1/6/19 - Family Letter to Emma

Sweet Emma,

I get to write you first this week!  The others are finishing their game of Rummikub.  We enjoyed our 2 hour church today.  It is inspired for sure!  I love that it gives more time for gospel study as a family.  Dad and I went to the temple this Saturday.  The Jordan River Temple was completely full and overflowing! (We had to turn around and go to the Draper Temple).  The Jordan River Temple parking lot was completely full, even some cars parked illegally against ever curb and then out to the main roads.  When we pulled up to the  parking lot, Dad asked someone, "Did the Savior come and we just didn't hear about it?"  It was funny!  Later, we found out that so many people were there because of the changes President Nelson made to the Endowment.  Dad and I only did Initiatory so we didn't experience the changes for ourselves.  As a couple we have made it a goal to attend the Temple on a more frequent, regular schedule. 

I loved seeing the pictures of the cute Kavata family at their baptism.  So wonderful!  That's what it's all about right there!

Your Sleeping Beauty pictures and the Christmas pictures are priceless!  I'm so thankful that you are getting along with your companion!  I tried to contact her mom using that phone# through the 'What'sApp' but no response.  No worries, it was worth a try.  What city is she from?

Also,  how are you on medication?  Do I need to try to send a new prescription with your birthday packages?  Also, I don't want Sheila to have to pay the customs ransom fee so I was thinking of sending her package with your birthday package with LDSxperess to the mission home (instead of a padded envelope via US Postal Service).  Would that be okay...or what would you recommend?  Also, what are the approximate ages of Sheila's kids?  I would like to put a little something in for them too. 

We are mostly back in the swing of things from Christmas break.  Orchestra starts tomorrow.  Mari decided to drop COPA and focus on voice with Marilee Wilson.  COPA was fun for her but we think that she will get better individual training through Marilee.  Mari also want to be more involved in community theater.  She has been considering auditioning for Hale Center's "Matilda".  The audition would be fun for her but I think she might be too tall.  They are looking for kids ages 8-12 under 4'10"  (Mari is exactly AT 4'10" and growing taller all the time). We all attended the RHS MDT Review on Friday.  It was fun to see some of  your friends from the past....except they are all grown up and ready to graduate!  It's crazy to think that Hyrum and Mari will be at RHS in just a few years...and Eve only has one more year!  Eve turns 18 this year!  AHHHHHH!  Hyrum sings BEAUTIFULLY!  He's getting better all the time.  I love to hear him! 

We love you so much!  We all fast and pray for you, for your happiness, success, safety, enjoyment and so that you know that we love you!

💜Mom

 Hi Emma,

  I'm doing voice lessons from Marilee.🤪😜

 I'm also going to try out for community musicals!!!!!!!!!!!!💕😝
I realized that i m pretty good at art😸

GROWING IS ACHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😵😵

 MISS YOU LOVE YOU!!!!

           Mari😜😜🤪🤪

Hey Emma!!!

Hows it going?

2 hour Church was super weird.

I haven't had any change really. I guess play practice

has been going pretty good.

Other than that everything has

been normal.

love you.

Hyrum

M,

Happy New Year!  We are anxious to hear how the Brazilians celebrate the new year.  We celebrated in a predictable fashion.  We partied at home.  We attempted to get some pizza from Marcos and it was a mess.  Your Mom ordered the pizza online 3 hours in advance.  We went to pick it up and they had not started it yet.  There was about 20 people in that small area all a little impatient waiting for their order.  We paid and waited and then they called us up.  We ordered 2 pizzas but they gave us 4 boxes.  Your Mom attempted to straighten them out but they insisted we had the right order.  We came home with 4 pizzas and the bottled sodas.  The name on the ticket was a Tiffany but the wrong last name.  We tried to recreate the burping contest we had last year but your Mom drank out of a cup which makes the drink less bubbly.  No burping contest but that did not stop Mari trying to get one started.  We played a bunch of new games we bought and when we were done we went outside to light some sparklers.  It did not last long as it was about 5 degrees outside and your Mom was not about to stay outside for more than one sparkler.  She attempted to make it until midnight but about 11:00 we called it quits.  Fairly typical New Years celebration. New Years Day we cleaned up Christmas and attempted to get ready for a regular schedule.  It was a challenge to adapt back to real life.

We went to the MDT review.  They did a good job but not great.  They have some great younger men and they had a Gabby and a Gabby Jr.  A sophomore who has been in a lot of HTC productions sang with Gabby and it was fantastic.  We found that it is more fun to to watch the MTD review if you know most of the kids performing and the drama that happens behind the scenes.   Overall it was good but not the same.

2 hour church was awesome.  It is a learning curve.  We do not have enough room for Sunday School.  It will be interesting to see how it all evolves.  It was a neat experience to see all the YM stand and be sustained in their advancement in the Priesthood.  That is how it is done is Stake Priesthood meeting when YM advance into the Melchizedek Priesthood.  It was neat to see the bewildered look on the 11 year olds as they stood for the sustaining.

Your name is in the temple this week.  Your Mom and I are making an effort to go to the temple more often.  They have changed the endowment and made it shorter.  We will be going this week to see what they changes are.  We attempted to go to the Jordan River Temple on Saturday and there was literally no place to park.  Cars were parked out on the main roads.  When we pulled up the the temple parking lot we were greeted by security and they explained the concern with the parking.  Salt Lake Temple was closed, New Year resolutions and interest in the new endowment made the temple very popular.  We went to the Draper Temple instead and we were able to do some Initiatories.  It was a good problem to have.  The endowment is suppose to be much shorter.  They have removed a lot of the fluff.  We will get your name in the temple often.

Keep up the good work kid.  Keep doing your best and good things will happen.  Instead of a scripture here is a quote from President Eyrings book. 

"Brigham Young made countless trips by buggy through the settlements.  At every stop he examined the progress made and then praise or chastised.  Whether he praised or chastised the people depended upon his perception of their effort.  Their accomplishments did not seem to matter as much as their attitude towards the struggle.  Prophets are like that and so is God.  All you have to do is the very best you can.  That will be enough"

Love,

Dad

Free hot cocoa at IKEA

Family church set-up

Teen-Mai on her iPod 

New Years sparklers