Piano Festival

Matthew,

This week has been stressful getting Isaac, Jacob, and Bridie ready for their piano competition next weekend.  There has been a lot of practicing going on around here.  It's fun because they are duets and so Jacob and Bridie play together and Dad plays with Isaac.  

Monday I didn't go to the temple and I can't go again tomorrow because I'm helping with the kids Halloween parties so I'm really sad.  This week Jacob got his Arrow of Light.  It was the dumbest arrow of Light presentation I've EVER seen.  They just handed him his award and his arrow and then he sat down.  It was a let down.  

For young women's this week we raked sister Davis' house (she's the lady that was struck TWICE by lightening).  It was nice to get out and work.  I really love the young women in this ward!  Jacob went to Grayson Bushman's birthday party, Friday night was the ward Halloween party.  The three little kids got dressed up.  They looked so cute.  Jacob came up with his costume all on his own.  He got out the name tag that James had given him and put on his church clothes.  He is such a cute/interesting person.  The girls were so excited because I got them fake eyelashes and fingernails (just for Bridie).  The party ended really early and all the youth were all together in one corner so we invited them over to our house.  They ate cookies and watched Star Wars.  It was fun to have them here.

Saturday was chore day and it was a pain in the neck getting the kids to do their 20 minutes worth of jobs.  It took them 3 hours!  It is ridiculous.  It was also Sadie Hawkins so the rest of that day I drove Adaline's group everywhere.  The girls are all under the 6 months so they needed a driver and I was willing.  It went like this...

Pick up girl #1 late- feel bad

Pick up girl #2 - she's not there

Pick up girls #3- she's not ready

pick up boy #1 (Adaline's date)late- feel bad

go back to pick up girls #2&3- girl #2 is walking by the temple with her date???  Pick her and her date up off the side of the road.

Pick up girl #3- she's finally ready

Pick up boy #3- really late

The group came here to make sugar cookie from 4-5.  Great group.  At one point I walk into my kitchen and they are sweeping my floor.  Super great group of kids.

Drop everyone off about 5:30 pm.  7pm start all over picking everyone up.  The group's theme was the 70's.  The boys totally got into it!  We had two afro's and bellbottoms and lots of flowers in the girls hair.

7:30 drop the group off at a house for dinner.  They are making pizzas.

8:30 pick up group to go to the high school for the dance.

10:00 pick up the group to go to a girls house to play games.

Drive group back to the high school to pick up one of the boys jackets that was left at the dance.

Now drop the group off.

Go home talk to James about his visit with Levi

11:30 pick up group at girls house and take them all home.

12:30 got home with a half tank less of gas.  Very happy Adaline has such friends.

It was fun to drive them all around.  It reminded me how hard it is to date.  It's awkward, and uncomfortable, but so much fun.  I am glad I got to be a fly on the wall as I was driving them to and from.   

Do they celebrate Halloween in the Philippines?

What kind of service do you do?

How did you get to your zone conference?

You have rats?  What other creatures are there in your apartments? 

I'm glad you are surviving the food.  

We love you like crazy and are so proud of you!

Love,

Mom

Missions are hard

Matthew,

I am so glad that you feel like you can share your feelings with me.  I know that you will not come home but sometimes it's nice to vent and let it all out to someone.  You can vent to me anytime.  Getting used to a mission is going to take time.  EVERYONE goes through what you are experiencing and they get throughout it.  You will too.

Some words of advice:

Break your mission down into smaller time frames:

Don't look at it as 2 years- that seems like forever.  Right now just aim for your 6 month mark.  By then you will understand the culture better and have a better grasp of the language.  At 8 months you will be understand more and speaking more.  At your one year mark you will have missionary work down and loving it.  

Sometimes you'll need to just take it one day at a time.  On those days when you get up think first thing in the morning- I can do my best TODAY and don't worry about tomorrow.  You are "eating and elephant" and if you look at it right now it's massive and discouraging.  Just take it one day at a time.  You will get this.  Spend some time each day imaging yourself teaching the gospel, conversing well with the people and being an awesome missionary- you will get there!  Just be patient. 

