30 Sep 2007

Sept. 30, 2007
Dear Elder Sean,

Well, what a whirlwind of a couple of weeks we've had. Today was Kirk's homecoming and he did a great job. It was fun to hear him speak for so long and with an accent. He even threw in a couple of Spanish words without knowing it which a lot of people commented to him later about. He spoke of the things he learned on his mission. Alex Erickson also spoke and did a good job. Such different missions but it sounds like they learned very similar lessons in life.

We got home late Wed night and were greeted by grandma and grandpa Thompson with the 3 little girls at the airport. I hurried off the plane first so I could video the event. We were all so tired when we got home that we basically just went to bed. The next day we took Kirk out shopping for new clothes because when he went to get dressed he realized he'd lost so much weight that nothing fit him at home. He lost around 30 pounds and looks great. We also realized that his license expired in August so we had to make a stop at the DMV to renew. So now he's good to go. I feel like I'm teaching 2 kids to drive now, he and Alex since Kirk really hasn't driven since before his mission. The driving was so crazy in the DR that I'm glad he didn't have to drive there.

On Friday we went to the airport (after stopping at a car lot to look at some new cars) to pick up g & g Trumbo. We had about an hour to kill so we went to another car lot with them, then headed back to the airport to pick up Charmaine. The bunch of us went to lunch and headed home. Friday night Steve and Carolina and Giovanni and Dakota and Kassie came in. So that was our group for the weekend. We had a lot of fun with everyone. It was fun hearing the Trumbo's speak Spanish with Kirk. They said he was a fast speaker but really good. Saturday we went to the movies and let Kirk catch up on at least one movie he had missed out on, Bourne Ultimatum. That night we had a big dinner with stuffed shells and Mexican rice. Kirk is really craving rice since he's been home, so I'm trying to oblige.

Steve and his family left after Sacrament and have made plans to be back for Thanksgiving this year.

Uncle Bill came over the other night and asked Kirk if he would help him drive cars for car wars this week. I told Kirk that was a sweet deal and to try to get to drive the Mustang they have on their lot right now. Kirk was really eyeing that car when we stopped by for a visit. It's a 2007 with a few custom items on it.

We got your handwritten letter this week along with the DVD's. I loved your letter and so did the family. You definitely have a writing gift, so use it and develop it. As for the DVD's. They both work, but the Transformers is missing the bottom half of the screen, so we laughed at that. Is it a pirate copy or something? CArolina said Isaac brought some home too and they laughed at them because they could see people walking in the middle of the movie with popcorn in their arms and they could hear people laughing during different parts of it. We'll let Nikki watch hers next week.

Sounds like you have some nice fun food to eat there. Take it easy on the dulce de leche, it sounds rich and lucious, and fattening. I can remember reading something about it when you were preparing for your mission and how some elders really get hooked on it and put it on everything like you were talking about. Grandpa Trumbo is reading your letter right now as I write you.

I like your new folletos. They're so nice. Gio said he had one like that on his mission except it was showing how the Book of Mormon and the Bible were connected.

We're definitely having a change of seasons here. It was so cold this weekend and so windy. Kirk has been freezing here. I don't know how he's going to make it in Rexburg this winter. There was even snow on Bogus yesterday morning. We hear it snowed an inch in Provo too.

How has your week been? I have such a better feel for what you're doing now that I've been on the streets with Kirk in the DR and meeting some of the families he worked with and been in their homes. It was an unforgettable experience for dad and Alex and I. Are you working with any families right now? How is your ward? I haven't had time to look for church guitar music yet, but really all you have to do is look at the chords of any hymn and you should be able to play it that way. Are you learning chords or picking or what? That would help me to know how you're learning. Where do you have a guitar to practice on?

It was fun having Carolina here to play piano duets with. I got into some of those ones I had purchased with high hopes of playing with you ( a little dig there)...and Carolina played them with me. It's so much fun to play duets with her. We both really enjoy it.

We had an excellent lesson in RS today about procrastination. It was from Elder Eyring's talk from last conference. Sis. Leifson taught it and she said with prayer and scriptures each day, we should be able to receive inspiration for each day to know how to spend our time that day, what things should take priority. Sometimes we have so many things to choose from in a day that it becomes overwhelming and difficult to make decisions on what to do, but Heavenly Father knows where our priorities should be and where we can do His will most effectively during the day. So we need to stay in tune to know the direction to take.

I hope you're enjoying the work. Remember man is that he might have joy. Stay on the straight course and obey with exactness so that the angels can be with you on your errands.

I love you Sean and always pray for you. Everyone here says to send their love to you....
mom
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo