1/28/11 YW, 5th Sunday & Pandesol bread

1/28/11

Well the weeks keep flying by.  Are they for you too!?

I have really enjoyed reading your mission mama's blog.  You even showed up in one of the photos!!!! You look like you are enjoying your time there.  Are you getting to know all the other elders?  Are you doing pretty well with the language now?

I swear it has been a super busy week but I'm trying to think what to tell you about and there just isn't much coming to mind.

Tomorrow we are going to EFY for some spiritual classes.  If there is anything super cool I'll write to you about it.

This week in YW we had 8 come out.  Pretty good crowd.  4 non-members, 4 members.  I have 2 new non-members who are out of town on Sunday at dad's house but are supposedly going to start coming on Wednesday.  They are sisters and pretty cute girls.  Their names are hard though.  Hadia and Nagila or something like that.  They are black.  1/2 anyway.  Really pretty.  They have each come once.  There mom asked that they start being included in everything.  She thought she was a member but it turns out she is not and neither are her kids.

Sunday we are having 5th Sunday meeting and all the women of the church are supposed to go talk about pornography.  The men are supposed to run primary and the YM and left over men are going to meet separately.  Should be an interesting hour for everyone, eh?!

Girls 16 and up are going to the RS meeting, younger get to go to primary.

I printed out a recipe for PANDESAL bread (I think that was the spelling) and am going to try to make it Sunday I think.  Sounds yummy.

Saw the pictures of the donuts you guys had.  Those looked yummy.  Seems like the Carlos' are pretty good cooks.  Do you get to go to the mission home every week?  It's 2 hours right?

Marcus and Laura found out they are having TWINS!!!!  I think they are due around your birthday.  Super cool, eh?  Glad it's her and not me.  Scary!!!  She is so tiny...can't imagine her housing twins!

Do they do valentines day there? Do they have candy hearts and all the usual stuff we have here?

So did you pass the room inspection?  I want to see pictures of your place.  You'll have to figure out how to mail us some home or something.

Take care of yourself and know that you are LOVED and PRAYED for!!!!  So proud of you.  Keep up the good work.  It just makes my day when I think of you and the good things you are accomplishing.  I can't explain the comfort and happiness it is to have a righteous son! So keep on doing good.  Love you so much. Mom.

02/25/11 Good grades and Polynesian dancing

2/25/11

Katie singing for talent show

Katie wrote you a note.  She wanted me to type it up for you but I thought you'd enjoy figuring out what she's saying yourself!  Holly drew that picture of me.  Beautiful, aren't I?!

So late night our neighbor was arrested for DUI at about 8:30 p.m. right outside his house in our circle (Holm's -- the dad)...it's just not safe to be out after 8 p.m. in our neighborhood apparently!!!  Crazy, huh?!

We had 9 girls at YW this week and they all seemed to have a really nice time.  I'm excited.  I hope I can convince them all to come to camp and youth conference.  They are luke warm on both right now.  What's up with that??? Free camp and it's FUN?!  I don't understand why they don't want to go.  What happened before I got here?   Seriously??!  Why WOULDN'T you want to go?   

Anyway, things are going well here.  Tomorrow the Girl Scouts are committed to man 2 water tables at the Washington City Dog Town races...and it's supposed to RAIN all day.  Good times, no?  I am going to find some rain ponchos for us and some ucky shoes so we can not ruin our good ones.   

Sunday is going to be a busy meeting day...morning bishopric meeting usually lasts close to 2 hours before church, then church, then Presidency meeting after church.  Probably nothing compared to what you do...but that's a lot of BIC (but in chair) time.  Yucky, ya know?!

Everybody seems to be doing pretty well.  Dallas' grades are up, for now.  Go Dallas!!!  Sharee has been interested in Dallas again but so far he is remaining strong and fending her off.  Go Dallas!!!  I wish she'd find someone else to hook up with and leave Dallas alone.  Bryce is of course doing great in school and his usual funny self.  He get to go to some fancy show in SL I think with his Biology class where they see inside bodies -- muscles, organs, etc.  Sounds pretty cool.  I think that is next week or so.  

