Dec. 19, 2016

First question. What time are you calling or skyping?  Did you get the account info dad set up for you?  (Just trying to save time since you won't have a lot of it.).
Taylor and Kayla have church at 10 and they can't miss because Taylor is playing the piano for the choir.   I just have to find someone to lead the music if you're calling during church. Ours is at 1130 so we will be home about 1.
So where did you move to?  How is your new comp?  And why exactly did you move early? I know you said you talked to the mission preside about what was going on but is that why?  Not that it really matters I guess but I'm just curious. Did he get moved too?
Did happen to get your other 2 packages?  Somehow they got separated. The one says the payment was made and it was delivered on dec 15 and the other one is waiting for payment to be made to deliver as if Dec. 16. So hopefully the mission will be kind and get them picked up and delivered to you before Christmas.  🙏🏻
How has the 12 days of Christmas been?  Did you hang up your tree with all your decorations and snowflakes from your cousins?
I was talking to Amber and Wayne at church yesterday they were asking how you're doing. Amber said she's been missing you😊. Wayne said he thinks about you and should write a letter. So they might send you an email. We all get busy with our lives and letter writing isn't the easiest thing to do. I don't mind writing but I'll be honest, even though I want to hear from you I don't love the thought of writing each week. Sometimes it's hard to put down on paper what you really want to say and hope you don't sound dumb and that it all makes sense. But I'm sure things get lost in translation like in a text. You might be trying to be sarcastic or something and it just comes off mean. 😁.
Do you want me to get something for Macey and azalea for Christmas?  If you do you'll have to tell me what.
I still haven't gotten anything for dad yet either. I have no idea what to get him.
We went to the Viewmont invitational on Saturday. Carson was wrestling at the Clash before Christmas again this year. So we got to watch a bunch of the kids wrestle. I think Box Elder took 3rd. They have some pretty big holes left because of the seniors that quit. It's pretty sad.  Carson wrestled for Renegade I think they were from Logan. It was a dual meet so He wanted them to meet up with Box Elder so he could wrestle the kid that supposedly beat him out of his spot. They've wrestled off 5 or 6 times and Carson hasn't even come close to losing to him ever and I guess one time is all it takes to lose your spot. They have both been wrestling varsity because the other kid wrestles 170 and Carson 180 but they only had 150 and 180 weight bracket this weekend. They didn't meet up but Carson only lost one match out of 4 to the kid he lost to last week by 3. He lost in OT this week. He is wrestling pretty tough. He just needs some more strength and he'll have it.  He's been working pretty hard.
He is getting pretty excited about baseball starting too. He'll be playing with the new Ridgeline kids from Hyrum/Wellsville area. I'm not sure how well I'll be able to handle the Mountain Crest crowd but you can do anything for a season right?  :) The coach said they are combining the Wolverines black and the Orangemen  teams and they will have a blue and a green team. Carson is on the green team. They were ordering hats and jerseys a couple weeks ago. Always a new opportunity to meet new people and learn from new coaches.  I told Carson that last week when he was upset he didn't win the wrestle off and he would be wrestling with another team. And his comeback was 'that's all I seem to be doing lately'. I feel a little bit bad, but it really has been a great opportunity to get out of our little Box Elder bubble and meet new people and make new friends. I know he's made friends and had experiences that will take him into the next stages of his life and help him make it through some hard things.  It was fun to watch him on Saturday as he waited for his first round he kind of stayed off by himself, but after he wrestled and pinned his first kid. They were all friends and playing games and talking for the rest of the day. It was awesome to see him warm up and get the courage to meet someone new.
You get to do that out there everyday. I imagine you probably act a little like Carson did on Saturday. 😊.
The week went by pretty uneventful for the most part. The weather has been terrible in the northwest so trucks are all behind and off schedule so work was stressful all week again but one more full week and then a break for a few days.  Hopefully this week will not be as stressful getting everyone back home for Christmas.
We are having a neighborhood Christmas party tonight at the Hardy Party barn. Dad smoked the pork last week so we are all set. It's an ugly sweater party. Latisha is getting a couple prizes. And mostly we are just going to eat and visit. I might find a couple things for the kids to do so it's not complete chaos. Maybe a Christmas video and some coloring pages or something.
We're all ready for Christmas Eve too. I'm not sure how we're going to work Christmas morning breakfast this year with church in the middle of everything. I'm thinking we will just have to skip it or have it on Christmas Eve morning instead. That's what I'm voting for.
Well I hope you have a great week filled with the Christmas spirit and that you will be able to see the people you are serving in a new light and find someone special that needs something only you can give at this time of year.

