http://www.legacy.com/azcentral/Obituaries.asp?Page=SearchResults You have to click on "modify search", type in Beecroft in the Last Name Box, and click the drop down menu for the last 30 days of obituaries to find theirs.

Love and peace to all of you and Happy New Year 2008
Debi and John and family

My Mom's Funeral Program






My Grandfather's Funeral Program




Monday, December 17, 2007

Kirsten and Jonathan and family Elfing Themselves

At our talent night tonight, we had all kinds of wonderful talents shared including the Kent Family putting on Elf Hats and Elfing themselves....live!

Lassen Christmas Family Talent Night

Ditte, Jeremy, Andrew, Mette, Joel and Bethany took a swing class together this semester at Moorpark College and tonight at our talent show, they showed us their routine they learned!


Pres. Blickenstaff with Elder Lassen and happy parents, John and Debi.
Elder Lassen and Bishop Malan just after he was set apart as a new missionary.

New Set Apart Missionary


Steffen's Last Night Home....


Last night we had an Open House for Steffen for people to come by and say good-bye to him.
Then tonight, he opened some presents from family at our Annual Lassen Christmas Family Home Evening/Talent Show. Here he is opening socks from his little 2nd cousin, Lizette (Candace and Tyler's baby). Great present, Lizette!!!

He also received the missionary books he needed from Else...all his other Christmas presents are suits, white shirts, coat, new shiny bicycle that has been shipped to Washington DC South Mission, etc. etc!

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Dad's Birthday gift was an elliptical machine. He jumped right up after opening it and began putting it together! He loves projects! I'm not sure, but I think he got more enjoyment out of assembling this machine than he will working out on it!


Monday, December 10, 2007

Dad's Birthday and Christmas Carolling

Monday night for family night, our family went Christmas Carolling to families we home and visit teach. One of our favorite small and simple things at this season.







Happy Birthday Boy!