Dallas signed up to take the life guard class (Monday - Saturday from 9a-6p his WHOLE spring break).  Hopefully after that he'll be employed and start being able to save for his mission and paying for his keep!  

Katie has had a cough forever and it seems to continue to barely hang on but she is busy and happy.  She is doing Polynesian dancing and seems to be enjoying it.  I can't wait for the LUAU at the end!!!   She has been getting up better lately and practicing the piano for about 20-25 minutes as she wakes up.  It seems to be a good fit for her.  She isn't a get up and go girl but get up and pound on the piano seems to get her moving.  After she is done Holly tinkers for 5 or 10 minutes if we are lucky and we've been doing better getting them out the door in the a.m.   Lucky for us noone tries to sleep in the a.m. at our house anymore!  Her and Holly are also doing choir and loving that.

Troy and Grace are expecting and so are Sam and Nikki.  And we have newlywed neighbor's that bought Riley's house but haven't moved in yet...so we should have lots of babies by the time you come back!

Baby Drake (Rachel's & Seth's youngest) is in the hospital with RSV...so remember them in your prayers.  

I can't think of anything else exciting or interesting to tell you so I guess I'll sign off for now!  Hope you are well and happy.  You are an inspiration and motivation to us all!!!  Love you lots. Mom.

Bryce, Shelly and Dallas

02/20/11 Double murder

2/20/11

The neighborhood was shook this week with a double murder and an attempted suicide just 8 houses from ours this week.  It was on wagonwheel drive over straight across our street and then 3 houses in on the next block.  A 47 year old man (Richard Jones) killed his wife (Michelle Jones) and her 19 year old son (his step son) Christopher Ellis Friday night.  He gunned down his wife in the driveway and the son was found in the garage and then tried to kill himself and he was found in his bedroom.  So far he is still alive, last I heard, but with gunshot wounds to the head...who knows how long he'll last.

I didn't know any of them.  Did you?  I think they may have moved here within the last couple of years.   Not sure.

We had one of those in December in St. George.  Sad.  All the ugliness in the world today.

We had ward conference today and it was pretty good.  Although a LONG time to sit.  They had the grown ups in the chapel the WHOLE TIME!!!  President Ellsworth gave a talk about how we should be in the process of raising our best friends.  I hope you consider us your best friends!  He said how much he enjoys spending time with his kids and how great of friends they are.  He said people always used to tell them to wait until the kids were teenagers...then they wouldn't enjoy them so much.  But that he DID still enjoy his teenagers.  So far I feel the same way.  You gave us a groan or two but for the most part you are a cool fun kid and we enjoy you!  Same with your bro's and sis's.  I am really enjoying having girl time and "playing" with the girls.  

This year for Stake Conference we are doing a pioneer trek up Cedar Mountain and tonight we are having a fireside talking about that...getting everyone excited.  It should be fun I hope.  I'm already excited.  Course I never did that as a kid.  Dad couldn't be paid to do one again...hmmm....maybe I should be worried!!!  You never did get to do one.  Too bad.  I really think it has it's benefits.

Friday evening dad and Dallas went up to a playoff game between Judge and Hurricane (Hurricane lost) and so given I had a little free time on my hands I painted the girls bedroom.  It is a pastel green. It came out kinda pretty.  (For all the world the paint looked tan before applied to the wall though...???)  

They are painting everything at work and it inspired me to do another room.  The girls room was boogery and gross so it really did make it look nice.

We still have no furniture in our man cave but dad says he saw a bed/sofa type contraption at COSTCO that we may check out and get if it will fit.   We want you to still have a bed for if you ever decide to come sleep over here again!

Well I am getting ready to head to the fireside so I'm gonna sign off.  Things have been pretty much the same here...love you lots!!!

Have you gotten any of the dear elders?  I sent a couple and Bro somebody (my mind is blank) said he sent you one about 2 weeks ago too.

Love you lots and can't wait to hear all about your week!!!!  Keep up the good work.  You are amazing!  Love Mom.

02/13/11 Grounded from mutual & strange traditions

2/13/11

Hi Aj!

