March 18, 2019

Hi Jon -

I've had a fun couple of weeks. I've been interviewing a lot and am getting sort of close with a couple of companies but who knows what will work out. 

The week before last I got done with a job interview on Thursday and out of the blue Adam Cordon calls me. He bought 2 spots on a canoeing trip of the Colorado River just south of the Hoover Dam near Las Vegas and his partner bailed on him at the last minute. He gave me 60 minutes to pack my bags and be at the Provo airport where he was going to pick me up in his personal 4 seat plane. The plane goes pretty slowly - only 100 to 130 mph - but you can fly in a straight line instead of on a curvy road so going to Las Vegas only takes about 2 hours. We had a headwind and had to stay above big cities after the sun went down and we needed to dodge some rain clouds as well so it took us more like 3 hours.

We flew into Boulder City, Nevada and stayed at the Hoover Dam Hotel overnight. In the morning we tried to check in with the canoe company and found out that I couldn't go because we have to pass through a federal security zone around Hoover Dam and they don't let you change the names within 48 hours of your departure. I think they do quick background checks on everyone. So we couldn't get down to the Colorado River right there but what we decided to do is pick up the canoe we rented and drive it ourselves to the takeout 12 miles down river and then paddle the 8 miles up river to the beach where our group was planning to camp. It was a hard paddle but we finished in exactly 2 hours. 

The place we stayed Friday and Saturday night was Black Canyon and it's a cool place because there are little canyons that feed into the Colorado River and each canyon has its own hot spring. You can paddle up to Scout Canyon or Goldstrike Canyon and soak in the pools for a couple of hours and then paddle over to another canyon. We camped at Arizona Beach and the best hot spring was right there near our camp about 100 yards away up this really cool slot canyon. They put sand bags at certain places from one side of the slot canyon to the other side and it creates little pools 2-3 feet deep for you to soak in. The higher up you go the hotter the water. We went in the hot springs at 10pm and it was perfect. The air was a little cold like 50 degrees but the water was 100+ degrees and you could look up the slot canyon and see a ton of stars in the sky. I loved it.

On Sunday we flew from Boulder City, Nevada to Flagstaff, Arizona where Adam grew up. His mom and sister still live there so we stayed with them. We went to a fireside that night and on Monday Adam drove me around Flagstaff so I could see all the cool stuff in that area. We drove down Oak Canyon to a natural waterslide called Slide Rock and then to the town of Sedona which is this big residential community but it looks amazing like a town got set down right in the middle of Zion National Park. There were monuments and red rock everywhere. I loved Sedona. 

Later Monday we flew from Flagstaff back to Provo. You called right when I was getting home and after that Sean Warren called and asked if I still wanted to go to Las Vegas for the WAC basketball tournament. I had a job interview on Tuesday morning and after that we drove to Las Vegas. I liked flying there a lot but driving is more my style. I like being able to stop anywhere for a soda, snack, or bathroom break and you can't do that in an airplane. It did take a lot longer to drive but we talked and laughed the whole way so I didn't mind the drive. In Las Vegas we had dinner with the UVU women's basketball team and watched basketball games at the arena all day Wednesday. UVU lost in the 1st round which sucks but I still had a good time. We went to the strip for dinner and then back to the hotel to drown our sorrows with banana splits with the coaches. It was fun.

On Thursday Sean and I drove to Hoover Dam and this time we hiked 3 miles to Arizona Beach - the same place I stayed on Friday and Saturday nights. Over the weekend I had met some people who had hiked in and I wanted to know what the trail looked like so we went. We hiked down, soaked for an hour in the hot springs, and then hiked out. We ate the most amazing hamburgers at a place called Chilly Jillys in Boulder City so I have to take you there sometime after your mission. We can even hike down to the hot springs again if you're into it.

On Sunday we celebrated Gay Nell's birthday with cake and dinner at our house. It was Saint Patrick's Day so mom made Corned Beef and Cabbage and it was really good. I'm glad to be back in town this week and I have job interviews lined up with 3 different companies.

I want to share a couple thoughts this week about working hard and being too spiritual.

Am I too spiritual?

I have just beat you to death about keeping the spirit with you but I think that it is wise to remember that some Elders in the mission suffer from what I call PROPHETitis. They all of a sudden think they are about to walk on water and are usually so fake that it is funny. Just be yourself and don’t worry about the rest of those guys. I saw a lot of those guys crack later and I think it was because they thought that they could walk on water and later find out that they cannot. Just be yourself.

Work hard

Work hard. You’ve got a lifetime to think about it!!!! If you do decide to go on a mission, why go and give it a half shot? If you go, go all the way. Remember that for good or bad, you get to think about it for the rest of your life. I can tell you personally that I know that there is not a day that goes by I don’t say to myself - man I am glad that I gave it my best shot. It is a feeling like no other. I can also tell you of others that did not do so well and are saying (for the rest of their lives) “I wished I had done better.” 

Do you want to make time pass by faster? Work harder. You want it to drag by? Sit there and think about home for a few hours and it will seem like an eternity is in front of you. Just like Satan could rarely get someone to kill another person in one step, the same is true you’re your mission. He couldn’t make you throw your mission away all at once, but he can get you to throw away a little every day. Some missionaries are happier to have served a mission than to serve a mission. 

That's it for me. Take care of your body - eat right, sleep right, and exercise! I know it's hot in Mexico but don't use that as an excuse. We love you and are super proud of you!

Love,

Dad