Rainy Days and Sundays

Oct. 16, 2011
Dear Elder Alex,
Well, here we are. Another Sunday, but this time it rained all day long. We actually need the rain, so it's good. The trees are actually starting to change colors now and fall certainly feels like it's in the air. It's my favorite season.

Church was good today. A new family spoke, the Freemans. The choir sang and Jan Leifson(choir director) is really pushing us with some harder songs, but we always manage to come through at the last minute. It's fun having the McCauley's back in the ward. They're back sitting in their old row, just like they never left. Next week they are doing a fireside for the high priests and their wives in the stake.  I'm looking forward to it.

Last night Sis. Julie Beck (RS Gen. President, just in case you didn't know) was here in the valley and she spoke at a fireside at the Paramount Stake. So they broadcast it to our building so we could see it too. It was wonderful. She is an amazing woman. I love how she speaks so easily, concisely, flipping to scriptures left and right, recounting personal stories that are amazing and somehow ties everything together without any notes. She spoke for almost 2 hours straight and I could have listened for a couple more. I felt very uplifted and edified when I left and I took some notes that will be excellent to share with the presidents in our stake. One thing she talked about that I thought of for you is how as a missionary your scripture study time is carved out for you, in the fact that you are commanded to carve out that time each day. But once home, every returned missionary quickly realizes that that time is no longer automatically carved out for you. You have to actually make that time and how difficult that becomes for all of us. Just a little something to keep in your mind. I look forward to my time each day, but it certainly isn't carved out for me. I have to work hard for it, but it sure makes a difference.

So this past week or so, Kristina has been anxiously awaiting her 16th birthday. She even asked Tanner Myler to the Sadie Hawkins dance coming up in November. She asked him by rewriting the words to the Cougar fight song and decorated everything with blue and white. She highlighted letters from her name in the text. Then Tanner answered her today by leaving a jar of bubblegum on the front step saying he "would never "blow" this chance to go to Sadie's with you." I think his mom is more excited about the fact that he's going with Kristina than  anyone else. They love Kristina in that household! So she's hoping you give permission for her to go out with Tanner....

I'm so happy to hear that Benita got baptized! Tell her to surround herself in the Relief Society and to work on the following in this order: 1)her faith and personal righteousness 2)strengthening her family 3)giving relief and lifting those around her.  She will always be a strong and blessed Mormon woman by keeping those goals in her life.

So I can't wait to hear how things went with Elder Christofferson being there.  Did you get to meet him personally? What did he speak about?

For dad's birthday, he and Kristina went out golfing at Shadow Valley. Dad says she plays well but they lost quite a few balls. Hmmm. Good thing he bought a brand new box the day before. :) Since dad got his b-day present early (a new laptop), his musical cards were the highlight and his german chocolate cake with coconut pecan icing. 

I saw that your money got refunded from Paypal. That was kind of shocking to see everything gone not only from your checking account, but also from your savings. I hope you were able to talk to the bank too, because they should refund the $12.50 that they charged for covering the paypal expenses. If not, I can go in and talk with them, but these days since you're so old, I can't do much on your behalf so you might be on your own with that one. Thank Sis. Packer for being so obliging through the whole thing. 

Kirk is back at school but he is pining (that's a word my grandma would use) for Sarah. I don't know how he's even concentrating on his school work. I kind of wish they'd get married sooner rather than later, so he could settle down and finish school. Sarah is coming back down here the end of this month. Her sister Nicole plays ice hockey and her team is playing against a team in Boise, so we'll all be going to watch her play. Sarah's parents called dad and I the other night to talk about the possibilities concerning getting a visa for Sarah. I went to an immigration attorney last week and got all the info. It is so convoluted, you wouldn't believe how many hoops you have to jump through to get a visa to work here in the US even when you're married to a citizen. It's crazy and even the attorney said so. Right now the plan is for them to get married here, then apply for a visa which takes up to 6 months. During that time Sarah is not allowed to leave our country, which is not good news for her parents and they may have to have a reception before the wedding just for that reason alone. Kind of crazy, but hey, we're up for anything and so are they. We'll keep you posted on what goes on there. On our end, we got passport applications sent in for Leah and Nikki, so hopefully we'll get those back in a few weeks.

Dad's been juicing the grapes again this week. We delivered a bunch of juice to friends tonight and now we've got enough raisins for...well...for I don't know what, but we've got a lot of raisins! If you could use some raisins, let us know. Did you get your package yet from us? Let me know when you get it and how you like things, etc.

Haven't heard any news from Dakota yet, so probably this week. Can you believe that Jake will be coming home in just a few weeks?  I'm in a little bit of shock over that. I can't wait to see him and go to his homecoming though. 

I hope you have a great week, full of miracles and blessings and tender mercies. Listen to the spirit and act on the promptings-you'll always be in the right place at the right time with the right people. What could be better than that!

You're always in my thoughts and prayers.
Love you,
mom
XXOO