🎄Christmas🎄

Hi boys!

Talking to our missionaries was the highlight of our Christmas so THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! It was so good to see you both! And it couldn't be been planned any better having you guys able to see each other. Your letters were awesome! The kids still had their holiday slumber party downstairs and woke up at 6:00. Sariah asked Santa in the note for him to put all the gifts in the Santa bag so that's where they all were! It was a little rushed because we had to get ready for church but it all worked out great. I hope you both had a great Christmas Day.

Love you both!!
Mom

Letter 12 26 16

Caleb and Jacob:

It was great to see both of you yesterday.  I'm so proud of you and the efforts you are making toward having a successful mission.  

Stay positive and hopeful. Nothing is so uplifting to others as being around someone who is positive and upbeat about life.  While I'm not there with you, I'm hopeful that you are both endowed with enthusiasm and that those around you feel more hopeful once they spend time with you.

Have a great day today and a great week.  I love you both.

Dad

Video from Yesterday

6 more days!

My dear missionaries,

How was you week in the field? Any new prospects? What an eventful day we've had! We went to a 2 hour block this morning at 9:30 then it was announced in the afternoon which new Ward we would be in. They cut up BOTH North Logan stakes and renamed the wards with names instead of numbers. We are in a ward called the Greenville Ward. Our subdivision is put with three other blocks west of the school. Sydney started crying as soon as she understood that there are no other young women from our current Ward within the future boundaries of the new Ward. It's going to be very hard at first and a true test of faith for many people affected by these changes (which is pretty much everyone ;). We'll begin going there in January. We'll also go to the church down past the library. We're trying not to allow this new announcement to put a damper on Christmas.

Things are great at home though! Adam went snowboarding at Beaver with a friend on Saturday. Dad took Samantha and Sariah later that day and met up with him. Both Adam and Sydney went to see the new Star Wars movie "Rogue 1" yesterday and both were blown away. The kids all have four more days of school before they're out for the holidays. It's a short vacation though.

We sure can't wait to see and talk to you! Please let us know your schedule do that we can make you guys the center of Christmas Day (other that the Savior, of course!). I love you both sooo much!

Mom

Letter 12 18 16

And here we are... on the verge of a new year.  Unbelievable.

Last week I was all five days in SLC and so the weekend is a time I use to rest.  All I can say is that I'm glad for Sundays.

This past week one of my fellow workmates, Adam Huggins, had some cash go missing.  He purchases the $100 books from the bank of new bills that come directly from the US Treasury and each bill is serially numbered in sequential order greater than the one before it.  I guess the week before $12 went missing and then Monday morning another $15 went missing.

Lunch time on Monday came around and a group of employees got together and pooled their cash for lunch.  On one of the packets of $1 bills there was a note written by a secretary to purchase a hamburger with her money.  One of the other employees who was aware of what was going on, noticed that the bills were sequential and called Adam.  Adam confirmed that the bills were his property and then got the idea that to confirm that it was her, he'd look at security video.  Sure enough, the video showed her going into his office while he was in his regularly scheduled meeting on Monday morning.  She was there for about thirty seconds and she was the only person who went into his office that morning.

When confronted. she denied any involvement and to my knowledge has never confessed to stealing.

Here's the deal.  I think there is a natural order repentance and forgiveness.  Repentance and contrition always come before forgiveness is granted.  Finally, when trust is violated, one has to accept the consequences.  The facts in this case are that she refused to repent come clean and accordingly never asked for forgiveness.  Who knows what the conversation would have been had she done so...  We couldn't even get to that step and had to let her go.

Anyway, there's a real-life situation when old-fashioned primary repentance would've saved the day.

I hope you are having a good experience with your missions.  Be positive and upbeat.  You're both incredible young men and I'm sure your mission presidents are thankful for you.

The University of Texas recently hired the University of Houston head coach Tom Herman as its football coach.  Here is an article about Herman from an article I was reading on ESPN.  I send it to you because I think it has great leadership implications for you and your mission:

AUSTIN, Texas -- Rip your heart out. Give it to your coaches.

Former Houston players remember that one fondly. It's a favorite saying of Tom Herman's -- one he passionately demanded while breaking down the Cougars and building them back up in his first year as head coach.

If you do that, take hard coaching and give everything you've got, you're going to love this guy. But with Herman, this is absolutely a non-negotiable agreement.

The way former Houston captain and offensive tackle Alex Cooper describes it, you're either all-in or you should get out. His warning for the Texas players who are about to find out what Herman is all about: Get ready to get humbled.

"He definitely came in and dominated the room and dominated the entire team at UH from day one," Cooper said.

This is the head-on collision Longhorns players are about to face in their first winter under Herman. They'll have to fully embrace their new head coach's blueprint and his proven methods for winning if they want to survive this offseason. His methods are unique, but he proved in his 22-4 run at Houston that they pay off.

"This program is going to be really hard," Herman said. "Winning is hard."

The veteran leaders of Herman's 2015 Houston team absolutely love the man. They did not love what he and his staff put them through in their first offseason together, but they probably wouldn't have gone 13-1 with a conference title and Peach Bowl victory in that first season without it.

