Another Letter!

Before I get into the missionary update, I just wanted to report that Steve and Erik survived scout camp!  Erik got 9 merit badges and one of Steve's scouts broke the camp archery score!  I think a perfect score is like 300 and this 12 year old scored 222. . . way to go Tyler!!

Holly and I survived moving sprinklers for the week.  Actually my mom helped a couple days because of Holly's work schedule.  My mom is stronger than me!  That's 'cuz she's an Idaho farm girl at heart!

School starts for us two weeks from today.  The school day is starting 15 minutes later in the schools here.  I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but knowing what time my kids had to get up to catch the bus, I'm thinking it's a good thing!  Hopefully I can get a workout in before school starts in the mornings.

Now for missionary news:  We seem to be getting letters on Mondays, so we got one yesterday.   Jaren sounds very happy.  Here is an excerpt from his letter.  He said this is from his journal on July 28th:  "I love the MTC!!  I can't say it enough!  There is such a powerful spirit of conviction that abounds in this place that is indescribable.  I finally had the opportunity to sing in the MTC choir for the devotional today, and it was awesome.  We sang 'Faith of our Fathers'.  The opening hymn to the devotional was, of course, 'Called to Serve', which I love a lot, but as we started singing, Elder Richard's from our stake in Holladay, stood up and stopped us.  He stopped all of us, some 2,000 missionaries and said, 'you can do better than that!  It is my decision as the presiding authority to determine whether you should sit or stand, so we're going to stand this time as we sing this great missionary hymn!'  He then apologized to the chorister and directed him to continue, so he did.  We all stood.  It was like thunder!  I've never heard such a strong, resolute choir and congregation.  This is truly the Lord's work!  I also love the way that they play 'Called to Serve', it is different every time, and always powerful.  Every time I come away from these devotionals, I just want to be out on my mission!"

Jaren also has had a couple great experiences from the referral center.  One experience he shares is:  "I received a call from a good brother by the name of James from Michigan.  He, too, had a thick drawl" (he had just told us of a lady from the south who spoke with a thick southern drawl), "and was very hospitable.  He was calling for a free video.  I asked him what prompted him to call in, and his response was amazing, 'first, I'm Baptist, and I watch several video's in my church, but when I saw the commerical of your video, it portrayed the life of Christ in so much  detail and emotion.'  "Needless to say, it was not the response I was thinking I would hear.  I told him that I had seen this particular video (The Lamb of God) and that there is a special spirit found when you watch it.  I then asked if he had heard of the Book of Mormon, he said he hadn't.  He then paused and said, 'You're Mormon?'  I said, 'I sure am!'  He then said, 'sure, I'll take your offer for the book.'  I then bore my testimony of how the book has helped me in my life, how I've come to know Christ through it.  I then asked if he would pray about it when he received it and to ponder the message in the book.  He said yes."

Jaren told us that his first time through the Provo temple was last Thursday.  It had been closed for maintenance and then for the 24th of July, so they hadn't been on p-day yet.  He said it crunches his letter writing time.  

He told us that his companionship will soon be down to two because one of his companions has been having ankle pain.  His ligaments are severely stretched and Jaren has been to several doctor appts. with him.  He has been told he needs surgery on both ankles because of the stress he has put on his good one.  I guess this elder was told he would most likely go home in a couple days to have this surgery.  Because of this, one full set of bunks has opened up in Jaren's room and he's not sure what will happen, if they will get another companionship or not.  He's feeling like his companions are deserting him because the first one was moved up to the advanced German speakers and left 6 weeks earlier than planned and now this companion will most likely be leaving for ankle surgery.  He sounds good in spite of it all!

He always closes with his testimony in German.  I pick out what I can and know sort of what he says, but it' fun to read it in the language he will be speaking for the next two years!

We have sent him cookies every Monday since he has been in the MTC.  I usually make them Sunday night, but didn't get a chance to do that this week, so I got up Monday morning and made them first thing and had Holly run them to the post office.  He usually receives them the next day.

I hope you all have a great week!