One More Week in the MTC

Last week, Chris asked us to send him a "hideously ugly tie" to wear for the last few days in the MTC.  We found the perfect one!  It's a very lovely green, floral "pillow tie."  He can inflate it and use it to sleep through class, or study time, or his flights- whatever.  We are sending it to him tomorrow...

Chris is really excited to leave for Taiwan.  He said, "I can't believe it's my LAST HECKIN' P-DAY here!!! So crazy! Is time going by this fast for all of you as well? I can't believe how fast it's gone by! I'm looking forward to getting to talk to all of you next week!  Before I forget, we got our travel plans on Thursday!!! We leave here at about 8:30am next Tuesday and we head to the airport. We have a :50 minute layover in LAX and then we fly for many hours and have a 1:15 layover in Tokyo, Japan (freaking awesome!) and then arrive in Taibei about 9:50 pm local time and have a 3-4 hour bus ride to the mission home! Oh goodness. I'm super excited though!!!"  

We think that he will be in Tokyo at about 1:30 am Utah time, so it will be interesting if that is when he calls us.  We will be happy to talk to him whenever we get the chance, though!

We are also hoping that he makes it to Taiwan uninjured. Last week he wrote to us about getting hurt.  He said, "Last Friday, during gym, I really messed up my back.  I tried to live with pain for 3 hours.  I couldn't stand, I couldn't sit, I was just... pathetic.  (My companion) offered to give me a priesthood blessing and I accepted.  He finished and I stood up to shake his hand and there was absolutely no pain anymore.  none.  From excruciating to pain free in an instant.  How cool is that?  That just shows how powerful the priesthood is!"

Then, in his email today he told us, "I hurt myself again on Saturday. Don't tell Hunter, lol! Don't worry, I'm totally okay now. I ran after the 4-square ball so I didn't die and I lost my center of gravity, stumbled forward and stepped sideways. I think what happened was my kneecap fell out. LOL. I couldn't walk on that leg at all for about 10 minutes. An elder from another district helped me get to the trainers office. The lady there started poking my knee and asking "does that hurt" over-and-over. Nothing hurt though...So she asked me to stand up and walk and I was all better. Jesus loves me. :D  I'm not going to gym anymore. I wanna get to Taiwan in one piece!"

On October 3rd, three weeks ago, Chris finished reading the Book of Mormon.  He had set a goal to finish while in the MTC, and completed it in 7 weeks.  He also said he "marked at least one thing on every page, and some pages are completely colored in. lol!"  Way to go, Chris!

We are excited to have a missionary in Taiwan!  Thanks to everyone for supporting him!

It Warms a Mother's Heart

"NI HAO!!!

 

 First of all, conference was amazing! We were allowed to write a letter home on Saturday, so I did, but then found out that no mail is delivered Sundays (obviously) and yesterday was a Holiday, so no mail...look for a letter today and tomorrow (probably)! When President Monson announced the age changes the MTC gasped and cheered. That's so intense! The Lord is hastening His work!!! We had heard later about the 1/3 time reduction as well! I would have left this week!

I imagine in April and May (after school is out) the MTC will be STUFFED with missionaries. Hunter could be one of them! (She's mentioned she wanted to serve a mission as well)

2 new temples in the home towns (areas) of 2 of my friends! That's exactly what I thought when that was said!

My favorite talk was probably Hollands just because he's basically a lion and makes everyone want to repent and/or be better every time he speaks. Not to mention his in-passing style humor! I liked Elder Nelsons talk; Missionaries have a lot of things they can help with. I've heard all those before, but hearing them all together like that really showed me how much we do and how missionaries are a big help to people. Gotta admit, it made a lot of us proud of ourselves and also humbled us a bit at the same time ;)"

Chris' District 

That was from Chris' email on Tuesday.  Then on Wedenesday, we received his letter from Saturday.  He wrote,

 

"This has been a crazy awesome general conference!  Young men can now serve at 18?  Young women at 19?!  This is just proof that the work is spreading rapidly and we need more missionaries!  The Church is so true! :)  Hunter was wanting to serve a mission, too, and now she can do it right now!  :)  What an historic day!

The 3 biggest points out of conference so far (it being only Saturday now) are raising children well, living happy lives, and obviously, missionary work.  I went over my 11 pages of notes and that's what I gathered!  So I guess to sum up my feelings, thanks for raising me well and helping me have a happy life so I could prepare to be on a mission right now and to help me, because of that, live a happy life later!  I'll be doing the same thing with my children, so thanks for your great example!

Well, I miss you all and love you all!  Brandon and Jeremy, remember to be men, not just guys; the ladies love it! lol!"

Chris still has his sense of humor!  At the end of his email he wrote, "Don't worry, I'm wearing my retainer. I'm eating my fruits and vegetables and all food groups and I make my bed every morning and say my prayers morning and night (and about 5000 times inbetween) and I read my scriptures, too. I play nice with the other kids and I'm doing laundry right now with my whites in one washer and my everything else in another. I floss and shave every day as well (that ones' for you Hunter) . LOVE YOU ALL!!!"

He also made a bat-symbol (for Jeremy), a pistol (for Brandon), and a heart (for Mom and Dad) out of duct tape and sent them in his letter that he wrote on Tuesday.  He couldn't think of anything else to write...


Yup, it warms my heart to hear the spirituality, the gratitude, the humor, and the happiness in his writing!  What an awesome son!