The Herman era at Houston truly began with 4:30 a.m. winter workouts. Herman locked the locker room until his players earned it. He banned them from wearing UH apparel until they earned it. The workouts felt like pure grunt work, designed to weed out which players weren't mentally tough enough to play for the new coaching staff. You did up-downs until you did them perfectly, and then until you did 30 perfectly.

Players were constantly reminded that their program is based on meritocracy. Everything is earned. In Herman's world, you're either a champion or a loser. Champions get cool stuff. Losers get nothing. You better learn to hate losing.

"I'll be honest with you, it totally brainwashed me," former Houston fullback Luke Stice said. "Winning is contagious. It makes you sick to your stomach to see things being done the wrong way."

The champions in a morning of offseason drills got chicken and waffles and an omelet bar for breakfast. Safety Trevon Stewart said his group ended up with the losers' breakfast one day: intentionally burnt biscuits and watered-down eggs.

"He made you feel real uncomfortable," Stewart said. "You had to step outside your comfort zone."

The identification of champions and losers didn't stop there. Herman sorted his team into distinct groups. Gold players were trusted leaders who handled their business like grown men. You didn't have to worry about them. Red players were still figuring it all out but on the right track. And blue players? You did not want to be a blue player.

This wasn't just immature, young players -- some seniors were blue guys in Herman's first year. Blue players got daily 6 a.m. wake-up calls from their coaches. They got rigorous study hall schedules. Some were made to live on campus with a curfew. They had to be checked on at all times.

"It was nothing crazy. It was nothing we thought was ridiculous," said former Houston captain Kenneth Farrow, now a running back for the San Diego Chargers. "Everything had a purpose, so it was no surprise we had the success we had."

But there are good reasons for Herman's tactics. To stay hydrated, players must carry a gallon of water around at all times. Get busted without your bottle, and you're doing up-downs. But that's why they never get soft-tissue injuries. Herman is so devoted to detail, that he once paused practice and gathered his team to angrily rip a receiver ("he was a blue guy," Cooper said) who was wearing the wrong cleats. It wasn't just a pair of shoes. It was insubordinate behavior.

"I would describe Coach Herman as a highly functioning addict. He's addicted to winning," Cooper said. "He knows nothing besides winning. Anything short of it is not acceptable."

His abrasive approach was a shock to the system for many Houston players. There were times they got fed up early on in that first offseason. But then they figured out the true purpose of it all.

"He played these mind games with us," Cooper said. "When he came in, he broke us down. He made us hate him. He took everything away from us. We joined together and we hated him. Nobody was happy. But from the hatred, we learned to bond.

"And you could almost see the light go on in our heads: 'Aw man, he's doing this on purpose.' So that we can become closer. So that, when it's fourth-and-1, I look at the guy next to me and say, '[Darn], he put in that work with me all summer, so I know he's got me.' That hate, for whatever reason, it begins to turn into love."

So much of Herman's head-coaching philosophy comes from working for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, but Rice coach David Bailiff saw these traits in him early on. During their four years working together at Texas State and Rice, Herman always knew how to strike the balance between playing good cop and bad cop.

"He's one of those guys that really knows how to be demanding on people, but they still enjoy being around him," Bailiff said.

How quickly he succeeds at Texas will depend on how quickly the Longhorns learn to love those demands. Three straight losing seasons is sufficient proof that the way they've been operating does not work. As at Houston, Herman takes over a group of experienced players eager to finally get big results. They have no choice but to trust their new coach's plan.

As Farrow pointed out about Houston's 2015 team: "The players who were out on the field the year before didn't change. It was the same guys out there. The culture and standards he forced everybody to go by put us over the top."

One concern that Herman's former players bring up: Their 2015 team was built on a strong senior class that embraced his methods and effected change. Texas might not have many senior starters next year. The program's best senior leader by far would have been All-American running back D'Onta Foreman, who entered the NFL draft. Texas needs new gold guys to step up.

Herman's system and style are not for everybody, and that's exactly the way he likes it. The veteran players who helped lead Herman's first Houston team did offer this advice for the Longhorns: Buy in.

"They can't be entitled," Stewart said. "If you want to be successful and really turn your team, your program, your university and your city around, just buy in and listen to him."

Be a Gold player for yourself first, and all those around you will benefit from your perspective.  Thanks for being so wonderful.  I love you and am proud of you,

Dad

Letter 12 12 16

My sons:

I hope everything went well yesterday getting people to church.

Here's a Christmas question... What resolutions are you making as to how you will live the rest of your life?

In all of your comings and goings, it might be easy to miss a tremendous opportunity that is before you on a daily basis.  It is that of determining how you will interact with the church for the rest of your lives.

Will you come home and stay focused on living your life in an upright manner all the while staying true to the covenants that you have made?  It's certainly easy to slip into complacency without any effort.  I hope that you will use your time on your mission to look inward and make some personal resolutions that are meaningful to you and that you are willing to sacrifice to make happen.

