9/8/19 - Family Letter to Emma

Sweet Emma,

Eve, Hyrum and Mari made you a video for your letter this week.  Eve will send it to you.  Hope you enjoy it😂!  They all say they love you and are so excited to see you really soon!

I can't believe this is your last p-day!  You did it!  You made it! You served faithfully! Your testimony of Jesus Christ has blossomed. You are awesome!  I'm so proud of you!  You have learned so much (might I challenge you to make a list of what you learned that you didn't know before?)...we have all learned so much through your service!  Thank you for serving.  Today Dad mentioned that he KNOWS we have been blessed for your service.  He said that he is nervous to miss out on those blessings when you return home.  There is something very special about having a missionary serving!  One of the best blessings (for me) has been how quickly your mission went.  I missed you, but I was never sad about it.  Even so,  I'm so glad you are almost home.  I hope you have a wonderful trip home.  We are SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU AGAIN!

This weekend was the Harvest Fair.  As much as I miss YW, I did NOT miss doing the cotton candy.  Hyrum, Mari, and Eve all helped Jill and her new presidency make that sticky stuff.  Mari performed "Shy".  I'll send you a clip of it.  She did great!  It was really fun to watch Dad with his High Council duties (guarding the door to make sure no one brought food into the church) while he visited with many people.  Dad has made some great friends on High Council and throughout the Stake.  We live in such an amazing area.  One thing, Stake Conference is the week you return home.  Dad has been assigned to sit at Building 11 (instead of the Stake Center) during Stake Conference.  We weren't sure how you would feel about that because we thought you might want to sit where most people go. 

Also, since I am the new Ward Music Director, I get to pick the songs for your homecoming.  Do you have any favorite hymns?  It looks like Amy Steed and Sara Gardener will be singing "I Know My Father Lives" for a special musical number that day.  Let me know your songs of choice and I will see if they will fit.  I'm hoping for something "peppy" for the opening song and something more reverent for the closing song.

We had a WONDERFUL dinner at Carrie's house today.  It was a mission sharing dinner (Grandma/Grandpa, Dean, Scott, Ethan, and Dad shared food and special experiences from their mission...and something they learned).  I can't pronounce the food from Romania and Russia but it was so good!  Romania (Scott) was pickled cabbage stuffed with meat and rice smothered with a tomato sauce.  The Russian (Ethan) food was this pasta dumpling with meat, onions and a broth inside.  Africa  (Grandma and Grandpa) was fruit and Boston (Dean) was this delicious crab cake.  For Canada, dad brought apple pie with a wedge of cheddar cheese and Neapolitan Ice Cream with maple syrup.

Something they learned on their mission:

Ethan- To stay positive in adversity

Scott- To stay positive in everything

Dean- Trust in miracles from our Heavenly Father

Grandma- Not to judge people.  Everyone is just as important and valuable as you.

Dad- Don't fight the Refiner's fire

There have been many times in my life when I wish I would have been able to serve a mission.  I always felt like I missed out on some tremendous growing experiences and testimony strengtheners.  I don't regret choosing marriage over mission, but I always wonder what my life would've been like.  I'm really glad you've had this opportunity.  It will benefit you your entire life...and your future family.  Hyrum's prayer for you was so sweet tonight.  He talked about all the things you've learned and what a good example you are.

I agree!

Please be safe as you travel home.  You are so loved!

💜Mom

Matthew 25:21

M,

Here it is.  Your final P-day.  Great job kid!  I remember my last week very well.  Soak in what you can.  Remember the good stuff.  Leave your area with some good momentum.  It is your last week and is it expected for you to think of home a lot.  Your best will be good enough.  We said goodbye to Luke Chandler today.  He flies out to South Africa on Tuesday.  We gave him a painting similar to what we sent for your Mission President.  He has had to wait 5 months for his departure.  Eve did the math and determined they will not see each other for at least 3 years. 

We had the Harvest Fair yesterday.  Mari performed Shy.  We can send you the performance.  She did a great job.  We went early so we could come home and watch the BYU game.  BYU played Tennessee and took them to double overtime before they won.  It was very exciting game that we will save for you.  BYU has a few more big games in the coming weeks.  They lost to Utah again last week.  This game is beginning to heal some hearts.      

Carrie had us over for dinner tonight.  Everyone who served a mission brought food from where they served.  Carrie had us serve them in courses and talk a bit about our missions.  Scott and Ethan brought some surprisingly good food from Romania and Russia.  Scott made some pickled cabbage around some sort of meatball.  he also brought eggplant puree.  Ethan made some dumpling looking things with a meatball inside.  It had a broth that we needed to suck out before we ate the dumpling.  Dean made some great crabcake from Boston.  Mom and Dad brought a large tray of fruit from Africa but talked about France.  We brought an apple crisp with sharp cheddar cheese and some Neapolitan ice cream  with maple syrup.  It was a great night.

Be safe this week.  Please don't have us waiting too long when you get off the plane.  Mom had told us how you want to make yourself "Fabulous" for your walk down the escalator.  Remember you have an anxious Mom you desperately needs a hug.  Enjoy your week the best you can.  Be sensitive to your companion who will still needs to work once you have left.

Love

Dad

Ether 12: 38