April 22, 2019
Hi Jon -
We had a great Easter. I hope your was great as well. Maddy spoke in Sacrament Meeting and all the talks were super good. We had dinner at Gaynell's house with Brittany and all their kids, Ashleigh and Nate, and Alicia and Travis.
I don't know if you heard but something really weird happened with Travis DeMille. He was mowing his lawn in American Fork and he had a seizure probably caused by dehydration. The seizure was so strong he fell down unconscious and his back muscles contracted enough to dislocate both shoulders! He spent a couple days in the hospital and it's going to take a few weeks to recover. I thought that was so strange and scary! Alicia and Travis sold their AF house though so that is a blessing.
Last week I worked a lot of hours on the van/RV conversion. It's still not done yet but I'm getting closer. Aimar flew out to see is family in San Francisco and then drove to Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and then Provo. They arrived on Tuesday and we had a really full week.
On Wednesday we had a tour of Timpview High School and then went to Snowbird and Salt Lake City. We went to Temple Square and City Creek. That night we went to Provo Beach Resort for bowling. On Thursday we hiked squaw peak - there was still so much snow up there but I made it to the top. On the way down I was sliding most of the way and when I wasn't sliding I was sinking down in the snow to my knees. Not fun. After hiking we kayaked from the dam to Vivian Park and that night we went swimming at the Provo rec center. What a long and tiring day!
On Friday we drove to Sundance and then Park City. We first went to the outlet stores, then to the Utah Olympic Park, and finally had lunch on Main Street. Aimar had a soccer game at Timpview that night so his family attended it while I continued work on the van.
On Saturday we left at 7am and didn't get home until after midnight. We drove to Goblin Valley, Canyonlands National Park, and then to Arches National Park. We hiked to Delicate Arch at sunset and barely made it back to the car without having to use flashlights. It was a really fun day.
I liked Aimar's family a lot. His little sister Naya is really fun and mom and I got along great with his parents. They are really different from us in that they are super strict and controlling - constantly telling Aimar what to do and what not to do, what to eat, etc. Mom and I are a lot more laid back and we tend to treat children as adults and let them make their own decisions as much as possible. I'm not sure if our style helps but it is what it is. Some people think letting children make their own decisions is really good for them and other people think you can't let children make their own decisions because they will choose wrong. It's a difference in philosophy. Aimar eats vegetables and fruit only and is constantly exercising because his parents make him and/or are always yelling at him. Javi and Chance eat pringles, soda, and donuts and never exercise at all because mom and I don't make them eat healthy or exercise. Neither approach is all good or all bad but I wonder what our family would be like if mom and I were super strict.
So that was our super busy week. I was so exhausted yesterday I barely made it through church before coming home and taking a nap. This week is finals for Maddy and Heber and then we may be going to California to see Grandpa Carr. The plans are still not finalized so I'm not sure.
I want to share a few thoughts about love. Do you remember what it says in John 15:13?
Your friends in the mission should be more important than any you ever had in high school. I never heard from most of my friends in high school after graduation. But I still keep in touch with many of my mission companions. I love them like brothers. You do the same and you will be rewarded. Some aren’t so cool but remember, your breath stinks in the morning too and you stink up the bathroom as well. Love them all because they are all giving the same two years as you are. Do whatever you can. Besides, all those companions you have are really just training you for your wife anyway and we all know that women stink worse than we do and in the morning they could knock vultures over with their breath.
I remember reading Neil Maxwell’s book and one of the things that impressed me the most was when he was called to be an apostle. He explains that he must love every human being in the world. He did not say like - or any other word - he said love. He later goes on to explain what processes took place after he learned to love every person. Christ loved every person and so must you. Your companions will have an even deeper love for you and you for them. You are spending the most special two years of your life so far and sharing it with them. Love them no matter who they are and you will have fewer problems.
Abraham Lincoln once said that whenever he realized that he did not like someone enough, he would try to get to know them better and this would cause him to love them more. You can do the same. Have a great relationship with your companions and not only will you get along great, your love will show to others and they will see it. You will not only have a great companionship but you will baptize more as well.
There are other Elders in the mission that are not blessed as much as you. Love them, love all of them, and don’t judge them. You never know their entire story. Almost every person out there has a story as to why they should not be there. They all have interesting lives if you care to find out. One of the coolest things after your mission is to be able to keep up with some of the guys that you were friends with, or maybe not so good of friends with, and see how they are in the gospel. I have had that meeting several times like the one in Alma where the sons of Mosiah meet up in the wilderness and they were all still strong in the gospel. It is a great feeling. Now the greatest feeling of all is having them know that you gave it your best shot. You worked hard for your whole mission. If you did give it your best shot, you will always remember it and they will too. If you don’t give it your best shot, they will remember that too.
I hope everything is going great for you in Mexico. We miss you a lot, especially when we do family activities. The Muruas saw your life-sized cutout and asked a lot of questions about you. We saw missionaries on temple square and talked about the kinds of things you do as a missionary. I think the Muruas were really impressed with the church, probably not so much with the spiritual stuff but definitely with how our families are, how clean and pure the people seem to be (especially Aimar's high school friends compared to his friends in Spain), and how much church members volunteer in the ward and community and how we look after one another.
We love you. Have a great week!