As you read the scriptures, you will become aware that all of us risk losing our testimonies if we fail to do the basics.  That's why prayer, scripture study, and taking the sacrament every week are so important.  It's the little things that "keep [us] in the right way, to keep [us] continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of [our] faith."

My trainer on my mission was Jed Packer.  He was amazing - maybe the best mission companion I had while I served, although I had some good companions.  As you know, a few years ago, he lost his daughter Clarissa to cancer.  For a period of time he had a lot of questions that led to bitterness and frustration.  I get it.  If I lost one of my kids, I would feel the same way.  One day shortly after her death, he was reading the scriptures and as he read, he received personal revelation that gave him the strength to carry on.  This allowed him to re-focus and get his thoughts back on track.

We all have times when we need to hit the reset the button.  I know I have those times in my life.  But, the measure of the greatness of our character is our ability to recognize the need to change and then our ability to make those corrections.

Give it some thought as you go through your daily walk as missionaries.  Be willing to check your pride and make course corrections.  Isn't that what repentance really is?

Just so you know, I have no doubt as to your ability or desire to live the gospel the rest of your lives.  I just have been thinking about this because I see certain situations that people get themselves into and it makes me look at myself and ask how committed I am.

I love you,

Dad

Christmas is coming...

Hello boys,

Winter is here! I don't want to make you homesick for the snow but that's all it's done this week...it comes one day, then it's gone the next day because the rain melts it. Baxter seems to like it though!

December is flying by but we're just about ready for Christmas here. Today I went with the 4 kids to the Pioneer Lodge where the older folks live. They participated in a mini primary program there. They sang with a few more kids from our primary. Then they had the few youth that were there along with Sydney & Adam to come in on the 2nd & 3rd verses of "Bring The World His Truth." I love that song and always get chills when the older kids come in. It was awesome! Sariah gave a great FHE lesson this afternoon. She taught us all about baptism! She did a great job too! Right now we're having a comprehension review to see what we remember. It's so funny!

I'm sorry this is so short. We're just pluggin' away every day and enjoying the Christmas season. I hope you guys can too where you are. Good luck this week! I can't wait to read your letters tomorrow!

Love you!!

Mom

Sunday Talk

You can discard this.  I have to give a talk about the ministry of Christ today...

Christ ministry Summarized...

 13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.

 14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?

 15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.

 16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

 17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

 18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

 19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

 20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

 21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

 22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

 23 And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.

 24 And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.

 25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.

 26 And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the condescension of God!

 27 And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove.

 28 And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them.

 29 And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.

 30 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.

 31 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.

 32 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.

 33 And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.

 34 And after he was slain I saw the multitudes of the earth, that they were gathered together to fight against the apostles of the Lamb; for thus were the twelve called by the angel of the Lord.

 35 And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

 36 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

From John 8:

 1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

From 2 Nephi:

13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

 14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.

 15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

 16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

 17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

 18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

 19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

 20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

 21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.

From Moroni 6:

4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.

 5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.

 6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.

 7 And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders, and if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ.

 8 But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.

 9 And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done.

A Missionary Christmas Poem

In ways that God knows and are part of the plan,
You're less of a boy now and more of a man,
That cute little man-child with eyes oh so bright,
Is now contacting and teaching people night after night.

As a student of life and of the gospel you excel,
You're thinking, and studying, and learning so well.
Through thick and through thin, and all manner of din,
The lessons you're gaining will help you to win,

At what matters most, and what's yet to come,
It's the decisions you'll make when your mission is done.
So, learn well my son, and give it your best,
Look forward to the time when from this labor you'll rest,

And set your course well, be ready to act,
Make each moment count, because it's a fact,
That Father Time honors no one but he favors the ready,
And for those who've learned well, their course is more steady.

So be thankful this wonderful Christmas season,
It goes without saying that He is the reason,
For all the talents and gifts that you have been given,
And it's up to you now to determine how driven,

You are to develop yourself, your talents and abilities,
For your mother and me, we will watch with humility,
And be very thankful for each passing challenge,
That you grow and develop and you learn how to manage.

Greatness is your destiny so your purpose is clear,
Live each day to the fullest and have no fear,
The world is your oyster, and as best as you can,
Take advantage of this time to become a great man.

I love you,

Dad

Welcoming in the Holiday Season!

Dear Caleb & Jacob,

How was your Thanksgiving? I hope you were both able to get the flavor of this wonderful holiday and were able to reflect on how truly blessed we all are. We had our Thanksgiving at Grandma & Grandpa Winkel's clubhouse this year. We had so much food and PIE, cheesecake, and more PIE! Adam even got a little pick-up Thanksgiving football game going outside.

Everyone here is totally in the full-out Holiday mood. It's snowing this morning so everyone's a little giddy. Sydney and Adam are both starting a new trimester today. Adam is starting his first seminary class ever. He's also taking guitar so maybe he'll be able to teach me a little after school. Sydney's got another full load of hard classes. Last night for family home evening, we watched some fun family videos...the one where Adam is about 20 months old and dad is holding him while he's trying to suck his thumb & fingers. Dad keeps trying to pull his arm away and Adam cries and tries to hit and head-butt him, only to hurt himself. Seeing you two so young and totally adorable almost made me cry. I can't believe how fast the time between then and now has flown!

