Post Festivities

Dec. 28, 2008
Dear Elder Sean,
It was GREAT talking with you on Christmas! I hope you had a wonderful day. I'm still very hopeful that you will get some of the packages we sent to you. Please let us know as soon as you get anything. You sounded great, happy and it made my day.

Church was wonderful today. Our Sunday School lesson was very spiritual. We finished up studying the BOM for the year and Bro. Mason, our teacher, focused on Moroni's words about faith, hope and charity. Then we talked about miracles and gifts of the spirit. Bro. Mason shared a miracle from his mission and we talked about how these are evidences as Moroni called them and asked if any others wanted to share any miracles. It was sweet to hear the stories and evidences from a few in the room. They were all very tender. It was evident that so many of the miracles happen when it comes to building up of the kingdom and people joining the church. Bro. Mason as a young missionary promised his 70-something year old investigator in Belgium that the ocean water would be warm enough for him to be baptized in(they were on an island with no fonts and it was too far for this gentleman to travel to the mainland and he had come down with pneumonia a few years earlier when he went out in the cold water and almost died). As they were teaching him over the weeks, the weather turned quite warm and the day before the baptism the water was in the 70's, but they woke up the next day to a huge rainstorm. The investigator called and said he couldn't go out in the rain for fear of getting sick. Bro. Mason told him the Lord didn't do all this work to warm up the ocean water just to see him back out of baptism and then promised him that the rain would subside for his baptism. They met in a building near the ocean for the meeting, talks and music, etc. It was still pouring rain. Then it was time to sing the first 2 verses of the hymn that they always sang right before each baptism. As they were singing, it stopped raining where they were. They walked to the cliff to go down to the beach and could see black skies all around with a hole in the clouds letting the sun through lighting the area where they were to do the baptism. They performed the baptism, went back inside and it started to rain again.

Many others in the room had similar stories, all very powerful and evidences of a loving Heavenly Father.


Last year I remember that Pres. Olsen and his wife were Santa and Mrs. Claus. Did they do that again this year? I remember also that President came walking through your office last year, so we got to talk briefly with him. Anyway, it's always fun getting to talk with you. And Hma. Lucas was so nice and thoughtful to take such good care of you missionaries.

Just as we were trying to call you (in the middle of our various attempts at phone numbers), Sister Aleki called us. I thought it was nice that she called us on Christmas day. Since her family in Samoa doesn't have any modern conveniences, I was glad I was able to talk with her and wish her a merry Christmas. She did get to call her brother who lives in California and she was going to try one of her relatives in Samoa who has a cell phone, but wasn't sure if she'd get through to her family. She's getting transferred this week to Meridian. I'm sure all this snow is quite a shock to her system.

Speaking of snow, it just keeps coming. We've never seen so much snow here. All Christmas eve and all Christmas day it snowed, which made it absolutely beautiful. On Friday it cleared up, then it snowed all day Saturday. I've been taking the kids hookey bobbing just about every day.

There's a little break in the system and we are going to try to get to Utah tomorrow. Getting back home will be another feat. We are leaving in the morning so if your letter isn't here by the time we leave, we'll check for it when we get to Utah. Sure wish grandma and grandpa would get the internet. We'll find a signal somewhere and log in. We're going to go to temple square to see the lights, take grandpa out for dinner for his birthday (this year he wants to either go to Red Lobster or a chinese restaurant-the kids are hoping for chinese), spend new years at Steve and CArolina's, visit the girls cousin, Tani, shop, tour, go to a BYU basketball game and head home after church next Sunday. That's the plan, but we'll be watching the weather each day. School starts next Monday and dad has to work next Monday, so we need to at least make a valiant effort to get back before then.

We spent most the afternoon playing games and wrapping gifts for grandma and grandpa and Charmaine. Kirk was able to get the week off too, so I'm glad he'll be able to come with us. Travis is a nice boss and very generous.

I spoke with my dad the other day and he was asking if you've gotten his letter yet. I really hope it gets to you. I don't know what he wrote, but he'd love to hear when it gets to you.

Today was Nikki's last day in junior Primary, can you believe it? Our little family is growing up quickly. She still keeps talking about getting the gift of the Holy Ghost. Also Sis. McCauley got called to be Leah's achievement day leader, so that's going to be great. There were quite a few calling changes made today especially in the Primary which is what happens at the end of the year. I'm still with the Bear Scouts though. That's good. We have a trip to Doug's Burger Den planned next week, so I can't miss that!

Cameron Dumas and Krystal Kjar got engaged last week. One of the Ray boys gave his farewell today in the 8th ward. Axel comes home next week. We just miss him coming home. Lacey Anderson and her husband spoke in our ward today. They have moved in with Lacey's parents, so it will be nice to have them in our ward. She talked about how great it will be to have the new temple in Cordoba because all the people in her mission will be able to attend that one and it will be so much closer for them. We saw the entire Shaw family at the movies on Christmas day. Tiffany is not engaged yet, but it could be any day now. Alex is still asking her out hoping that all 3 of the Thompson boys can say they dated her. So far she just laughs at him. We had a Christmas day buffet here with the Leifsons, the Kents, and the Hugentoblers. It was fun having them all here. Christmas Eve was so much fun at the Cameron's too. I would love to make that a tradition. Wish you could have seen Leah and Nikki's duet of Jolly Old St. Nickolaus. Leah did a good job playing the piano, but they laughed for so long just trying to get started that I thought they'd never do it. Stewart Jensen and his wife spoke in the single's ward today. He's a high councilor now and I guess he's over the single's ward. Kirk said they both were fun speakers.

Well, that's about all the news since we last talked. How did your meetings go over the weekend? I hope the Vallegas are still feeling the spirit. How about that neighbor family that helped you with the 12 days of Christmas? Are you teaching them? I love that story.

Here are some missionary tips for the week:
1. Always lock your car even if you'll be away for only a minute.
2. Drink orange juice.
3. When traveling to an area to tract, don't be in such a hurry that you overlook the hundreds of people you pass along the way.
4.Know the mission song by heart and sing it enthusiastically. If your mission doesn't have a song, write one.
5.Always have some money on hand.
6. Don't do a door approach with your hands in your pockets.
7. Be patient.
8. Carry a toy with you. Pull it out when young children start disrupting a discussion.
9.Create new words to Primary songs.
10. Write to perspective missionaries in your home ward.

Have a miraculous week, Sean. I love you very much.
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