Love,
Dad
We had a great Easter. I hope your was great as well. Maddy spoke in Sacrament Meeting and all the talks were super good. We had dinner at Gaynell's house with Brittany and all their kids, Ashleigh and Nate, and Alicia and Travis.
I don't know if you heard but something really weird happened with Travis DeMille. He was mowing his lawn in American Fork and he had a seizure probably caused by dehydration. The seizure was so strong he fell down unconscious and his back muscles contracted enough to dislocate both shoulders! He spent a couple days in the hospital and it's going to take a few weeks to recover. I thought that was so strange and scary! Alicia and Travis sold their AF house though so that is a blessing.
Last week I worked a lot of hours on the van/RV conversion. It's still not done yet but I'm getting closer. Aimar flew out to see is family in San Francisco and then drove to Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and then Provo. They arrived on Tuesday and we had a really full week.
On Wednesday we had a tour of Timpview High School and then went to Snowbird and Salt Lake City. We went to Temple Square and City Creek. That night we went to Provo Beach Resort for bowling. On Thursday we hiked squaw peak - there was still so much snow up there but I made it to the top. On the way down I was sliding most of the way and when I wasn't sliding I was sinking down in the snow to my knees. Not fun. After hiking we kayaked from the dam to Vivian Park and that night we went swimming at the Provo rec center. What a long and tiring day!
On Friday we drove to Sundance and then Park City. We first went to the outlet stores, then to the Utah Olympic Park, and finally had lunch on Main Street. Aimar had a soccer game at Timpview that night so his family attended it while I continued work on the van.
On Saturday we left at 7am and didn't get home until after midnight. We drove to Goblin Valley, Canyonlands National Park, and then to Arches National Park. We hiked to Delicate Arch at sunset and barely made it back to the car without having to use flashlights. It was a really fun day.
I liked Aimar's family a lot. His little sister Naya is really fun and mom and I got along great with his parents. They are really different from us in that they are super strict and controlling - constantly telling Aimar what to do and what not to do, what to eat, etc. Mom and I are a lot more laid back and we tend to treat children as adults and let them make their own decisions as much as possible. I'm not sure if our style helps but it is what it is. Some people think letting children make their own decisions is really good for them and other people think you can't let children make their own decisions because they will choose wrong. It's a difference in philosophy. Aimar eats vegetables and fruit only and is constantly exercising because his parents make him and/or are always yelling at him. Javi and Chance eat pringles, soda, and donuts and never exercise at all because mom and I don't make them eat healthy or exercise. Neither approach is all good or all bad but I wonder what our family would be like if mom and I were super strict.
So that was our super busy week. I was so exhausted yesterday I barely made it through church before coming home and taking a nap. This week is finals for Maddy and Heber and then we may be going to California to see Grandpa Carr. The plans are still not finalized so I'm not sure.
I want to share a few thoughts about love. Do you remember what it says in John 15:13?
Your friends in the mission should be more important than any you ever had in high school. I never heard from most of my friends in high school after graduation. But I still keep in touch with many of my mission companions. I love them like brothers. You do the same and you will be rewarded. Some aren’t so cool but remember, your breath stinks in the morning too and you stink up the bathroom as well. Love them all because they are all giving the same two years as you are. Do whatever you can. Besides, all those companions you have are really just training you for your wife anyway and we all know that women stink worse than we do and in the morning they could knock vultures over with their breath.
I remember reading Neil Maxwell’s book and one of the things that impressed me the most was when he was called to be an apostle. He explains that he must love every human being in the world. He did not say like - or any other word - he said love. He later goes on to explain what processes took place after he learned to love every person. Christ loved every person and so must you. Your companions will have an even deeper love for you and you for them. You are spending the most special two years of your life so far and sharing it with them. Love them no matter who they are and you will have fewer problems.
Abraham Lincoln once said that whenever he realized that he did not like someone enough, he would try to get to know them better and this would cause him to love them more. You can do the same. Have a great relationship with your companions and not only will you get along great, your love will show to others and they will see it. You will not only have a great companionship but you will baptize more as well.
There are other Elders in the mission that are not blessed as much as you. Love them, love all of them, and don’t judge them. You never know their entire story. Almost every person out there has a story as to why they should not be there. They all have interesting lives if you care to find out. One of the coolest things after your mission is to be able to keep up with some of the guys that you were friends with, or maybe not so good of friends with, and see how they are in the gospel. I have had that meeting several times like the one in Alma where the sons of Mosiah meet up in the wilderness and they were all still strong in the gospel. It is a great feeling. Now the greatest feeling of all is having them know that you gave it your best shot. You worked hard for your whole mission. If you did give it your best shot, you will always remember it and they will too. If you don’t give it your best shot, they will remember that too.
I hope everything is going great for you in Mexico. We miss you a lot, especially when we do family activities. The Muruas saw your life-sized cutout and asked a lot of questions about you. We saw missionaries on temple square and talked about the kinds of things you do as a missionary. I think the Muruas were really impressed with the church, probably not so much with the spiritual stuff but definitely with how our families are, how clean and pure the people seem to be (especially Aimar's high school friends compared to his friends in Spain), and how much church members volunteer in the ward and community and how we look after one another.
We love you. Have a great week!
Love,
Dad
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