It has been another crazy busy week but things are good.  I saw the stake president today and he was asking about you.  So was Brother Melessa.  I told them you were doing awesome and loving it.  So did you get transferred?

   Do you read the lessons for Sunday school? This weeks lesson made me think of you. It was about the apostles going and serving the Lord and the blessings they would receive.  It talked about how they don't take anything with them and they will be provided.  It made me think of all the people that feed you each night and take care of your needs.  If you haven't read it you should.  I think it was lesson 5 or 6 out of the New Testament.

We had the worldwide training meeting last night and one thing that stuck out in my mind was "When you are about your Father's business, you can expect your father's blessings."  How cool is that?  Earlier I think it was said we had to ask for the blessings...so maybe there is some humbling necessary.  So don't be afraid to ask and then you can expect blessings!

Things are moving slowly with Fellicity's baptism.  She lives in the Buena Vista stake but comes to the Washington Stake.  From what I am hearing they want her to go to her bishop there (who she doesn't know) and perform the ordinance there and then go to that ward (which she doesn't want to do.)  We did get some Sister Missionaries -- which is AWESOME -- and they serve both Stakes so they will work things out I'm sure.

This week 4 of my non-member girls got "grounded from Mutual" for something they had done.  One of my member girls said she would be "ground if she DIDN'T go".  Ok, so it's punishment to NOT go if you are a non-member and punishment TO go if you are a member.  What is wrong with this picture?!

Cristy was saying that burials of dead people are very strange in KOREA where her son served.  She wondered if you had experienced any death yet and found any strange traditions?  She said they just had one box that they did the viewing in and then after the funeral they opened up the ground (where many people were burried), opened up the box, rolled out the dead person and closed up the ground.  The box was then taken back for use at the next funeral.  She said it TOTALLY freaked out her son when they went to a funeral and witnessed all this.

Loved your pictures.  Do you have some of the outside of your apartment and inside too?  It is hard to picture where you live and what it is like.  Does your apartment have a lock?  Have you had any problems with theft?

   

Well things are staying the same here...just busy busy.  We think of you and pray for you often.  Thank you for bringing blessings into our lives.  We love your letters and the stories you share.  Your letters are the greatest.  Keep up the good work!  Love the details of all that is going on with you.  Well I gotta run and get your 2 little sis' ready for church.  Please let us know if you need anything.

Love you lots!!!! Mom.

2/6/11 Letter to AJ from Andy

2/6/11 TO AJ FROM ANDY

Hey AJ,

How's mission life? Hope all is well and you're staying healthy.

We are getting ready for our Super Bowl party. Gma and Gpa plus Eldon and Diane are coming. By the way, Eldon and Diane have reconciled all their differences and seem happy. She rides her bike next to him while he runs and she has lost like 70 pounds or somwthing. Plus, she comes with him to So. Utah all the time now. I dunno if they are completely changed. They still fight some, but it is good that they are both trying a lot harder now.

You prob heard Jonny is married and living in Malaysia now. If you do something like that, i will ring your neck!

I have been writing a lot for DNews. They pay less, but I am getting more stories, so maybe it will even out a little. Yesterday I did a player report card about the BYU game (they beat UNLV by 14, swept them this year). My deadline was 15 minutes after the game ended. It was a rush. I just watched the game from here and followed the stats on the internet during the game, then wrote a quick story. BYU is off to their best start ever, 22-2, and still ranked No. 8. Jimmer had a very average 29 points and seven assists (OK, that is great for everyone else in the world, but just average for him). Every team is starting to double and triple cover him. He had 16 of his 29 from the line, as they hacked him all game. But he did not miss a free throw. What a stud!

Mom made Pandesal fro our party and I made chili and queso, plus we have cookies and cake and all kinds of crap. Prob gain 10 pounds today!

Sports updates:

Desert Hills is 9-1 in region behind Simister and Ott. Hurricane is 5-4. Pine View is dismal -- 1-8.

SB will start soon. By the time you get on it will be over.

Jazz beat Nuggets, then lost to Thunder. Kevin Durant sure is a stud. He made a bunch of threes last night.

