9/23/18 - Family Letter to Emma
Hi Emma how has it been ?
We miss you.how is the weather? ,what is the temp. there? how often does it rain there
are the bananas sweet there?
have a great
week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mari
Sup Emma!
Hows it going! we lost to Bingham (Jacob's Team),
but I kept my blocking assignments, so I cant be mad.
On Monday, It's crazy sock day, and I'm going to wear those
blue and white striped fluffy leg warmers, and the matching
less-fluffy arm socks. And this year I'm adding a blue and white wig!
Love you
Hyrum
Sweet Emma,
I got the 'WhatsApp'. My # is
just my phone# 801-231-5941. I've also messaged back an forth to Sister
Voltareli's mom. She is really nice. She likes to make things in
culinary arts. She also works in Scouts and Primary. She really misses
her 'princess' Barbara. I also 'met' Sara Fernandes. She said her
youngest daughter gave you the nickname of 'Sister Barbie'. So cute! I
also 'met' Sheila Garcia. She sent us video of you washing salad. I
thanked her for feeding you salad. I said that was your favorite. Your
people are so nice! I can't wait to meet more of them! Is there
anything I can share with them to show my appreciation for taking care
of you? Is there anything culturally I need to know when 'talking' to
them?
This week was the Ward's
Missionary Month. One of the activities was to go to a member's house
for dinner with your companion and then teach the lesson about keeping
the commandments. We hosted Logan Bryant and David Goble. We served
Nachos. They did a very thorough job on their lesson. Both of those
boys have very gentle voices and I kept falling asleep during their
lesson. I felt really bad but I don't think they noticed because they
were so involved in reading every bit of that lesson. I'm proud of them
for their courage. They both are planning to serve a mission in a few
years. Success! Eve and Ella Stott went to the Wilferts. Hyrum and
Hudson Ludlow went to the Kumps.
Mari had her Primary program
today. She sang and testified with all her heart. During "Child's
Prayer", the kids sang one part and the teachers (Dad included) sang the
other part. Anyway, during that song Mari just started crying. You
could tell she was feeling the spirit. Then they sang "Army of
Helaman". The Spirit was incredible as these Primary kids transformed
into a "Youth Battalion". They are preparing! They will be ready!
When Mari found us after the program she was still crying and she hugged
us tight and testified, "I KNOW the church is true!"
We had Grandma and Grandpa
Barlow and Grandma Mildred for dinner. Dad smoked ribs and I did pasta
salad, baked beans, and cornbread. Grandma Mildred said it was a
delicious meal. Eve made fried chicken for dinner tonight. It was
great! Hyrum and Mari played the baby grand (and Hyrum sang while
playing) for Grandmother. Grandpa Barlow told Hyrum that if he doesn't
do football next year, he hopes he will pursue his music and drama. He
has a gift for those things for sure!
Eve has been busy getting ready
for Powderpuff (light pink shirts). Eve also helped cousin Lauren with
her hair for Homecoming. Her cluster class was all going to the dance
together. I'm so proud of her kindness! Thank you for being a good
example for all these kids! They watch you and want to do the things
you do. What is important to you becomes important to them.
Family news: Dean is still
hanging on in the Care Center. They stopped his Parkinson meds and he's
only on morphine for the pain. Grandma Charlene is doing much better
with someone else to help care for him.
Fun news: I bought a giraffe!
(I always wanted one!) Her name is 'Gee Gee" (Georgia Girl). I bought
her from RC Willey when we bought dad a pebble ice maker (I got her for
$12) How can you pass that up!?! You never know when you will need a
giraffe!
The area you are serving in
sounds amazing! I'm glad that Sister Voltareli can teach you about how
to avoid dangerous (but cute) creatures. If you can capture the sounds
at night, I would love to hear! I love that video of the sleeping
plant. It was so good to hear your voice! I miss you so much...but I'm
so glad you are serving the Lord. I'm so proud of you!
I also feel like your service
is blessing me in my calling. I have felt so much love from the Lord as
I work on things to prepare for Trek. I feel like the heavens are open
and inspiration is flowing. I feel surrounded in the Love of the Lord,
for myself and all those around me. My mind feels clear and active and
my heart is full. Thank you for serving. I hope you have a wonderful
week and that you enjoyed the temple. I hope to be able to attend the
temple this week too.