I remember when we were landscaping the Mapleton house.  Sometimes I would get so discouraged but luckily I took pictures before we started.  When I would get discouraged I would look at those pictures and see how far I had come.  That always made me feel better.  You will see that progress in you mission too.

I've heard a tip for learning a language as a missionary.  Talk to kids wile your companion talks to the adults.  Kids are more understanding of your mistakes and will help you.  I don't know if that apples to the Philippines but it's a tip I heard and you might as well give it a try.   

I love you and will be fasting for you next week.  You are becoming a great missionary.  It is going to take time.  Be patient with yourself.  It WILL come.  You will be able to teach the gospel someday, you will be able to give blessings to people, you will get ALL OF IT.  You can do this!  You were not sent to the Phillipines to fail but to SUCCEED!

You love you and think you are my favorite missionary.

Love you with all my heart,

Mom

Christmas packages and fall break

Matthew,

It has been so wonderful to read your letters.  We miss you at our house but pray for you multiple times a day.  For your Christmas package I am send presents for you and 3 other missionaries (I am assuming that you will be still be living with 3 other missionaries at Christmas time.)  The presents are small and not really great but I figure it's the thought that counts.  There is also a ton of candy.  Share it with everyone.  Also in the package is a few birthday presents for you on January 2.  

Do all of the missionaries in your apartment get an email from home?  If not, could you get me their emails?  I would like to start writing them and maybe send them a christmas package (because you will probably not be with them at Christmas).  That lady you wrote me about, Julie Hess, that I am going to send packages through is making up lists of missionaries that never get emails/ packages or family support.  Can you find out if there is any missionary like that in your mission?  I think that is so sad for someone to not get emails of support.

Our week:

The first part of the week was crazy because it was the end of term.  Wednesday- Monday (tomorrow) is fall break.  Wednesday we just slept in and hung out.  That night we watched the Face to Face with studio C.  It is SO good!  If you get the chance to see it you should.  It is on LDS.org.  Thursday we went to the Hurricane house with Nana and Grandpa, Jim and Ali, and Katie and her kids.  We stayed until Saturday.  We just got back last night. We did a lot of hiking and swimming.  It was a really good time.  Last night we got home, unpacked, and I made sugar cookies for Halloween, and James and I went to Walmart to buy something for Bridie's birthday that is today.  Today Bridie opened her presents, we went to church, and then had dinner at Grandma's.  

I love you and think that you are amazing!  I am so proud of you and that you are a missionary for the Lord's church.  Keep up the great work.  What you are teaching is true!

I love you,

Mom 

A normal week

Matthew,

How was your week?  We love getting your letters.  Everyone comments on what a great writer you are.  

WE had your average week here.  Temple monday, No piano tuesday because it was moved to Wednesday (exciting, huh?), Piano and Young Womens Wednesday (we went to the UVU institute to hear an EFY speaker.  It was great.  I think you will really enjoy going to institute out there.  It has a really good spirit there.)  Friday was a really fun day.  Jacob has Chinese and we always go for a treat afterward (usually sonic).  Then Bridie had a birthday party at Jakers pumpkin patch in Springville.  That night Jim and Ali cam for the football game.  We had dinner with them and then the boys left for the game.  James went on a date with Kartika.  It was a total disaster.  Opa and grandma and a girl James had taken out the week before ran into them on their date.  He was home by 9pm so I sent him to the football game with Dad.  Yesterday dad, James and I work outside nearly all day.  James and I did sprinklers and dad finished the back of the house from the remodel.  Then I planted 150 bulbs in the front yard (I told you my life is exciting didn't I?)  

We love hearing about your life.  We pray for you multiple times a day and I think about you often.  I feel like because you are not here, I carry you in my heart always.  I can't wait to hear about your week!

Love you lots!

Love,

Mom