July 6--Dear Elder: Family News

Good morning, Matt.  Today is Friday.  How are you doing?  Today will be your fourth day in Mexico!  How exciting!  We are praying that you will be able to find people to teach and that you will be able to speak the language with the spirit.  I keep trying to imagine what it is like where you are.  I looked at Culiacan a bit on Google maps.  That was fun.

Yesterday it rained a lot.  They closed down the water park, so Katrina and Thomas didn’t work.  Miriam did work, though.  I tried to keep Katrina and Thomas busy yesterday; they get way too much screen time.  I kept them busy cooking, cleaning, shopping, and bike riding.  Today they only get 2 hours of screen time.  That’s probably way too much, as it is. 

Grandma was out of bed in the kitchen with us for quite awhile today.  At one point, I was on the computer with Grandma watching over my shoulder.  The kids were on a bike ride.  Pretty soon, Grandma started singing “Happy Birthday to You.”  She got through the whole song perfectly, inserting her name as the birthday person.  I asked her why she sang that, and she said “Because it’s my birthday today,” and started to cry.  I explained to her that her birthday isn’t till next month and I realized that it was exactly a month away.  I think Grandma must have seen 7/5/2012 on the computer and thought it was August 5.  I assured her that when it is her birthday we will have a big party and invite everyone over to visit.  She felt better after that, poor Grandma.  Wow, she must have good eyes to have been able to see that date.

Later, after Dad came home, and we ate the pizza that the kids made for dinner, Dad and I took Grandma for a drive.  We have lots of construction here, and Grandma likes to say, “orange” everytime she sees an orange construction sign.  It gets really interesting when the road is lined with orange construction barrels, because she tries to say “orange” once for every barrel.  So we drove down the freeway with Grandma saying “Orange, orange, orange, orange,” as fast as she could.  Just when I thought I might go crazy, she started counting them instead.  She got all the way to 100 before she stopped.  Pretty good counting! 

Thanks to Dad, I got to bed early and was asleep before 9:30.  That is a good thing because I have been forgetting things lately.  Yesterday, I put some boiled eggs into pickle juice so that Dad could have pickled eggs, and when he got them out to eat, the shells were still on them.  I forgot lots more than that, but that’s the only thing that I remember I forgot.  Dad has the day off today, and we plan to take everyone’s laundry over to the laundromat to get it washed up for our trip to Disneyland next week.  We also meet with the care center where Grandma will be staying to sign the admitting papers.  Miriam, of course, is working.  With working full time, six days a week, that girl is getting rich.  She is also getting a two dollar bonus at the end of the summer for every hour she works.  Katrina is supposed to work today, so we’ll see what happens with the weather.  Dad plans to work lots at the laundry.  Me?  I’ve been into shopping in the classifieds lately, and plan to check out some stuff for the house.  I doubt I’ll buy much, but there are some good deals out there!  I studied more today and focused on Alma 33:22 “ …begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works. 23 And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.” These verses state clearly that the seed that should be planted in our hearts is the word of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that we nourish it by faith, and that the tree that will grow is joy in this life and eternal life in the world to come. It is through faith in Jesus Christ that my burdens can be lifted.  This verse urges me to hang in there and keep nourishing the seed.  I need the joy of his Son in my life to make my burdens will be light and give me the courage to continue on doing my part, and knowing all will be made right in Christ. ” Well that’s it for now, Matt.  We love you so much!  I’m thinking you might get our first pouch letter today.  That would be awesome!