May 22, 2017

The week's really go by fast!  I keep telling myself that I will write early or a little every day, but the days go by and here is it Monday again.  I will be honest, this is my least favorite part of missionaries.  (the letter writing)  It's not that I don't want to communicate, just I really don't like trying to think of things to tell you that aren't completely yawn worthy. :)  Our lives are busy, but busy with pretty much the same things every week.  It's almost like the movie 'Ground Hog Day', only every once in a while we stop for a minute and realize that things have actually changed and hopefully we are moving forward and are better people because of the experiences we had, even though going through the motions we didn't notice anything.

Any way- last week was more of the same- Carson didn't have practice Monday- games Tues. the first game they played and won, the 2nd game they started and it was pouring so they only played 2 innings, Practice Wed. and 2 games Thurs.  the first one started at 600 the weather was drizzly the whole time, so everyone was wet and cold- they played really well.  The 2nd game was against the Ridgeline Green team and pretty much they had decided they were done before they started and it wasn't pretty.  They had a few good plays, and some of the kids were all in, but you know the drill-- if they are all there, it doesn't happen.  The kids are good kids, but they just don't have enough confidence in their own abilities.  They are just as good as the other teams, they just lack confidence.  Friday the Cache Valley Wolverines (like the Brigham City Peaches) had a youth baseball camp and asked the teenage kids to help.  He had a lot of fun and then the team had a party over at the Coaches house and Carson spent the night so we didn't have to pick him up late and be back in Logan at 8am.  

Taylor and Kayla got Sealed in the Logan Temple on Saturday morning.  It was a really nice ceremony.  The sealer talked about the people that were there, and not just the ones we could see.  It was pretty amazing to know that Grandpa Layne was there and My Grandparents and Dad's Grandparents.  I know they were all there and they were so happy to see them be sealed together for eternity.  We were all wishing that you could have been there too, but you are where you are supposed to be right now.  Grandma and Grandpa, Jolene and Kevin, Grandma Lou, Kirk, Scott, Peggy and Val, Chad and Latisha, Shand and Chloe, one of his mission companions from Dallas- Cole Barber, Coach Rip, Wes and Carolyn (Taylor's voice teacher), their bishop, Kayla's aunt, her brother Shane and his Wife Danielle were there, it was great too see the support that they had.  They did some pictures (I didn't get any with my after and then we went to Texas roadhouse for lunch after.  

We missed Carson's first game because we were at the temple, but they won, and then his 2nd game was at 5 so we had lunch and then hung out at the ball park and watched some of the younger kids' games while we waited for Carson's next game to start.  He was hanging out with Drew for the day.  They lost their last game 8-9- but they made a comeback from 7-1 and were ahead going into the last 1/2 of the last inning, but the other team was home team and they didn't hold them.  It's all good.  Carson hit a single, double, and got hit by pitch- he threw his bat down and stared down the pitcher on his way to 1st.  It was hilarious ;)  He got a little talking to on first base from the coach, but I think he thought it was pretty funny too.  He got hit square in the back- Thurs, and in the morning game Saturday and then the last game.  I guess he was tired of getting hit.  

Yesterday we had our home teaching dinner.  Everyone came- Burt's, Baker's, Bailey's ,and Greene's.  We invited our new home teachers, Adam Price and Jackson Tuckett also.  The Tuckett's came.  They bought Wayne Johnson's house.  They are really nice- young couple, no kids- he is Carson's Sunday School teacher and Carson really likes him.  It was fun like always and everyone was saying that they missed you.  Brandon will be a senior next year and getting ready to head out on his mission shortly after you come home- his birthday is in July- it's weird to see everyone growing up and moving on to bigger and better things in their lives. 

Austin Bingham will be headed to Mexico, Taylor Baton to the Philippines, Lexie will be married- it's crazy to think about.  

Camille Bailey wrote you a letter and Amber said she was going to asked you if you still remembered Doug.  Amber didn't know if she actually did, but it was pretty funny.  Make sure you take the time to write those kids back. It will mean a lot to them.  

Did you get your package yet??

I didn't get anything sent for your Birthday yet either, but this is the week.  Carson doesn't have practice all week and he's just got awards night at the middle school for 4.0 all year on Wed. hitting with Lisa Thurs. then we head to Spanish Fork for 9am and 1pm games on Fri and I think the same on Sat. and then we're going to the Bees game and what ever for the rest of the weekend and coming home on Monday.  So a pretty lax week for the most part.  If the weather stays like it is today, maybe we can get our yard work done and finish the stairs on the deck?  I can dream.  

