12/16/18 - Family Letter to Emma

EMMA  I GOT TO MEET KRISTIN CHENOWETH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE GOT TO MEET HER FACE TO FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I TOLD HER I SANG MY NEW PHILOSOPHY AND POPULAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SHE SAID NEVER STOP SINGING MY NEW PHILOSOPHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🤩🤩🤩😻😸😸😸🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤣🤣🤣🤣

 I ALSO GOT HER AUTOGRAPH I'M GOING COCONUT🥥 CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Merry Christmas!!!

          Mari

Hi Emma

How is it going? We did pie an SBO day,

and we used shaving cream this time. I smelled so strange!

I also got to play the new super smash bros. So how was your week?

Merry Christmas!

Hyrum

M,

I hope you have had a chance to put up the decorations we sent. I have not been able to find a Brazilian Nativity set yet.  Amazon has not been any help yet.  Try your best to find one there if you can.  Any word on when you will be calling on Christmas Day? I think it great you get to do some service where you can apply your work ethic in a different way.  Your Mom is proud of your greenery skills.  Your Mom said Eve was sent a video or picture of you melting in the Brazilian Christmas.  They could only view it twice.  We heard it was awesome but only Mom and Eve got to see it. 

We just got a visit from the Wenerstroms.  Their youngest daughter, Lucy, loves to draw and is currently drawing everything to do with The Grinch.  I offered to purchase a drawing of the Grinch for some Jelly Belly's.  They just dropped off 2 pictures and a craft she made.  She offered to sell them for 5 Jellybeans.  I gave her about 300.  I walked her downstairs and we put the two pictures and craft on the tree as ornaments.  Mom took some pictures.  It was a sweet experience.

We are in the middle of Concert Season.  Every night has something.  Tuesday Mom's Elementary Orchestra played at the Middle School.  They did a lot better than the Beginning class at the Middle School.  It was a little embarrassing.  Hyrum's band played that same night.  Hyrum is thinking of moving from trumpet to tuba next semester.  Thursday was the Elementary Orchestra's Christmas concert.  Friday was the Christmas Concert with the Choir at Temple Square.  Saturday was Eve's recital with her cello teacher.  It has been busy.  Mom, Mari, Eve and Grandma Charlene were able to go to the Church's Christmas concert and see Kristin Chenoweth.  They went to a CD signing and got to meet Kristin.  They all said it was an amazing experience.  I'm sure Mom will send you the pictures. 

We had an announcement over the weekend about the age change for the advancement into youth classes and quorums.  I had created the basketball schedules for next season and now I need to gather all new info and recreate the schedules.  Everyone is scrambling to get everything in order.  The Bishopric needs to have interviews so they can ordain YM to advance in their Quorums.  The Primary no longer needs as many teachers as they thought.  The Primary Valiant 11 class does not exist anymore.  The Stake Sports people need to recreate basketball teams and schedules.  Overall the announcement is great but the timing of it creates some challenges we will need to work with.

We are excited for your new companion.  She sounds like a good fit for you at this time.  Keep working hard and do your part.  Follow the counsel of your Mission President.  We are very proud of you.

Love ya kid

Dad

D&C 25:12

Sweet Emma,

I just saw the video that Sheila sent.  You look so good!  Sheila is so sweet.  Is there anything we can do for her or her family to show our appreciation?  Thanks for sending us a package.  We will wait to open it when you are on skype.  I also saw the "Emma Melting" video.  It was hilarious!  I never thought I would see a Sister Missionary in a puddle on the floor😂 I also had a dream about you last night.  In my dream I got to go around visiting with people in Brazil.  You introduced me to some amazing people and I got to meet your companions.  In my dream you broke up with Brennan and we talked about it a bit...but then you were wanting to get back to missionary work.  In my dream it was great to give you a hug and see you in action! 

Great pruning and cleaning.  You all set up a cute house for those refugees!  You look so happy doing all that service! Happy Dance!

To answer your question about if I want a skirt or a maxi dress... I'm not sure!  I would love anything Brazillian that I couldn't get in the USA.  When I think of Brazillian, I think of colorful and flamboyant.  Is that mostly true?  That's cool that you get to play violin during the Christmas season.  Have you learned any new songs?  Maybe you could find a Brazillian music book that you can use later in your life when you talk about your mission.

Dad summed up the week.  It was exhausting and now I am starting to decompress.  It feels good to relax a bit.  Everyone is doing great with concerts etc.  Mari has a COPA performance at the Rose Gardner Theater (downtown) this Tuesday. Eve has her 6 page Corelli cello solo on Tuesday too.  We will divide to support both girls.  Dad introduced Hyrum to Elder Neal A. Maxwell's writings today.  Hyrum always thinks so deeply, we thought he would the way Elder Maxwell taught.  He seemed pretty excited.  Oh, I almost forgot.  Hyrum was set apart as the Teacher's Quorum Secretary today.  With the new age-change shift, he may only serve in that position for a month. 

We started to talk with Grandma Shea about the need for her to move into a safer house.  She is losing her eye sight more and more each day.  How scary to be almost blind!  Grandma is starting to think about the possibility of moving.  I'm proud of her for accepting this.  At least she isn't in denial anymore.

This weekend I went to Clark Wilcox's fiancee's bridal shower. Carter Wilcox and another guy who knew you (from the YSA ward) were at their house.  Carter has been keeping up with your mission and knew that you only have 9 months left.  I'm glad so many people are looking out for you!  I also ran in to Tori Sheild's mom.  Tori is doing well in Brasillia but because she is in the city, she is around alot of Americans.  She says her Portuguese is suffering.  Jaron Kump is so rural that they might not be able to find internet to skype home for Christmas.  Jaron's apartment has a hole in the ceiling and they wash their clothes in a bucket.  Villa Angelica sounds like Beverly Hills in comparison! 

As Mari told you, she got to meet Kristin Chenoweth after the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert.  We waited in line at the City Creek Deseret Book for over 2 hours.   Mari kept praying that she would get to meet her.  (Kristen Chenoweth was only going to sign CD's from 10-11pm...but she stayed until the end!) We were near the end of the line, not thinking that there would be a chance she would still be there by the time we got to the front...but she waited!!!  While we were waiting, Kristin Chenoweth's body guard filmed the line with his phone and said that Kristin likes stuff like that.  Mari jumped out of the line, in his path, and yelled, "I am Kristin Chenoweth's biggest fan!"  The body guard laughed and interviewed Mari.  When it was our turn to meet her, Mari told her how much she liked her and that she sings her songs.  Kristin was so animated and made a big deal out of Mari's blond hair.  She said that Eve was pretty cute too!  She told Mari to keep singing "My New Philosophy"  (and she seemed surprised that Mari knew about that song...since it was one of her first, but lesser-known Broadway performances).  Kristin's performance with the Tabernacle Choir was incredible!  She said that performing with the choir was on her bucket list.  She was also feeling the spirit as she performed.  Also, she was teary as she expressed appreciation for the opening prayer.  She said that in this business it's not very often that she gets prayed for by name.  Prayer is powerful and she felt it!

Life is great and I love you!

Sending you a big hug...and a snowcone🍦

💜Mom