I hope you're beginning to get in the Spirit of the season. We're looking forward to it all but the event that this household is looking forward to the most is being able to speak to both of you on Christmas. From your letters, it sounds like you're both very busy missionaries. I guess you'd probably say you'd prefer to have it no other way. Good luck this week as you head into December. It's Caleb's "hump-day" this Friday! WOW!!!

I love you both SO much!
💕Mom

(Sorry if I duplicate some photos that Dad already sent)

Christmas Letter

Caleb:

If I understand correctly, you'll be reading this letter at a mission Christmas conference.  It's a nice gesture of your mission to ask us to write you on this occasion.  I suppose that a lot of letters at this time of year run the risk of making a missionary more homesick than less.  Not this letter...

I do an adequate job of writing throughout the year although some of my messages are too short and others too long.  Maybe a few might hit the mark.

For this letter, I've decided to channel my inner bard and plagiarize "T'was the Night Before Christmas".  Here goes nothing.

T'was the weeks before Christmas, when all through the land

Investigators pondered, a lot about the plan;

The missionaries had worked with their hearts and their might,

In hopes that commitments would kept aright;

On top of the work that had taken its toll;

Missionaries thought of home and their love it did grow;

And each in his own way, had said a quick prayer,

In hopes that their families would think of them there,

When among the heavens there arose such a clatter,

That each in their heart wondered what was the matter.

Angels were excited, and heaven abuzz,

With word that answers were coming from above.

All those prayers from the families at last had been heard;

And heavenly blessings within earthly hearts stirred.

To missionaries there came a calm peace in their hearts;

The spirit bore witness that their work hit the mark;

To investigators who wondered the spirit did work,

And cautioned them all from the truth not to shirk.

The spirit of Christmas was felt far and near;

And those thoughts of home, although they were dear,

Became less important when the vision did renew,

In the hearts of the elders and sisters clear thru,

That but for a moment, and one all too brief,

Each had been chosen, to put the world in relief;

The blessings were given, the vision was clear,

To teach the gospel to all that would hear;

And it's this great message that'll set the world right,

So, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas... Very.  I love you so much and am thankful that you're my son.  Keep your positive attitude... never let anyone take that away from you.

Dad

Letter from Sariah

Hi Caleb and Jacob:

Did you have a good Thanksgiving? I hope you did because I had a really great one. Have you been teaching a lot of people? I don't know what else to say but I love you Caleb and Jacob.

Sariah

Sent from someplace really cool

Letter 11 27 2016 Perspective

Caleb and Jacob:

I hope you both had a great Thanksgiving.  We had fun with the Winkels.  On Friday Grandpa Gibbons, Adam, and me used his tractor to till both of our gardens and get ready for winter.  It was a fun day.  Saturday I finished the french drain project in the window wells.  Now all we have to do is wait for spring thunderstorms to see if the project is successful.  We now have 270 gallons of french drains to keep our basement from flooding.  It's been a lot of work and I'm glad to have it done.  I hope it works famously.

The next project is to get some shelving for the garage and storage areas so we can organize stuff.  There will always be projects with this house I'm thinking.

There's the update from my perspective.

Here's a quote for you to think about:

Some people are frustrated that roses have thorns,

as for me, I'm just glad that the thorns have roses.

And this from the second chapter of the Book of Mormon...

And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.

I am always amazed that the same situation can create a prophet like Nephi while at the same time create the anger and frustration of Laman and Lemuel.  Laman and Lemuel's perspective on their trials created a nation of people who lived far from God and while the Nephites needed constant reminders, they were generally a righteous people; and this for generations.

Think of your everyday walk and the choices that you make.  Not only do good choices bless you now, they bless your posterity for generations to come.

Anyway, keep a positive perspective on your trials and challenges.  Nothing will be gained by being negative.  Being positive through trials is something that you can and should be proud of.

I love you,

Dad

Happy Thanksgiving

To our great sons:

Thanksgiving is my (Dad's) favorite holiday by far.  

Christmas is wonderful for what it stands for but it is diminished by its commercialization.  Mom and I both love Christmas... Mom more than me...

Thanksgiving though.  Family, food, friends, reflection, and time together.  There is also the aspect that Thanksgiving represents the Law of the Harvest.  There are times, and as you get older they will be more frequent, when you will feel the overwhelming goodness of God in your life.  So... Sow goodness now and for the rest of your days...  and then you will have many personal thanksgivings.

Mom and I have many things that we're thankful for.  This year we're most thankful for you and the example(s) you are to us and the family.  We marvel that you are such wonderful young men... we're honored to call ourselves your parents.  We're thankful that you've both chosen to serve missions and to be honorable in magnifying your calling(s) as missionaries.  We can scarcely think of you without becoming emotional.   We have daily thanksgivings because of you.  We thank you for your great lives.