One more thing- I sent so many
lip balms so you could share some with those around you if you would
like. If you need to keep all of them, no worries.
I love you!
💜Mom
We also went to the BYU game yesterday. Fun to spend it with dad and the family. Go cougs!
M,
We are excited to hear about
your new area. We can't wait to hear how this is area and the member
are different. It is good to hear you are getting salad. Your Mom has
been chatting with some folks in the Ward. We are starting to gather
items for your next package. We will have something for your comp.
Please don't pick up any dangerous frogs. I just realized all the
horror storied we have heard about poisonous frogs are frogs that are in
Brazil. I keep forgetting how close you are to the Amazon.
We had an eventful week. They
changed Missionary Month this year. They were not going to have it due
to the work towards the temple prep but the youth rebelled. The did it
in 2 weeks. They had a culture night, a Sunday lesson prep, and a visit
that included a meal. We thought we were getting sister do we were
planning a fru-fru dinner but we got the boys. Your Mom decided to feed
them nachos. We had some leftover cheese sauce from Stake YW dinner.
We had Logan Bryant and David Goble come over. We discovered that David
Goble really loves cheese. It was impressive. They did a good job with
the lesson they prepared. It was a good night. I always wonder how
this Missionary Month will evolve. I try to keep my opinions to myself
and let the current leadership apply it however they feel is necessary.
Mari keep signing her song for
COPA. She is encouraging Hyrum to sing everything also. It is not too
uncommon to hear Mari singing at the top of her lungs. At least Hyrum
has the courtesy to keep it in his room . . . unless he is playing the
piano. He now will play and sing. Your Mom and the Grandparents are
eating it up. Mari is getting much better.
We had Grandma and Grandpa
Barlow and Mildred over for ribs. They commented how whenever they come
over we have other family also. Grandma Mildred said she likes coming
over and visiting with just us. Everything turned out awesome. Hyrum
had a football team party he decided to miss so he could be with the
fam. His team lost the match up against Bingham and Cob. Cob's
diabetes has been keeping him out of the games but we had some great
pictures of them playing at the same time. The position they play let
them line up right across from each other. IT was fun. We had some
family in one of the endzones. We felt it allowed us to cheer for both
teams.
Saturday was a crazy day. I
have been released from my sports calling but they have not replaced me
yet so I got to go to the 2019 calendaring meeting. We went straight
from that to a Primary Program practice. We went straight from that to
Hyrum's football game. As soon as we got Hyrum cleaned up we went to a
BYU football game. We drove Mom and Dad down there. Dad is doing
better but is not great. He mentioned how he struggles to drive down to
the games. I offered to drive him down for every game going forward.
He finally gave his permission to move our seats. Tiffany and Christie
are going to work on moving the 20 seats we are currently occupying.
Dad struggles to walk from the stadium and then up all those stairs.
It was a long day but fun. We were very tired when it was offer.
We had our Primary Program
today and Mari and my little class did well. Nothing too crazy
happened. I made Lilli Moncur made because I would not allow her to use
the restroom during the program. She sat in her seat, faced the wall,
and plugged her ears. She gets very moody if she does not get her way.
The Primary after the Program is crazy. The Primary Presidency did
there best to try and organize the hyper kids but it only worked so
well. Michael Burgess has always been a handful but today was special.
He survived the program but on his way to Primary he had a meltdown
with his mom. He came to Primary in a full on White Hot Viking Fury
Rager. He was beyond consoling or calming down. I tried to take him
from his Mom and we went outside. We was screaming and trying to get
out of my arms. He started to scratch and bite. I ended up putting him
on the grass, holding onto his legs while he thrashed around. I was
hoping he would calm down but he never did. I was not sure if this was
normal or how to discipline someone's child. I ended up calling his
grandpa to come get him. I did not have the heart to hand him over to
his mom. I came away with some scratches and bite marks. Needless to
say it was a Primary Program to remember.
We bought a new appliance. We
bought a pebble ice machine. It was far too expensive but everyone
loves it. Your Mom is considering cutting out a place in her cabinets
to make room. It was so pricey your Mom was able to buy a stuffed
animal so now we need to find a place for a 5 foot tall giraffe. So far
it stand on the new piano.
Keep working kid. Your new
area will create new challenges as all new areas do. As always do your
part, follow the direction of the spirit, and you will be in a right
place to make the most difference with the time you are given in this
area.
Love,
Dad
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