13 Jun 2007

June 13, 2007
Dear Elder Sean,
We really enjoyed your letters and descriptions of your fun week. I'm so happy the devotional was a wonderful event for you and the other missionaries. Thank you so much for sending your notes with your insights and observations. I loved that. I felt like I was right there with you. You have a gift of expressing your observations so clearly and uniquely. I especially loved Elder Eyring's comments about Pres. Hinckley's calming and reassuring words, "Things will work out."

I'm glad you got the suit and that you like it. I picked out the ties for you as a surprise. Send us a picture of how you look in it when you get a chance. Have you been taking pictures while in the MTC? Are you going to send them home to us before you leave for safe keeping?

I couldn't find the lyrics in Spanish for This is the Christ. Looks like your district may have to work on that one. Have fun with that. Are you playing the piano or singing?

So Alex and I finally found those chips you were talking about. We found them at Winco. First we smelled them. Alex said they smelled like mustard and so did Dad. I thought it was more of a vinegar smell. The taste went along with the smells. Then Kristina and all her friends tried them. Maggie said they smelled and tasted like pickled burritos. That was a good way of putting it. Then I took them over to the Ericksons. Dirk and Oliver both immediately said hamburgers after smelling them. Eli and Joel both said they smelled and tasted like mustard and catsup. Dirk, eli and Joel all tried them, but Oliver refused saying "how disgusting, it's like a hamburger without the bun, how disgusting." Jill also refused to taste them. Anyway, we had a lot of fun with them. They certainly got mixed reviews.

I went to Brandon McKell's farewell on Sunday. It was in our old building at 1pm, so I missed going to our ward. Brandon and both his younger brothers spoke. Brandon did a great job. The group of friends on the third row is gradually diminishing, mainly girls now. I talked with Myles afterwards, his eyes still teary from the meeting. He asked me if it's gets any better with time. I tried to reassure him, but to no avail. I just love having the McKells in our stake. Myles has always been such a special person and I'm glad to call him my friend. Imagine if 20 years from now while you're attending a ward somewhere you run into one of your friends from high school and they're still as wonderful (if not better) than they were then. It's great to see.

Dad and the youth are going to the temple tomorrow to do baptisms. It's our anniversay (22 years) but I think we'll end up celebrating on Friday. We're going to go to the temple Friday morning, then probably out to lunch.

Eagle Fun Days was last weekend. The only fun part of it was the wet zone of the parade. The little girls loved it and loved loading up their squirt guns and shooting the fire trucks. We hung out with the Sorensen's which was great because they just brought their hoses over the fence to use.

Alex went to Helaman last week and really enjoyed it. He came back looking just like Kirk with a shaved head. It's kind of startling seeing him since he looks so much like Kirk. We'll send you some pix of the academies. Alex said he especially liked Bro. Shaw's talk and Bro. Cameron's talk and also Pres. McCauley's. He said "Hia Ta Ta" was intense and so was the number game.

Our shed is almost built now. I think it's really going to look nice and will hold quite a bit. We had to buy a new printer today, ours finally gave up.

Leah is enjoying Sylvan so far. She loves getting tokens and spending them most of all. I take my tennis shoes and walk while she's in class. It feels good (of course, we haven't had the sweltering heat yet!)

My dad called tonight to chat. He loves reading your letters and mentioned that he received one from you. He was going to meet with one of the Stake Presidency tonight. Said he wasn't too anxious to find out what was going to happen there. I always love talking with my dad. My mom sounded pretty good too. She's such a graceful woman even in the midst of trials.

Well, that's about it for this week. I'll bet you're getting anxious to get to Argentina. Do you know your travel plans yet? We just want to make sure we're around the day you fly out. Let us know.

Take care and remember you're always in our prayers.
Love you,
mom
xoxoxoxooxoxoxooxox