Dad & Mom

Here is some fun reading for you-

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

George Washington

Adam's letter

Hi Caleb, I'm sooooooooooooooo sorry I haven't written in a while

Re: 🍁Happy Thanksgiving!🍂

Sure I'll get right on that

~Elder Caleb Gibbons

On Nov 21, 2016, at 6:23 PM, Jacob Dennis Gibbons <jgibbons@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Also can you send my burton snowboard hat for pdays?

It's time to feed sheep.

On Nov 20, 2016, at 5:17 PM, Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Caleb & Jacob,

    How was your week?  We had a taste of winter on Wednesday night and woke up Thursday to 4 inches of SNOW!  This gave us a license to sneak in a little bit of Christmas music over the speakers. 😏

    Things are going great here at home but there isn't much to write about again. Here's some news though. Our ward is so big that the Stake is going to have to be reorganized.  So, on December 18, we'll go to a special meeting that Sunday afternoon to see our new Ward boundaries.  It could be a sad day when we have to say goodbye to some beloved people.  Here's some other non-family news.  The Ashliman's came to Logan from Georgia this week for Thanksgiving and Connor came over to hang with Adam.  Susie came to pick him up last night and told us some good news.  Christian Ashliman is going to be sustained and ordained an elder this week!  He's doing awesome and is even looking forward to going to the temple next!  He now has his own "conversion" story.  I just thought that you two would be happy to hear that.  We'll be going to Grandma & Grandpa Winkel's clubhouse for Thanksgiving this Thursday.  There will be 37 of us there.  What will your plans be?  I hope you get some good turkey, mashed potatoes & pie from someone!  I hope the work continues to move forward in your areas.  We're thinking of you everyday!

Love you lots!

Mom

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Samantha doing a science experiment on heat transfer

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The first snowfall of the winter. (Sariah out first thing that morning!)❄️

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Baxter's favorite way to sit on the stairs.

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🎄With the Christmas tree comes out the train!🚂

Sent from my iPhone

Re: 🍁Happy Thanksgiving!🍂

Also can you send my burton snowboard hat for pdays?

It's time to feed sheep.

On Nov 20, 2016, at 5:17 PM, Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Caleb & Jacob,

    How was your week?  We had a taste of winter on Wednesday night and woke up Thursday to 4 inches of SNOW!  This gave us a license to sneak in a little bit of Christmas music over the speakers. 😏

    Things are going great here at home but there isn't much to write about again. Here's some news though. Our ward is so big that the Stake is going to have to be reorganized.  So, on December 18, we'll go to a special meeting that Sunday afternoon to see our new Ward boundaries.  It could be a sad day when we have to say goodbye to some beloved people.  Here's some other non-family news.  The Ashliman's came to Logan from Georgia this week for Thanksgiving and Connor came over to hang with Adam.  Susie came to pick him up last night and told us some good news.  Christian Ashliman is going to be sustained and ordained an elder this week!  He's doing awesome and is even looking forward to going to the temple next!  He now has his own "conversion" story.  I just thought that you two would be happy to hear that.  We'll be going to Grandma & Grandpa Winkel's clubhouse for Thanksgiving this Thursday.  There will be 37 of us there.  What will your plans be?  I hope you get some good turkey, mashed potatoes & pie from someone!  I hope the work continues to move forward in your areas.  We're thinking of you everyday!

Love you lots!

Mom

<image1.JPG>

Samantha doing a science experiment on heat transfer

<image5.JPG>

The first snowfall of the winter. (Sariah out first thing that morning!)❄️

<image6.JPG>

<image3.JPG>

Baxter's favorite way to sit on the stairs.

<image4.JPG>

<image2.JPG>

🎄With the Christmas tree comes out the train!🚂

Sent from my iPhone

🍁Happy Thanksgiving!🍂

Dear Caleb & Jacob,

How was your week? We had a taste of winter on Wednesday night and woke up Thursday to 4 inches of SNOW! This gave us a license to sneak in a little bit of Christmas music over the speakers. 😏

Things are going great here at home but there isn't much to write about again. Here's some news though. Our ward is so big that the Stake is going to have to be reorganized. So, on December 18, we'll go to a special meeting that Sunday afternoon to see our new Ward boundaries. It could be a sad day when we have to say goodbye to some beloved people. Here's some other non-family news. The Ashliman's came to Logan from Georgia this week for Thanksgiving and Connor came over to hang with Adam. Susie came to pick him up last night and told us some good news. Christian Ashliman is going to be sustained and ordained an elder this week! He's doing awesome and is even looking forward to going to the temple next! He now has his own "conversion" story. I just thought that you two would be happy to hear that. We'll be going to Grandma & Grandpa Winkel's clubhouse for Thanksgiving this Thursday. There will be 37 of us there. What will your plans be? I hope you get some good turkey, mashed potatoes & pie from someone! I hope the work continues to move forward in your areas. We're thinking of you everyday!

Love you lots!

Mom

Letter 11 20 2016

Caleb and Jacob:

Another week gone... time does fly this time of year.  Yesterday we put up the tree and Mom has Christmas music going non-stop.  I'm learning to love this time of year because she loves it.

