From Mom 1/18/2007
Dear Family,
It sounds like all of you are getting a good taste of winter with ice storms in Oklahoma and sub zero temperatures in Idaho and Utah. We are basking in cloudy skies and rain! I think the lowest it has gotten is about 23’ and that was only one day this week. We got a letter from Aunt Verda and she told us about the tornado type winds that they had in Washington. People were without power for 5 days or longer, trees were uprooted and roofs were torn off houses. She felt lucky that just last summer she had a new roof put on her house or hers would have been one of those. Her son Ray did lose part of his roof and it was carried about an eighth of a mile away and left if pieces. Do you think we may be getting closer to “the last days”? I kind of get the feeling that we are being warned.
Petra is still looking forward to her baptism on the 3rd.or 4th of February. It has been very important for us to have daily contact with her, sometimes just a phone call and other days a short visit. Satan knows how to get his licks in when someone has chosen a plan contrary to what he would like to see. She is staying strong. Yesterday when we were with her she told us her name was a take off of the work Peter which means “rock”. She truly is a rock too. She is so concerned about others and wants to help everyone. Tuesday she is going out to help a young mother in our ward. They have 5 children and the oldest is 6. The last two are twins just two months old and every once in awhile, she needs a little help. Petra offered to spend some time helping her.
Tuesday Dad and I went out to help this dear overloaded sister. She has a two year old who is a bundle of energy and pretty demanding. The first thing this mother asked us to do was to take this little girl out for a walk. She doesn’t have a chance to be outside very much because the mother doesn’t dare go out and leave the babies alone. So we went for a long walk. We took the stroller but she soon got tired of that so I pushed the empty stroller and Dad walked with her, twirling her around and playing tag with her and pretty much wore her out for nearly a half hour. She was glad to get back in the stroller when we started for home. Shortly after we got back, one of the babies woke up so I changed him and gave him a bottle while day swept and mopped the floors. The mom actually was able to catch up on some laundry. Isn’t laundry the thing that we’re always behind in? Next week the husband of this dear sister is going to be in Utah all week interviewing for a job at BYU. He has a doctorate in German Literature and has applied for a position in the German department. He is also very talented musically and has some degree in that. They are so hoping that he gets the job. He is from Germany and she is from Malad and would love to be closer to home again. His parents are very upset with him for joining the church and have all but disowned them. So next week we will be going out to her place every morning to help her while she takes her two oldest children to school. We were about the only ones in the ward that could do that at that time of day as all the mothers in the ward are busy getting their kids off to school at that time. It will be a good experience for us. You never know what you’ll do when you’re a missionary.
Monday night at our Family Home Evening one of the Elders brought his guitar. After the lesson, he and his companion sang a funny song they had made up then for most of the rest of the time he played hymns and we all sang along with him. The kids really seemed to enjoy it, especially the two who aren’t even baptized yet. We stopped for awhile and played a couple of silly games for a few minutes and then went right back to singing again. They love the homemade treats we bring. This week we were short of time because we had to drive to district meeting and then had two appointments before FHE so I just made a loaf of banana bread and they loved it.
We have been meeting every Sunday afternoon with a young couple who have been quite inactive. They are the ones we helped paint their apartment and then move. We talked to them about starting to hold Family Home Evening so when they started their family they would already be in the habit of having it. They had no idea what to do so we told them we would come and have a FHE with them. Her twelve year old nephew was there. His mother is a member but totally inactive. We had a short lesson on the importance of family prayer and read some from the scriptures. The nephew took his turn reading and seemed to enjoy doing it. Then we played the M&M game, you know, picking up the M&Ms with a straw and they all got a big kick out of that. We had brought candy bars for a treat and just had a great time together. This twelve year old boy asked his aunt if she would come over to their house the next night and have FHE with them. Then Monday morning we saw the mother of this boy and she asked if we would come and teach her son again. He has had the lessons but just didn’t want to go any further. He adores his Aunt and they have moved close enough now so they could take this boy to church with them so we may have another person to teach. Isn’t it interesting what little things spark an interest in people. By the way, this young couple asked if there was a temple preparation class going because they want to prepare to go to the temple. They are just getting ready to start one up during Sunday School time. It’s so rewarding to see people progress in the gospel.
Boyd, I can sympathize with your back pain. Sunday night I was pulling my sweater off over my head and I must have twisted the wrong way or something and my lower back has been in severe pain ever since. Sitting is the worst position. Every once in awhile it just shoots sharp pains up my back. We have been walking between 30-40 minutes a day and that helps but it’s still a pain! Sweeping or vacuuming about does me in so guess who is the house cleaner for now? And he does a great job! I have to just lay down a couple of times a day and give it a rest. One night I just couldn’t get comfortable and was up most of the night. I think each day it is improving but I’m amazed at what little things can cause so much pain! One of these first times I’m not going to complain about my health!
Thank you all for the letters. It’s good to know what’s going on in your busy lives. We appreciate your faith in us and the encouragement you give. We need it! This mission is very difficult. Even Dad says that so we really do appreciate the support we feel from you. Know that we love you. You are in our thoughts and prayers every day. Stay warm and happy.
