4/14/19 - Family Letter to Emma

Hi Emma!!!!

 was up?  hows life ?

voice lessons are going good .  I incidentally forgot my music😅.

Other than that, my week was pretty normal.

My program was good I was so nervous that I cried on the parent night .

But it was OK after that.

Miss you love you

Mari

yello Emma!

How ya doin'? spring break just started,

and i cant wait to not do stuff!

It's going to be so strange!

Also, there's a round i wan to teach you when you get back.

 it's called "The Water Spout"! it, in turn, is

also very strange. Love

Hyrum

Sweet Emma,

As we are on our way to Savannah, I am missing you.  The thing that brings me comfort is to know that you are  doing the most important work you can be doing right now.  I really appreciate your sacrifice.  I have been praying that Heavenly Father will bless you this week so that you can feel His love for you.  I hope you can see and feel His love for you in the people and things that you see around you.  Also, I pray that you will have wonderful inspiration as you study the scriptures this week.  I love the closeness of heaven I feel when I understand the gospel better through studying the scriptures. 

This week, in preparation for Easter I have been studying the Come Follow Me for Families.  I read the accounts about the 2 Marys visiting the tomb contrasted to his disciples on the road to Emmaus.  Both groups were mourning the loss of their friend, Jesus.  (Matt 28: 1-10) Both Marys went to the tomb to honor Jesus (and perhaps finish preparing his body for burial) and were met by an angel to announce the best news of His resurrection.  The Marys immediately left the tomb to share the news with His disciples.  On their way, they met the Savior!  They recognized him right away and worshiped Him.

Contrast this to 2 of his disciples who were traveling on the road to Emmaus discussing their friend's crucifixion (Luke 24: 13-35). While they walked, the Savior joined them in their journey.  They didn't recognize Him that entire journey.  It wasn't until they invited this "fellow traveler" to join them for their evening meal that Jesus blessed and offered the sacrament to them and they recognized Him as the Savior.

While both groups were His disciples on their way to do good things, only one group (the Marys) immediately recognized the Savior when they saw Him.  Perhaps the Marys who recognized Him did so because they were actively "seeking" Him.  If the disciples traveling to Emmaus would have remembered the prophesies that foretold His resurrection, would they have been actively looking for Him, and thus recognized Him when they saw Him? 

To me, this is a good reminder to pay attention to what we "seek" because we will surely find what we "seek".  I hope that I can recognize the Savior when I see Him again.  I hope to keep my heart open to Him and the things He wants to teach me.  I also hope I can see the Savior in the people that I meet and recognize them all as Children of God. 

Neighborhood news:  We have a few new neighbors that have moved in since you left.  At our neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt (in the Steiners/Birds circle) one of the new families inquired about how you were doing on your mission.  They told me that they are very excited to meet you. 

Mari's 5th grade Patriotic program was cute.  She did a great job but she became nervous and emotional when she learned that only Dad and I would be there to watch (Eve had cello lessons and Hyrum wasn't feeling well).  She was sad that our family wasn't there to support her (luckily, after Eve's cello lesson she had a feeling to go over to the school).  Eve made it just before Mari's dance (the Hop) and it helped Mari cheer up enough to go back on to perform.  I understand why she might be feeling this way.  From her perspective, her entire life she has been made to attend everything the older kids were involved in.  Now that it's her turn, she's not getting the support returned to her.  I also think she might be extra emotional because of the other "changes" that are happening to her as she grows up. 

This week Eve's special friends at Kauri Sue performed their version of "The Greatest Showman".  It was so tender and sweet.  There are only 3 verbal kids at that school.  The leads communicated through their ipads initiated by their eye movement or head bop.  The other performers did scenes from the movie that highlighted skills that they were working on.  For example, waving a ribbon, grabbing a hula hoop, walking on a balance beam, etc.  Eve and her PLT group were the stage crew for this.  We watched Eve as she was glowing with pride at her class.  She is so good with those special children.  Dad summed it up when he said that the Kauri Sue School is a school of Angels.  I watched the parents in the audience and noticed how exhausted each of them looked.  I can't even imagine the difficulty of raising a child with extreme disabilities.  As I pondered their situation, I realized that we each of us has different trials uniquely situated for our growth.  Whatever our trial, with His help, we can grow.

I hope you have a wonderful week.  Please know that we love you and pray for you ALL THE TIME!

💜Mom

M,

Well, we thought we were on our way to Savannah but they cancelled our flight.  We had a layover in Dallas and they had tornadoes.  We were going to leave at 3:00 and get there at midnight.  Once they cancelled that we had it scheduled for 3:00 AM to get us there at 2:00PM.  Once that was cancelled we now have a midnight on Sunday night to get us there by 8:00 AM.  The kids are very frustrated and discouraged.  We are attempting to be positive.  We went to see a superhero movie but it ended up being to violent for Mari.  So Mom took her to the next movie over to see a cartoon of some kind.  It has been a challenge to be in vacation mode but still be here.  I keep thinking that if we got on that plane to Dallas we might be stuck in Dallas until the weather got better.  It might be a blessing that if we are going to be stuck that it be here.  We were hoping to go to Moultrie but with us arriving a day and a half late we might not make it. 

Mari had her 5th grade program this week.  She was not her normal over the top performer we are accustomed to.  Your Mom and I were in attendance.  Eve had Cello lesson and Hyrum was at play practice.  Mari kept disappearing during some of the songs.  I sent Mom to see what was happening.  Would you believe that she was having some stagefright?  Your Mom was trying to help her through it when Eve showed up and Mari was very relieved to see her.  We think that she had her feeling hurt that Eve and Hyrum were not there.  She has sat through that performance many times for everyone else and she was feeling hurt she did not have the support.  After she gave Eve a hug she went back on stage and became the fun kid to watch.  She did well and it provided us a lesson to review on how to handle stagefright and disappointment.  Afterwards we went to Arctic Circle with the Chandlers for some ice cream and she was all the way better.

Eve let us come to a musical performance at Kauri Sue she has been helping with.  They were performing The Greatest Showman.  Most of the students performing were non verbal and had teachers wheel them in on the chairs and scoot them around to the music.  There we a lot of streamers and hullahoops they would grab.  The dialogue was controlled by tablets the kids would touch.  They had some of the students who would "sing" solos to some of the main songs.  They would make melodic noises into the microphone over the soundtrack and really think they were singing.  It felt like we were watching a show that was put on by angels.  Knowing each of these kids have spirits that have already made their place in heaven but a neat emphasis on the show.  We also wondered why we were so lucky to have all you kids be born healthy.   It was a great experience and Eve was a great curtain opener and closer.  She seemed really happy while this was going on.  I think she has found something she might really want to do.

I was wondering what your thoughts are on the weekly calls home.  Are they helpful?  Are they a distraction?  I still don't know how I would feel about them if this was an option when I was serving.  We will be expecting your call assuming you are calling around the same time you normally do.  If everything goes to plan we will finally be somewhere in Georgia.  Have you decided if you want us to come get you?  I don't remember if you have had a chance to talk with your Mission President or not.  Your Mom was very surprised by your gift to the tulip festival.  I will let you know how it goes.

Keep up the good work kid.  We love you and are excited about the experiences you are having.  We are beyond proud.

Love

Dad

2 Nephi 2:25-27