I was sitting in church meetings this morning and thought of both of you and the efforts you are putting into getting investigators to church.  I said a quick prayer in my heart for you and your investigators.  I hope your efforts are rewarded and someone came to church today but if not, keep the positive attitude and do it all over again next week.  This is the season to push hard for people to come to church.

Many of the most godlike attributes that you can choose to make a part of your life here on earth can be developed more fully in the mission field.  Take this list as a sample:

• Patience
• Perseverance
• Charity / Unconditional love
• Happiness in spite of conditions
• Humility
• Faith
• Hope
• Courage

The list goes on.  Pretty much every godlike attribute worth having is one that you'll have an opportunity to develop on your mission(s).  The test of your mission is how you respond to the challenges (or opportunities) you face.

In that spirit, and since we are close to the Christmas season, I encourage you to take time and do a personal assessment.  Do you accept the challenges/opportunities placed before you with enthusiasm and faith?  Do you have charity for those you meet?  You get the idea.  Evaluate who you are becoming and make sure that you are becoming a man of God.  Don't be hard on yourself, from my perspective, I think both of you are doing incredible things and making tremendous progress.

Your highest and best attainment come from the words of Moroni when he says, Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

Be like him; see him as he is.  You are on a mission which, in case you've missed it, is a type of his life here on earth.  Nothing is stopping you and he will bless you in your pursuit.  So, be productive and use your time wisely as you strive to develop more fully attributes of Godliness.

I love you,

Dad

PS - I was thinking about Sam I Am this past week.  He tried everything to get the protagonist to like Green Eggs and Ham.  Finally, and exhausted, the protagonist tries them and discovers he likes them.  I liken church to the Green Eggs and Ham.  Don't be afraid to invite someone to Sacrament Meeting and let them go home afterwards.  It's better to just get them there.  Three hours is a daunting initial commitment.  Start with milk and get to the meat.

Elders everywhere!

Dear boys,

I can tell it's p-day because I met a lot of Elders at Walmart this morning. I'm sorry, but I can't help but talk to them because it's my way of "hoping" people are friendly to you two when you're out and about.

Dad is still very sick. I'm sure he told you all about it. I've never seen him so down and out. Everyone else is doing good though. Your cousin Jenny, on a mission in the Philippines, was hospitalized this last week with a virus that she apparently got from a mosquito bite so count your blessings!

We just attended my Aunt Kathryn Stevens funeral in Saturday. They did such a great job, but that was probably mostly due to the fact that she pretty much planned it all out herself. She even order the San Pete turkey from her home town in Manti and shredded and froze the potatoes for the "yummy cheesy potatoes" that she had people in the ward make. She is an amazing lady. It will be hard to see Lyman out in the field knowing that she's not in the house to go home to. He's such a strong soul though, full of faith!

Samantha was so excited to dress up in you Aggie gear, Caleb, and go to the football game with Dad on Saturday. Dad said she was in heaven!

We'll, there's not much more to tell for this last week. We're just trying to wrap up the yard work before it snows this week and we're preparing for Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful week and know that we love you both so very, very much!!

Love always!
Mom

Letter 11 13 2016

We're already half way done with the month of November.  It's been really nice so it's hard to believe.  I'm told that the prognosticators think our Indian Summer with end mid-week this week.  I guess we'll see about that.

Have you ever wondered about this statement:

Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.  For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

Suffering that caused God to "tremble because of pain"...  There are some pretty grievous sins that need reckoning and atoned for, no question.

Today I was thinking about the atonement a little differently.  I wonder if one of the things that made God tremble was to go through all that pain with the knowledge that a large number of his sons and daughters would choose not to avail themselves of the Atonement.  Consider this statement:

And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.

The atonement is so personal to him that he will forgive freely and without reservation if one repents.  However, if one does not, I think there is a very different conversation to be had with Him.

Things here are great.  We love you as much as we know how and pray for your success.  Be positive and upbeat.

I love you and am so proud of you,

Dad

Welcome November!

Dear boys,

This has been another fast week but with nothing too eventful to report. It's been a long transition for Dad and I. We aren't fully adjusted with the jet lag and sleep thing. It is exhausting to travel halfway around the world I guess. To make matters worse, Dad is still sick. Now he has an inner ear infection which affects his balance so when he's miserable, it's almost like he's not even here. He just sleeps a lot. We miss the normal "Dad." I can't wait for things to get back to normal.

It sounds like both of you are dealing with similar issues in your current areas on your mission right now ... getting people to church! We wish you the best of luck with this. It's awesome that you both get opportunities to serve with your musical abilities though. Awesome! :)

Just for your information, my Aunt Katherine Stevens passed away this morning before church. She had been sick for the last couple years and just got worse in the last few months. She was pretty much confined to her home and a chair for the last month. Her legs were becoming numb so she couldn't walk on her own...so sad. It's good that she will be free from pain but it will be hard to see Uncle Lyman alone. She was such a great lady.

I'm sorry for my lack of news but honestly, there really is nothing new this week. I'll be super busy tomorrow as we're feeding two YSA family home evening groups here tomorrow night. We hope you're having a great week and feel successful in your missionary and personal growth.

