4th of July

July 3, 2011

Dear Elder Alex,

Well, it's 4th of July Eve here and I can hear the sweet sound of fire crackers going off in the background. Roxy and Eddy aren't like Barkley. They don't seem to mind the sound at all. Remember how Barkley would hide in the farthest corner of the house? Well, not these 2 dogs, they seem oblivious to it.

I spent part of the day putting together your chempal newsletter, so that should be coming in the mail this week. BTW, we want to know if you've received any mail from us at your new address. Dad sent one letter to your old place and they forwarded it to your new place and it got sent back to us. They had the correct address on there, but it still came back. So let us know if you've gotten anything.

We got back home last Tuesday evening and it's been blasted hot here now. I realize it's dry heat, but it's still too hot to do anything for very long outside. How's your heat? Doesn't the heat tend to open doors for you? I always let people in when they came door to door when we lived in the South because they looked so hot and needed some water and air conditioning.

So how's your new President? Have you met him yet? It will be really different having all those daughters in the mission home too. He sounds like a very interesting man, so I bet you'll really enjoy him.

Kristina called today and she's coming home tomorrow. Dad was working today, so it was just me and the little girls (I will always call them that) at church and all day. Kristina had a great time at EFY, of course. She's totally in love with a couple guys now, one was her counselor and one was someone her age from Texas. You remember those days, don't you? She's upset that I won't let her have a facebook account so she can keep in touch with everyone. She says email is so out of date now. We took away her texting, so she's only got email and a phone. Can you just hear me weeping about that sad story... anyway, EFY was amazing for her and she had lots of spiritual experiences too. Next week I'll send you pictures from her escapades.

That's so funny about your roommate being someone you had met before. Sounds like you have great companions.

Our new neighbors (first house in the neighborhood on the left) the Simmons are from Huntington Beach CA and they said their very good friends from HB just sent a son to the MTC to go to Nashville. So be on the lookout for an Elder Andrew from HB, CA. Also Tyler Rasmussen should be getting there in a week or so, so keep your eye out for him too.

The woman in our ward who has been taking the lessons, Trish, is still having a hard time quitting smoking. I love it when she comes to Sunday School and RS because she has such great comments, not just the usual answers. Today in testimony meeting, a little Rasmussen girl got up and as part of her testimony she said she knew the church was true and she also knew that Trish would be able to quit smoking. I loved it. I'm pretty sure the Rasmussens were fasting for her to be able to quit smoking. They've been such great neighbors to her. We fasted for her last month and I know she'll be able to quit too, but it's a very tough thing. Her meth addicted pregnant daughter is not helping relieve the stress in her life.

So yes, I had heard of Billy Strange. That's fun that he's in your ward. He's a very talented man. I'm pretty sure he's the one who wrote the theme for the Batman TV show too and he was a singer as well as a guitarist and composer. I hadn't heard of Kyle Turley but looked him up. I read his bio on Wiki. Love his debut album, "Anger Management" which includes songs about his football career. Turley calls his album "power country." He may find comfort in the scripture, "Be still and know that I am God."

The great news of the gospel is that everyone can take advantage of Christ's sacrifice and atonement, His mercy that will ease any pains from justice, and all they have to do is repent and come to Him. Christ has already done His part and just waits for us to come to Him.

Well, better let you go since it's a holiday. In fact, you may not even get a p-day on the 4th now that I think about it. Anyway, have a wonderful week knowing that there are many of us always praying for you. You're a gift to our family.

love you,

mom xxoo