Love you
Mom

Alright well I had my glory day in the hot sun this week. It started with me meeting well re-meeting my companion at the bus station. He was the Elder from the office that I talked to my first night. He is Elder Perez from Belize. He didn't speak Spanish when he came to the mission and now he is my companion and we honestly are best friends. There is only one problem. It is that he is ending his mission on the 28th... I'm so sad. I found my best friend that we just get into houses and we just work so hard all day and it just is only going to last for one more week.. I just want it to last a longer time but it will be okay. I have learned this week that the mission really can have some ups and downs because I am sure that I had my downs and right now I am having my ups. Haha I got told that I teach and talk like a missionary that has been out for like 1 year or more by this new ward and I didn't feel that way. I am just working as hard as I can and always doing what I need to be doing. Tomorrow I have comp exchanges with the zone leaders and they aren't even mad that I have no idea where to go. They are like you are an awesome missionary and we are glad to have you. SO that was my week!! Alright so thank you for everything mommy!!! I hope you are on to talk because I need to ask you stuff!!! Love you

Mom:  That is awesome!!  I'm so glad  you are with a fun companion at least for a week.

Jackson:  Haha I'm super excited. Hey I sent you an invitation on a chat thing which like a ton of elders use and it is so much easier if you want to use that. Then can you send me glasses to protect my eyes because the sun is hurting them and I am having a hard time seeing .5 lenses are good for me... I know that sounds bad.. But ya. Also I want to buy a super nice suit that is $120 and what time is best to skype for you? answer me quick love you!

Mom:  Grandma sent you enough money so go ahead and buy the suit and I'll pay off your visa.  I'm not sure what kind of glasses you need, but I'll have dad look.  I didn't get anything about a chat whatever.

skype time if you want to do it around 8 or 9 in the morning would be ok or after church at like 1 or whenever works for you and we will just be here.

Are you going to be on for an hour like normal or a short time?

Jackson:  at least 40 min depends on how duchey these new zls are

Mom:  Well what fun things did you do this week?  What are your plans for pday?  Send me that chat thingy to my gmail. And maybe we will try it next week. Did you get the info dad sent to use to skype us? Or are you calling?

Jackson:  Skype. Send me glasses... My eyes legit hurt...

Mom:  Not sunglasses right?  I guess you are almost out of time. So I will just say that I am so glad that you are happy. Prayers are answered. I have shed a lot of tears over the last couple of months worrying about you and I can already tell that this change just in a week has been good. Hopefully it continues. 

Trust in lord and listen and follow his counsel and good things will happen. It doesn't mean you won't have struggles or hard things that you need to get through and overcome but it will all work out in the end. Even if it doesn't work out how we envision it. Which it doesn't usually work out our way but usually better. 

Love you. So excited to talk to you next week!!!!  It's the only thing I want for Christmas!

Love

Mom

New companion, Elder Perez from Belize.  He speaks very good English and sounds like a blast. They both talked on Jackson's recorded message that he sent this week and it made my heart so happy to hear him smile and laugh!  I haven't heard that for a few months.  Here is a link to the Voice recording: take a minute or 11 :) if you can and listen- he sounds super good!  
http://chirb.it/tHGa8K  (to listen you have to copy and paste the link into your browser and hit enter- then push the play button)