Love you always!
Mom

Letter 11 06 2016

Boys:

It's been a long week.  I have to tell you that jet lag and sickness are real.  I haven't been able to get a good night's sleep for the entire week.  I blame the fact that my body is totally screwed-up from being in a strange land but also that I've been sick.  Being sick blows.  This go around I've had an ear infection and that means that my equilibrium is messed up and the world spins as a result.  It's tuff sledding.

I'm really interested to see how your week went.  I'm wondering if people heeded the call to come to church and participate.  Tomorrow i'll be running a meeting all day long so I hope to steal a few minutes during the day to read your email.  If I'm lucky, I'll respond tomorrow night before you are in bed.

I think my letters are better after I've read your letters because I know what you're dealing with and then I can respond.

Remember that how you present your message is super important.  Always give your message in a spirit of love to those you teach.  There should never be any question but what you love those you are with.  Sometimes you'll meet those who are negative toward you and you'll need to move on.  Be confident that as you search for those who are honestly seeking the truth that you will find them.

Be upbeat and proactive as you share the gospel.  Let the following advice sink into your soul: For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.

Remember who you are and what you represent.  Be thankful that you've been called to be a missionary during this season of your life.  It's a great honor.

I love you,

Dad

Church

Both of you commented that you have had trouble getting people to come to church.  Don't miss what I said before, that church is a social construct; and it is awesome.

Jacob - you are doing the exact right thing to line up members to sit by and fellowship investigators.

Caleb - you are doing the exact right thing getting investigators to come to church activities.

Both of you... Keep it up.  Maybe the following thoughts can help...

The fact that investigators don't come is no reason to stop waging the war.  You will fight this the rest of your missions.  You will likely see it the rest of your life.  When you get to the end of your missions, you should take joy that you are exhausted because of trying to get people to "come and see"...  Remember that, in this pursuit at least, you are walking in His shoes and exactly emulating him...

"And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?  He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

This pursuit will humble and purify you.  One of the most tender passages in the New Testament is found in John 6.  Jesus fed the 5,000 and they testified that he was a great prophet and immediately followed him, desiring to be taught.  The trouble was, when he testified to them as to who he was, the record states, "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."

The feelings you both have on Sunday when your investigators don't come to church are the exact feelings Christ had.  The frustration is real.  The Savior himself was uncertain and, in a moment of uncertainty, asked the twelve if they would also leave.  It must have been real low point for him to get to where he asked the question... he was perfect.  Thank heaven for Peter for always saying what was on his mind...

The social aspect of the church is awesome.  Where else can you find anything to rival it?  Only at home if you have a functioning family and good quality family life.  That is the one social construct that is far better than anything the church can offer through meetings or activities.  Other than that, it's the best thing going.  There are other great religions, university clubs, skiing buddies, biking buddies, etc. but the church stands alone as the paramount institution where you can bless others and be blessed in return.

So... Be proud of the church.  Advertise it as awesome.  Create curiosity in the minds of your investigators.  Then know that some will "come and see" and abide, and some will not.  It simply isn't their time.  That said, your love for them should transcend their ability to make and keep commitments.  There should never be any question about that.

Okay.  I love you both so much.  Your service strengthens me on a deeply personal level.  Keep it up.

Dad

It's HALLOWEEN!!!🎃

Dear Caleb & Jacob,

     It's November tomorrow!  I can't believe it!  How are you two doing?  I hope you feel like you had a successful week!

     Dad & I had a whirlwind of a week, or rather two!  We lived on little sleep and it was go, go, GO every single day.  If there's anything to do in Thailand or Cambodia, I think we did it!  Everything, except for swim or see the beaches.  Not every tourist gets to see and experience what we did.  The best way to experience another culture is to mingle with the natives.  We did everything with them and so they knew the BEST places to get the REAL experience riding elephants, for instance, not the commercial one.  Woah!  It was the most epic and one of the most risky things we did.  (Driving on Cambodian city streets was next in line).  Dad and I even ate grilled frog!!!  I've seen some pretty humble living conditions in Mexico City but to get to know the members of the church who live in such circumstances was very eye-opening for us.  Their living conditions are so backward but they don't know any different.  The amazing thing is, they're still happy!  They seem to have everything they need.  The members in Cambodia were so shocked to hear that we have 6 children and especially that we have two on missions!  We're just so grateful to be home.  Just like you two are experiencing as you see how other people live in other parts of the world, you never are quite the same.  It's good to travel, to have your eyes opened, to feel gratitude for ALL that we have here at home.  On our way home, we had an extra LONG layover in Tokyo, Japan so we took a train into the city to experience a little of their culture too.  Now we just have to deal with some serious jet lag.  It really does make you kind of sick. :(

     Sydney handled things very well here at home.  Adam & the girls helped out a lot so I think things were the BEST they could be considering they didn't have parents for two weeks.  I hope Sydney had time to write you both about her Sky View Idol experience.  I'll let her tell you the details but 3rd place is awesome!  She blew them away in the audience with her 2nd song "The Last Goodbye" from The Hobbit from what we can hear in the video.