Much love always,
Mom
It sounds like all of you are getting a good taste of winter with ice storms in Oklahoma and sub zero temperatures in Idaho and Utah. We are basking in cloudy skies and rain! I think the lowest it has gotten is about 23’ and that was only one day this week. We got a letter from Aunt Verda and she told us about the tornado type winds that they had in Washington. People were without power for 5 days or longer, trees were uprooted and roofs were torn off houses. She felt lucky that just last summer she had a new roof put on her house or hers would have been one of those. Her son Ray did lose part of his roof and it was carried about an eighth of a mile away and left if pieces. Do you think we may be getting closer to “the last days”? I kind of get the feeling that we are being warned.
Petra is still looking forward to her baptism on the 3rd.or 4th of February. It has been very important for us to have daily contact with her, sometimes just a phone call and other days a short visit. Satan knows how to get his licks in when someone has chosen a plan contrary to what he would like to see. She is staying strong. Yesterday when we were with her she told us her name was a take off of the work Peter which means “rock”. She truly is a rock too. She is so concerned about others and wants to help everyone. Tuesday she is going out to help a young mother in our ward. They have 5 children and the oldest is 6. The last two are twins just two months old and every once in awhile, she needs a little help. Petra offered to spend some time helping her.
Tuesday Dad and I went out to help this dear overloaded sister. She has a two year old who is a bundle of energy and pretty demanding. The first thing this mother asked us to do was to take this little girl out for a walk. She doesn’t have a chance to be outside very much because the mother doesn’t dare go out and leave the babies alone. So we went for a long walk. We took the stroller but she soon got tired of that so I pushed the empty stroller and Dad walked with her, twirling her around and playing tag with her and pretty much wore her out for nearly a half hour. She was glad to get back in the stroller when we started for home. Shortly after we got back, one of the babies woke up so I changed him and gave him a bottle while day swept and mopped the floors. The mom actually was able to catch up on some laundry. Isn’t laundry the thing that we’re always behind in? Next week the husband of this dear sister is going to be in Utah all week interviewing for a job at BYU. He has a doctorate in German Literature and has applied for a position in the German department. He is also very talented musically and has some degree in that. They are so hoping that he gets the job. He is from Germany and she is from Malad and would love to be closer to home again. His parents are very upset with him for joining the church and have all but disowned them. So next week we will be going out to her place every morning to help her while she takes her two oldest children to school. We were about the only ones in the ward that could do that at that time of day as all the mothers in the ward are busy getting their kids off to school at that time. It will be a good experience for us. You never know what you’ll do when you’re a missionary.
Monday night at our Family Home Evening one of the Elders brought his guitar. After the lesson, he and his companion sang a funny song they had made up then for most of the rest of the time he played hymns and we all sang along with him. The kids really seemed to enjoy it, especially the two who aren’t even baptized yet. We stopped for awhile and played a couple of silly games for a few minutes and then went right back to singing again. They love the homemade treats we bring. This week we were short of time because we had to drive to district meeting and then had two appointments before FHE so I just made a loaf of banana bread and they loved it.
We have been meeting every Sunday afternoon with a young couple who have been quite inactive. They are the ones we helped paint their apartment and then move. We talked to them about starting to hold Family Home Evening so when they started their family they would already be in the habit of having it. They had no idea what to do so we told them we would come and have a FHE with them. Her twelve year old nephew was there. His mother is a member but totally inactive. We had a short lesson on the importance of family prayer and read some from the scriptures. The nephew took his turn reading and seemed to enjoy doing it. Then we played the M&M game, you know, picking up the M&Ms with a straw and they all got a big kick out of that. We had brought candy bars for a treat and just had a great time together. This twelve year old boy asked his aunt if she would come over to their house the next night and have FHE with them. Then Monday morning we saw the mother of this boy and she asked if we would come and teach her son again. He has had the lessons but just didn’t want to go any further. He adores his Aunt and they have moved close enough now so they could take this boy to church with them so we may have another person to teach. Isn’t it interesting what little things spark an interest in people. By the way, this young couple asked if there was a temple preparation class going because they want to prepare to go to the temple. They are just getting ready to start one up during Sunday School time. It’s so rewarding to see people progress in the gospel.
Boyd, I can sympathize with your back pain. Sunday night I was pulling my sweater off over my head and I must have twisted the wrong way or something and my lower back has been in severe pain ever since. Sitting is the worst position. Every once in awhile it just shoots sharp pains up my back. We have been walking between 30-40 minutes a day and that helps but it’s still a pain! Sweeping or vacuuming about does me in so guess who is the house cleaner for now? And he does a great job! I have to just lay down a couple of times a day and give it a rest. One night I just couldn’t get comfortable and was up most of the night. I think each day it is improving but I’m amazed at what little things can cause so much pain! One of these first times I’m not going to complain about my health!
Thank you all for the letters. It’s good to know what’s going on in your busy lives. We appreciate your faith in us and the encouragement you give. We need it! This mission is very difficult. Even Dad says that so we really do appreciate the support we feel from you. Know that we love you. You are in our thoughts and prayers every day. Stay warm and happy.
Much love always,
Mom
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