The Gospel Really Blesses Families

Dear Jared,

I had an interesting experience with one of our foreign exchange students, Yui. The first day they were here, I sent the kids one by one off to school. As they left, I gave each of them a hug and said "love you", as I always do, and sent them out the door. When it was time for Yui and Ching to leave, I told them goodbye and waved to them. The second day they were here, after watching the kids leave, I said goodbye to them and waved. Yui asked if she could have a hug too. So of course I hugged them. On day three, they hugged me and said "love you". it was a little awkward, and I just said bye. The fourth day, as they were leaving and hugging I figured I might as well say, "love you too". They were a little giddy and really enjoyed the hugs. This became a daily occurrence. This Tuesday morning, I was driving them to the airport when Yui told me she hoped she could go home and get her mom to hug her. I asked her if they hugged in Taiwan, and she said no. THEY DON'T HUG IN TAIWAN! It just broke my heart to think that there is a mother somewhere in the world that doesn't hug her children! That is so sad to me.

They loved trick or treating! They thought is was so much fun. They really liked the dressing up part too. It was fun to watch them experience that. They were hoping to get to see snow, but they weren't so lucky. It was raining on the way to the airport. As I was driving home without them, it started snowing. They never got to play in it.

Thursday was the Young Women Regional Training. It was held in the Regional Center. It started out at 5:00 with a focus group of 16 Young Women that we had put together. There  were two sisters from the General Young Women Board there, Sister Featherstone and Sister Ashton. They were so cute with the girls. They spent an hour with the girls asking them questions and getting to know them and the issues they face today. They did a great job! It was a neat, very spiritual experience. I was grateful that Mikayla got to be a part of it. Those women really emanate the spirit. I feel blessed to have been able to sit in on it.  I guess they took a liking to Mikayla and Sally, because they asked both of them to come up on the stand and share their testimonies during the general meeting. They both did a great job. I was so proud of your sister. (They didn't know they had chosen my daughter.)

The General meeting followed. Sister Elaine Dalton, they General Young Women President was there. She is very personable and caring. She has a love for the Young Women and manifest it by hugging so many of them and being excited to greet them. There was a group of people from church headquarteres who were there and recorded part of the meeting from our building and sent the broadcast to other places. There were only six of us on the stand: Elder Summerhays of the Seventy, Sister Dalton, Sister Ashton, Sister Featherstone, President Terry and me. I was was so nervous when it was my turn to say the closing prayer knowing that it was being rebroadcast! Luckily I didn't pass out or go into cardiac arrest. The whole meeting was really neat and very spiritual and emotional for me.

Dad had his Birthday this week. The poor guy didn't even get a gift. I figured the new car would suffice, but I was going to go get a spare key (which cost well over $100) and wrap it up for him so he'd have something to open, but he got that for himself. I couldn't even take a Birthday cake to his work, like I have done in years past, because he took the day off. The two of us ended up going out to lunch together, which was really nice, but still didn't seem like a birthday celebration. 

That night we drove to Weston to watch Jonathan in his starring role as the beast in Beauty and the Beast. He did a great job and it was fun to watch him. His eyes sure did sparkle at the end when he got to dance with Belle. He's such a cute kid.

We got home before midnight and I had had to be up at 5:30 to drive to Tooele for a Cub Scout event, PowWow, on Saturday morning. That was an all day thing. Thank goodness for daylight savings time, I got to sleep in Sunday morning!

Sunday we drove to Draper to see Hollie's baby, Lucy, be blessed. We had lunch at Marion and Karen's home afterwards. Mirranda was there with her boyfriend and Paige was there with her boyfriend. It's crazy to see all the kids growing up.

Tell is about your new companion. How did transfers go? Mirranda was telling me that there are three Elders in your mission that are from Tooele. Maybe you'll meet one of them.

Enjoy your week. I hope you see a lot of success and you stay warm. It sure did get cold here in a hurry. It was super warm on Halloween, but the day after, a cold front came in and it's been cold ever since.

We love you so much!

Mom 





Hello,

I got my new companion on Wednesday. His name is Elder Marchant and he's from Las Vegas. 

Elder Empey and I have been teaching a less-active member named Brother Meeks every week for this past transfer. At first it was just him, and then his girlfriend started sitting in on the lessons. She was in the corner and wouldn't really say anything, but every visit she started to open up more and more. Eventually, Brother Meeks started inviting his friend and his kids to start listening to the lessons, and it's been great. It has escalated into him, his girlfriend, a friend, and three kids sitting in on the lessons. Last week we had a great lesson with them. I think this is the longest it's ever taken to teach about the Restoration. We've been teaching it for the past four weeks. After we got done with the lesson and were out of the house, we started walking towards the car. He came running out and stopped us. He had tears in his eyes as he thanked us for coming over and teaching his family. He said his family has been a lot closer and loving since we started teaching. It really shows me how much the gospel really blesses families. I've seen a huge change in them.

I'm very grateful for the gospel in my life.

Love, 

Jared

PS. Would you mind sending me a few things? I desperately need a new pair of Vans. The ones I have now are on their last leg. I left a practically new pair at home (the red ones) If they haven't been taken over, can you send them to me? Also, a hoodie would be nice...(size L) The last jacket I had was way too trashed to take out here, and it's getting a little cold in our garage.