How did your week go?  Are all your baptisms still on or was it Saturday that they were supposed to happen?  Hopefully you are working hard and having fun at the same time.  

Love You

Mom

Hey so this week was a blast full of work and not too much play. We worked really hard so we could have 3 baptisms this week but 2 aren't going to happen because they didn't come to church. I am a little sad for that but I guess its alright. I have been doing really good working with my new comp. He and I are always having fun and just killing it. I mean I love working with him. We found someone super cool but we judged her... I mean just about any missionary would. She was taking bible studies so we didn't want to go back.. But we did because we felt like we should. She told us she was waiting for us and feels like it is true because she read and prayed. But she studied the pamphlet we gave her. I am so glad we went back. Well that is what happened this week. Have a great week love you!!!

Jackson:  Hey I'm writing the letter... The computer deleted my photos i took today...

Mom:  Well that sucks. What have you been up to today?  Anything fun?

Jackson:  We went to the waterfalls.... I was super excited to send the fotos but the freaking computer deleted them..

Mom:  So what do you mean you judged her??

Jackson:  We said oh she won't progress

Mom:  Yeah- I guess you never know who is sincerely looking for answers to life's questions and who thinks they already know all the answers.  

I read an article recently that has been posted several times around about the "Revolution to come in Mormonism"  (I don't know if that's the title, but something like that.)  - what I got out of it that Mormons are all super judgmental and not Christlike in the way they treat people and basically think we're better than everyone else that isn't or even sometimes is Mormon.  

I am not discounting the theory that people in general are judgmental, because we all are- but it really bugs me that there is so much "Mormon bashing" going on in the comments of this article about how bad Mormons are and that we judge everyone that is different than us.  Again- people do judge for whatever reasons, but don't single out a certain religion and make us out to be the only religion that has ever judged someone.  It gets me pretty fired up.  I will admit, I've probably judged my fair share in my life, but I'd like to think as I've gotten older that I'm a little more kind and understanding of people and their situations, or at least that I keep my thoughts to myself.

Jackson:  Hahah you have no idea. The people will listen to any religion besides the JWs and us

Mom:  It's crazy the things people say.  The sad thing is, it's usually someone that used to be LDS that is saying  how bad the members are.  I will agree that we probably don't have the same issues as some wards in different areas, but I have heard people that have been in our ward say that we are clicky because so many of us have been in the ward since in was established in 1987 and knew each other since before then.  

Jackson:  Who cares. My new motto besides cut grass and catch bass is no me importa no voy a perder nada

Mom:  I don't know what that means.

Jackson:  I don't care I'm not gonna lose anything

Mom:  so who didn't get baptized or isn't getting baptized yet.

Jackson:  Isabel and Marvin they didn't come to church but they are coming this week so next week

Mom:  Well- that's good.  Sounds like things are going good!  Did you get your package yet?

Jackson:  Nope I'm gonna ask today. I'll get my suit Friday so I'll wear it Sunday and send pictures I love you mommy but gotta go :) Have a great week

Mom:  Love you too!

Voice Recording:
Well, This week was really good, we were working really hard.  We've been getting a lot of people with baptismal dates that are actually progressing.  That's really good.  Two of our investigators didn't come to church so their baptismal date fell through, but we just pushed it back for one more week.   They're just gonna go to church so we're not too worried.   It's because the one kid was sick so he couldn't go.  We were sad but-  We have a baptism that's going to be happening this Saturday.  Her name is Estevana, she can't see like about anything, but she is like Wow, She is AWESOME!  I mean she can't see but she can - I don't even know- She just goes to church.  She's just hey drop me off at the church, she doesn't have an excuse, she just goes.  I love it because she really just does what she's asked.  It's awesome.

Then we had some- it was hard this week, we'll be honest.  There was a lot of stuff that wasn't going our way, but now we're happy because it's going our way.  We've got the baptism planned, we've got the talks given out.  All we have to do is Friday go fill the baptismal font up and Saturday baptize her and then Sunday confirm her.  I mean-- It's awesome.
Another guy who is our investigator, he's like- they asked him, so when are you going to be baptized and he's all next week.  And we're like woah- you've got to come to church one more time before and he's like alright, ok.  So that's really cool.  
But, I would have to say that this week was a success.  Even though it was tough.  I learned a lot of things this week that were really important to me.  We cleaned the house and we also cleaned the outside of the house.   Because, man it looked like we were living in the abandoned house, but now it looks good.  
Well, that's all I've got to say.  Have a great time!