6/30/19 - Family Letter to Emma

Hi Emma!

So, I just got back from trek,

and it was a great experience.

My family had a girl that hurt her back,

(Turn's out she was faking, but, whatever.)

and i pulled her in a rickshaw,

and so I pulled her up a few small mountains

to get to martins cove!

The main causes of death on the trail

were elemental exposure and overexertion.

I had a small bout of heatstroke and was not able

to do the last day witch sucked,

especially since she was faking, but hey,

it was still awesome!

How was your week? Kade's  homecoming was today,

and he seems a lot more chill.

Love from

Hyrum

Hey girl Hey!!!

so this week was TREK WEEK !!!!

 I slept over at Sami's for most of the week !

so me and Sami went swimming 2 times.

  the2 time we got in a water fight with some boys. and the 1 time there was a weird boy from Sami's school who kept following Sami , her friends , and I around. the first time it was really funky he kept trying to pull us under water.I went to Laruens house for one of the days! it was fun! then I had a pool party  for one of my friends b-day party it was awesome!!!!

how was your week???????????????????????

LOVE AND MISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 AKA Fuzzy Head

Sweet Emma,

I'm sure proud of you!  I've been thinking about you while we've been on Trek.  I have been thinking a lot about effort and sacrifice.  Heavenly Father blesses and appreciates our effort and sacrifice.  When we give effort and sacrifice, regardless of the outcome, we feel his approval.  Even if YOU were to be the only convert on your mission, that would have been enough.  I KNOW he is pleased with you!  I hope you feel his approval for you as you give your best effort each day.  That is a very rewarding thing.  The pioneers were blessed for their effort and sacrifice, even if they never made it all the way to Salt Lake because they perished on the way.  They and their posterity were blessed anyway.  When we give our effort and sacrifice to living the gospel with our families, or by ourselves, we are blessed.  He is so good to us!  Our righteous desires (which turn into correct actions) make Him happy.  He is a merciful and loving Father.

Trek was wonderful.  The Trek missionaries described it best when they said, "When you go to the temple, you are in a Holy place for a few hours.  When you come to these sites (made Holy by sacrifice) you are in a Holy Place for 4 days".  They challenged us to let the Spirit of these Holy places work in our Youth (and ourselves)....AND IT DID!  We saw beautiful things happen to our youth.  It seemed like many of them experienced some healing and renewing.  In addition to learning about and appreciating their ancestors, they also found joy and light in each other.  They were soaking up the sun, laughing and playing together, inventing new games and songs...and PLAYING!  They made new friends within the Stake (including adults).  They came closer to Christ and some who were previously undecided,  decided to go on a mission. 

As I walked the trail (we walked over 20 miles) I thought about our ancestors and wondered what they thought about us now.  I felt a distinct impression that they are so proud of us.  They are aware of us and love us more than we know.  On Trek I spoke at Veil Crossing Bridge: 

President Joseph F. Smith spoke of the love of heavenly messengers:  we live in their presence, they see us..., they love us now more than ever. . . . Their love for us and their desire for our well being must be greater than that which we feel for ourselves.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “In the gospel of Jesus Christ we have help from both sides of the veil. When disappointment and discouragement strike—and they will—we need to remember that if our eyes could be opened, we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see, riding at great speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham’s seed.

I loved being on Trek with Dad, Eve and Hyrum.  We would really like to take you and Mari to Wyoming to these sites as part of our Church History trips. 

Kade's homecoming talk was great!  He spoke about the joy of the Gospel and how we should be having fun every day.  He quoted "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy"  (but he quoted it in Portuguese!)  He looks good.  Ethan was funny.  He thought today was YOUR homecoming and so he re-arranged all his plans and sped over to the church...  When he realized his mistake he ran home to change into his comfy clothes and then he came back for the food at Levers (there were eclairs!)  He kept mentioning how excited he is for you to come home.  Nick Medina's farewell was today too.  We couldn't attend because of Kade's but we went over to his house after to give him Dad's new missionary letter.

I love you so much!  Have a wonderful week!

💜Mom

M,

I hope your week went well.  We have been all focused on Trek this week.  We drove up separate from the youth.  They took the buses that choose when they wanted to work or not.  We went to Martin's Cove, had a hoedown, did a lot of walking with handcarts.  It was a challenge this year as Mom and I went as support and not Mas and Pas.  We walked with the kids and attempted to interact with them.  It was different.  Tiffany had arranged for some of her students to play the violin before Martin's Cove.  It was great.  We also went to the Willie Campground and walked around some.  Hyrum and I missed a day.  After 3 weeks of camps he was running on empty.  The heat got to him and he started to have [problems.  I took him into town for the day.  We went to a neat small town of Landers and then to a bigger city of Riverton, WY.  They were both small and did not have many options for entertainment or food.  Getting him out of the heat is what he needed.  We have decided we will take the family up to these locations and pull/push a handcart together.

Kade gave his homecoming talk today.  He did a really good job.  He talked about how we are supposed to have joy and live the gospel.  He spoke with power.  When they picked him up from the airport they made a big deal to take him somewhere for food.  They made there way to Chik Fil A.  He is still crazy/fun Kade.  Nick Medina spoke today but we missed it so we could support Kade.  I took him over a copy of the What I Wish I Knew letter.  I hope it is of some value to him.

Keep working hard and doing your best.  Try to find time to take care of yourself.  We are thinking of sending you another package and want to send your mission President and wife a few things.  Let us know what ideas you might have for them. 

Love ya kid.

Dad

2 Nephi 26:23-24