Utes suck. They are 10-14 and in sixth place in MWC.

BTW, sorry I wasn't on last week. I was sick with a nasty cold and just couldn't stay up any longer. I was hammered. Glad you had fun at the waterfall. Weaver's Mom gave us a couple of pix that he took (only 1 with you in it).

Qs:

1. What day is transfers? Next Monday? Hope you get to stay and conti8nue with your investigators. Isn't teaching the gospel glorious? One of the greatest feelings in the world is teaching a principle and having the SDpirit testify and seeing the light in their eyes as they understand.

2. ANy cool landmarks around there? national monument or anything? I wondered if there was any historical stuff with WW II or anything?

3. You having a hard time getting up early? I am pretty used to it on this end.

4. Do you studty mostly language in the a.m. or gospel stuff?

5. How much news on sports do you get? Do people have TV's and get games?

6. Does your town have a PBA basketball team?

7. There's a college near you. Do they do sports and is like one of our colleges?

8. Need anything?

9. You want us to DearElder pouchmail stuff?

10. Are you all growed up now? We miss our little AJ sometimes.

OK, be good and please tell us if there is anything we can do to help you. Today we talked about Jesus teaching the Samarian woman at the well. You are doing just like Jesus. I hope they forget their water bucket at the well and get sio excited to drink the spiritual water. That would be awesome.

Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you, Love you,

Your Pop

02/05/11 Temple, spin & superbowl

2/5/11

Holy Smokes this week flew by.  I swear there was something going all the time.

We of course went to G'ma and pa's last week.  B & L and Nick and Bree and Jared and the kids all came too.  Austin and Lyndsie didn't though.  We had a nice visit with a family home evening after dinner.

I had my biggest month ever at work last month.  We did over $50K in January and 325 tickets.  All time high in money and tickets filed.  No wonder my phone is ringing off the hook all day every day!

Wednesday we took the girls to the temple.  I had 4 members go do baptisms and 3 non-members go with me to the visitor center for a tour.  The girls said they had never been there before.  Surprised me since they are all from here.  I think they enjoyed the experience.  They have a cool game there where you point at a map as it tells you a temple name and guess where the temple is.  Then it tells you how far off you are (ESPN had a game like that for the colleges).  We played that for a little while.  Afterward we went to Village Inn for free pie Wednesday and everybody had a slice with some hot cocoa or ice cream.  It was cool.

Thursday I had my first camp meeting getting us all geared up for Girl's Camp.  I have to admit I'm kind of excited.  It will be really fun.  

Yesterday after work we had Girl Scouts and then I gave blood and then went to the Turner's for a girls night.  We played games and made popcorn and snowman (white chocolate dipped pretzels with candy on top decorated to look like a snowman) -- cute.

Today I did Julene's spin class (the new spin room is always 80 degrees (HOT!!)  so I got totally soaked!!)   Me and Dallas went to Rite Aid and got the medicine for his face and then we painted the fence white.  That poor fence is getting old and tired.  I am not sure how much better it looked even with a new layer of paint.  I did your taxes and started mine today.  Looks like you'll get some $ back if I've done it right.  I think I have one more # to add to yours before I'm done.  Whatever it is, I'll put it in your account when I get it.  I think it was around $200 give or take.

Tomorrow is the super bowl -- so we'll have G'ma and pa and E&D over.  Not sure if anyone else is coming.  We are having all the usual -- soda, lil smokies, peanut butter bars, chips and queso.  I dunno what else.  Lots of junk.  Pig out party.   Should be great after fast sunday and all!

I hope you are having a terriffic week.  All the other mission mama's are jealous at how much and how wonderful your letters are.  I keep hearing how mature you are and how detailed your letters are.  It is pretty cool, so keep up the good work!

How did Jofferson's baptism go?  I can't believe you already are getting to dunk someone! That is so cool!!! Give us lots of details about that!

How did transfers go?  Did you guys get to stay together?

Well we are BBQ'n and they are calling me telling me it's ready so I better go.  Love you lots!!!!  Hope you are still doing great.  Love you!!!! mom.