June 19-25

Matthew,

 I am sorry to hear your frustrations in your last letter.  I have thought a lot about you the past week and asked Dad and James to write you their experiences and advice.

I have a few bits of advice for you and they all come from your patriarchal blessing.  I read and reread the part that talks about your mission.  It has some wonderful blessings and promises in your blessing.  

Some things that I thought were of relevance- 

1- you are promised that it will change your life for good.  These 730 days will be so important it will change your life for the better.  You are down to only 365 days that will build a foundation for the rest of your life.  Don't waste a single one.  You have done one year.  You certainly have the strength to make it through another.  You now know the language and the culture.  Which were so hard and frustrating the first year. 

2- Your mission will influence all that you do in your future life.  What will you learn in the next year that will influence the rest of your life?  You have no idea, but seize every moment.  Make the most of each day.

3- It promises that you will be a great missionary.  Being a missionary means just putting on a name tag, being called by a prophet and being set apart by your stake president.  A great missionary is someone that strives each day to be a little better and by the end of the two years you will be great.  I know that you will become such a great missionary!

4-  You will teach by the spirit.  How can you teach by the spirit if you are not getting along with your companion?  Love him, Pray for him, talk to him, be understanding of him and his situation and upbringing.  If he is breaking mission rules you will need to let him know that you will need to talk to the mission president (or don't tell him and just let the mission president know and deal with it)  because you two are a team and his disobedience is dragging the work down.  Let the mission president deal with his breaking the rules.

5- You will be able to be a great influence on your companion- I would like to point out the word "great".  You will be a great influence.  You need to be kind and loving toward them.  They have been raised in poverty.  They are trying to pull themselves out by living the gospel.  It is an uphill battle for them.  Inspire and love them.  You have been given everything you need to succeed.  They have been given nothing.  Look at them as dear children of a loving father in Heaven.  He loves you but he also loves them.

6- You will be a strength to your mission president.  I have wondered why you didn't get a mission president like James.  I pray that your next mission will be someone you will get along better with.  But he might not be.  But no matter what he will respect you because he can trust you and know that you will follow the rules.  That has been and will be a great comfort to both of your mission presidents.  Your mission president has stress and strains some of which you know nothing about.  Give him a break.  Help and love him.  He is doing his best.   

I must admit that last week as I sat down to write you that the spirit told me that you were not being transferred.  You are where you are for a reason.  The Lord is mindful of you, your companion, and your investigators.  You will be in the right places, at the right time.  

Don't worry about baptizing people into inactivity.  You are to teach.  They have a baptismal interview where it is determined if they can join the church or not and then the newly baptized convert makes choices.  Don't feel too bad about it.  You are doing a great work.  There will be success and learning but not failure.

I love you and think you are doing a great job!

Quick update-

Adaline got home from Germany.  She had a great time.  

Isaac and I are running together every morning.  He is awesome!

Jacob went to 5th grade camp all week.  He came home dirty and without a voice (it's pretty hoarse)

Bridie had camp Jeremiah Johnson one day this week.

Eleanor- Is doing swim team with Jacob and Bridie.

this week Isaac has high adventure and Jacob has an over night scout camp Friday and Saturday.

I love you!

Love,

Mom 

June 12-18

Matthew,

Happy Father's day to dad.  We got back into town last night.  We spent the week in the Redwoods in California with the Ernsts.  It was an area of the country I've never been to.  I loved the drive (it was 14 hours each way).  

We left Tuesday and drove all day to Grants Pass, Oregon and met Emily's family there.  It was a very nerve wracking drive.  At one point I passed a sign that said "next gas station 180 miles"  I looked down and had 2/3 of a tank.  I prayed that I had enough gas to make it.  Oh and I didn't have cell service and there were no towns and hardly any cars around.   I was STRESSED.  But everything turned out ok.  

The next day we drove to the California coast (crescent city, CA) and the kids played in the ocean.  They LOVED the ocean.  It was FREEZING!  I'm sure the water where you are is warm.  Is it ever cold?  In the sand of the beach were little bugs that would bite the kids.  It didn't itch afterwards but it was a little creepy.  Then we went back to set up our tents at a campground in the redwoods.  We had a different campsite than Darren and Emily so we just slept at our site and ate/ played at theirs.  Christina asked if Nathan could come along.  He was so great and helpful.  

The next day we drove a road where at different times you would get out and look at the trees.  It was a perfect activity because it was raining/misty.  

The next day we did the beach again and then drove to Reno, Nevada.  Christina booked us a hotel room at a casino.  Casinos are the saddest places.  I felt like I had entered the Large and Spacious building.  Everywhere I looked was wickedness.  it was really sad.  I though of you and the good you are doing in helping people know happiness that only comes through living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  You are amazing and wonderful to sacrifice so much for the people in the Philippines.  

I was thinking about transfers- wherever you are is where the Lord needs you now.  Not only for your personal growth but for the members and others who will listen to your message.

I love you!  Keep up the good work.  Fight the good fight.

Love,

Mom

June 5-11

Matthew,

We had a great week in Montana helping Opa and Grandma get the stuff grandma had brought up from Fountain Green put away in the cabin.  Opa is getting old.  The morning we were to go to Montana (Saturday) He called me to see if I wanted to back out.  He was really worried about the snow.  in cooke it has been a heavy snow year so in the shade there still was about 3-4 feet of snow.  I'm sure snow is a weird concept to you now.  Vic was able to plow out the road and James drove his car back into the cabin.  

We got up there Saturday evening while it was still light.  Sunday we went to church at Kachinski's cabin.  I wore my best jeans and the girls asked about it.  It was a great teaching moment about the importance of wearing our best to church- whatever our best is.  It was such an incredible feeling in that meeting.  Half of us (me, Isaac, Bridie, and Eleanor) walked to church.  Bridie said "I feel just like a pioneer walking to church."  I felt the spirit so strong.  It was a fast and testimony meeting and nearly everyone bore beautiful testimonies.  

The rest of the week we spent each day sorting and putting away stuff and getting the cabin ready for the summer.  We went into town twice.  We had lunch at the Beartooth one day.  James is liking his job so that is good.  One of my favorite smells in Montana is the general store.  We bought groceries and fudgesicles.  We came home Thursday and Dad and I went up to Sundance for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  It was fun.  We threw some cereal bowls to match yours (which we use all the time).  

In church I have been teaching the 4 year olds.  It is so much fun!  I love it.  The kids are a handful but I'm so glad to be back in primary.

Tomorrow or Tuesday we are headed to the Redwood forest in California with Darren and Emily's family.  It should be fun but honestly I just want to stay home.  

We are excited to hear how transfers go.  I love seeing your pictures.  You look so happy!  I hope that you are truly happy and engaged in His work.

I love you and am so proud of you!

Love,

Mom