     All the kids went to school in their costumes today.  Sydney was a Jedi, Adam made his own "Shazam" costume, Samantha was Cinderella and Sariah was Rey.  We'll send pictures next week.

     We went to Elder Brandon Fluckiger's homecoming report yesterday.  He has grown so much!  It was so good to see him.  He'll be coming up to USU this next January.

     Have a wonderful week!  We are so proud of you both.

Love you sooo much!

Mom

Some elders we met at church

The elder by me grew up 4 houses from the Hunters in Hawaii.  Dave was his bishop.

A "fish" massage or pedicure

Angkor Wat

The "Tomb Raider" temple

A typical Cambodian native dance put on by children.

Lost in Japan!

Sent from my iPhone

Letter 10 30 2016

Yesterday we arrived home after taking SouthEast Asia by force.  I honestly can't believe the stuff we were able to pack into our time.  We had a long layover in Japan and that's when my body gave me a warning that all was not was right  By the time we arrived in SLC, I was running a fever and last night was a beast.  Tonight will likely be more of the same.

I wonder if I learned anything from our travels.  I saw a lot of things that were quite different...  The living conditions generally are third-word.  It's amazing because when you see the people at church, they are cleaned up and have nice clothes on.  When you visit them in their homes, it's usually a dirt, wood, or cement floor.  We had one experience where it started to rain while we were in the member's house and it came down with a vengeance.  We got done and then walked 300 yards in the rain and mud.  What an experience.

A couple of observations:

1) People in the church (who get it) rely completely on the power of prayer.  I'm pretty convinced that the Lord hears their prayer in greater measure simply because without Him, there is no help.  I spent time talking to Rith who was an intelligent twenty-something young man.  He told me his story.  When he was 12 years old, he was introduced to the church.  By the time he was 13, he knew he wanted to be baptized.  His parents were against it and told him that he could get baptized after they met with the Branch President. Finally they consented and he was baptized.  The only problem was that he had no way to get to church and they refused to help.  His only recourse was to pray.  Soon he found a bike that was for sale for $1.25.  He saved up and purchased the bike.  The only problem was the bike didn't have a seat.  He decided to pray about that.  Afterwards it was shown to him in a dream how to make a seat out of wood.  Then he started to grow and it was rainy season.  He would show up to church with a mud stripe up his back and would sit on the deacons row fighting back tears.  So, he prayed again and an Elder gave him a bike since he was going home from his mission.

There are lots of cool stories like that.

2) The church is a social construct and that's the way it should be.  Members are poor.  They come to church on an empty stomach.  One young man has a decent job and has decided to personally purchase food for everyone in both branches in Seim Reap.  The members show up and got meetings and them hang around until dinner is served.  I'm convinced that this is the glue that hold many of the weakest members to the church.

Nothing wrong with supporting the social activities of the church.

Well, that's it.  I feel like hud.  I love both of you.

Dad

Greetings from Thailand & Cambodia!

Hi boys,

     How are things in your neck of the woods?  Did you receive any care packages this week?  I hope you feel loved and admired because you are!

     Thailand did not disappoint.  It was an awesome adventure.  We spent the first half of our time there in the big city of Bangkok and the second half in Chiangmai.  We saw and experienced so much there in only 4 1/2 days.  Our favorite part was outside of the cities, in the countryside by the rice patties and farmlands and then the mountains and jungle.  We held a lemur and rode a 38 year old elephant bareback through a river and up a jungle mountain.  We also visited many Buddhist temples with their live-in monks, young and old, and then some Hmong Hill Tribe people, even those women with long necks with the rings that we've seen in National Geographic.  So far we have had 6 flights and we still have 4 more so the airport part is the worst part of the trip.  I love flying, but 11 hours in the air in just one stint is too long!

     So, we're now in Siem Reap Cambodia.  It's a different culture but the people are lovely also.  We attended church this morning and made quick friends with them and the missionaries.  The elder that translated for us is from Laie Hawaii.  He lived just four houses down the road from the Hunters and knows them very well.  Uncle Dave was his bishop since he was a Deacon.  Small world!  (Side note:  the Hunters are going to move to the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Australia in June so he can teach at the university there for three years.  Crazy!). Anyway, the Cambodian children are so beautiful!  I went to primary today with them and other than the number of kids and language, it is the same!  It felt like home.  Sacrament meeting and Sunday school were great also!  The spirt dwells among these people too!

     We have been able to FaceTime the kids at home but can only do it early in the morning for us because we're 13 hours ahead of Utah.  They're doing great!  They're all getting along and making it to school on time.  It seems they really don't need us to function! (Just kidding). I miss them a ton!

     I hope your doing well with everything.  I hope you're happy, busy and continue to learn alongside of your investigators.  We miss you both terribly too!  Have an awesome week and Happy Halloween!

Love you sooo much!

Mom

My rare chance to hold a baby Lemur...so cute!

The floating market outside Bangkok

Our EPIC bareback elephant ride in Thailand's jungle.

The women of the Karen Long-Neck Tribe.  (Notice the little girl playing on her phone)

Our mountain Resort's view

Our Mountain resort's pool

Hmong Hill Tribe

Sent from my iPhone