March 8, 2009

March 8, 2009
Dear Elder Sean,
So how are you doing this week? I'm back into the swing of things here at home again. It takes me a while to acclimate when I go on a trip. I can't imagine how it will be to come back after being away 2 years. But you're pretty flexible, so I think you'll do fine. I hope we don't seem like heathens here. ;)
Everyone here is doing fine. Alex actually rolled his ankle yesterday playing basketball at the church. He was an unhappy puppy last night, but still managed to have some friends over and play wii. Dad brought a brace home for him to wear and that seems to be helping. He just got home from mission prep. They worked on the 3rd lesson tonight. Yesterday Alex signed up for Heritage with Austin Westerberg as his roommate. They're hoping to get Spencer Carter also in their room.
Also Tiffany Shaw is now engaged. And Steve called this week and said Axel is very close to being engaged, yes, Axel. He pretty much fell for the first girl and hasn't looked back. We'll be meeting her during spring break cuz we're going down to Utah. Grandma and Grandpa need their garage door painted and some other minor fix-its around the house. Anyway, I'll keep you posted there.
Scott and Janet were supposed to be moving into Toni's house, the Flint house, this weekend. I hope they can get back on their feet soon. Their 2 little boys have really grown. Maria and James are desperately trying to get pregnant since they got married and it's been very difficult. Remember them in your prayers.
Nikki and Leah got to play their first game of Mexican ChooChoo with us tonight. They were pretty excited. Leah's doing well in school, not really caught up with her 3rd graders, but at least she's progressing. She takes medication during the week that really helps her to concentrate better. Even she notices a difference. She says she has a crush on Luke Yorgason. She's also doing well with her piano lessons. I've been pretty surprised at well she's doing. She's a star at jumping rope. She takes a class once a week and at school, her PE teacher always asks Leah to demonstrate how to do things. Nikki is doing well in 2nd grade. She's still what I would term a very spiritual young girl. She has a good understanding of the gospel and not just the verbiage, she really knows why we're here and what the plan of happiness is all about. I'll be starting her with piano lessons shortly. We still watch the cooking channel together. She says that's her favorite thing.
Kristina said not to say anything about her cuz she wants to write you. I'll just say she's such a beautiful young girl, both inside and out.
Dad is still in limbo as far as jobs go. Next Monday we're driving out to Weiser to interview with the ER director there.
This last Wednesday I was the guest speaker at the Stake senior RS birthday luncheon. I'll mail you a copy of my talk. Most of the stories I told I hadn't written down, but people asked me for copies after I spoke so I had to try and put them into words. It was a really nice luncheon and I sincerely enjoyed being there.
I was very sad to here about Marcela. Is she still out of the picture? How did the lesson go with Claudio and Claudia? How about Yesica? Remember that even though you may only be teaching or helping convert one person and not an entire family, you are actually affecting an entire generation, so one person is a family (something I touched on in my talk).
In church now the bishopric have been assigning talk topics that coincide with what we're studying in Sunday School and RS/priesthood. So today it was on missionary work. I was asked in RS to read a quote and it made me think of you. "Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race. This has been your feeling, and caused you to forego the pleasures of home, that you might be a blessing to others, who are candidates for immortality, but strangers to truth; and for so doing, I pray that heaven's choicest blessings may rest upon you." Joseph Smith
Not much else going on around here. It's still a very trying and humbling time for most of us and we're all trying to ride out this economic down turn which they now say will go on for at least another 5 years. A lady at my RS luncheon came up afterward and was talking to me and said she was born in 1930 and can still remember so much of the effects of the Depression and she said she never thought she'd live long enough to see another one. But now, in her mind, we are right back there. There's another family in our ward losing their home this month. We will really miss them.
The gospel brings so much peace to people and being able to serve others and care for them keeps us so focused on what's really important in life and it helps us forget ourselves and love others. Does your mission do community service of any kind and if so, what do you guys generally do? I'd love to hear.
I just got the Eagle newsletter for March, so I'll try and get that off to you tonight. It's so fun to read what your friends are doing.
Kristina wants to use the computer to write you, so I'll get off. I love you very much and I hope you can feel our prayers for you. Let us know when you get our latest package. The Purnell boys in Chile say all their candy gets stolen from their packages.
Have a wonderful week and share your testimony often. We love you more than you know.
Love,
momxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxooxox