Thursday, May 27, 2010



Hi Tyler!

We are anxiously awaiting your letter telling us more about your new area and new companion! We looked up Es-ju-berg on google and saw a few pics. It will be fun to hear what you have to say about the area. Was your companion there before or are you both new there? That's kind of crazy that they moved you and Christensen and didn't leave someone familiar with the area. I hope things continue to progress in Aalborg! I got a very nice facebook message from Vincent. He said he has seen you grow so much in your first area and is very happy to have a life long friend. I love the internent and the way it makes that possible! I wish dad had contact with more of the people from his mission.

Saturday night dad and I met with most of the other missionary parents in our ward down at Jaxies. We had dinner together and then chatted about our missionaries. We each wrote up a paper about how each of you are doing and passed them out to each other. A few people weren't there so we didn't get a write up on everybody. I have put them into two different envelopes and sent one off today and will send the other one in a few days. That way you will get some snail mail too. It was fun to read/hear about each of the missionaries. It sounds like everyone is doing well and having great experiences. Andrew Wilson has a pic on his that shows a nice yummy meal with two chicken heads! Yummmm! I'll bet you are jealous! Kevin Sumsion tells of a wild and crazy bike adventure. It will be fun for you to check them out. There are currently 11 full time missionaries from our ward. Plus Andy that just came home and Bryce that will soon leave.

Sunday was a very nice day. We went to Dan's farewell at 9:00. He did a good job! He looks happy and ready to go! He spoke about service. I wish I would have taken notes to tell you more but I didn't think of taking notes until I got to Doug's farewell at 1:00. Dad couldn't get out of his callings for Doug's so Jansen, Tani, Tia and I went. It was so nice to see the Miller family! Doug and Zach were up on the stage each with a cool lei. Of course there were lots of Tongans and Hawaiins in the audience. When the bishop stood up to welcome everyone he mentioned that he was tempted to say "Aloha". With that everyone said "Aloha". But the bishop said, "I just said I was tempted to say Alohoa. When Doug stood up with his lei he said, "Brothers and Sisters, HOLA!" So everyone said, "Hola". It was quite funny. Doug was quite a funny boy up there! He said that everyone always thinks he's shy, but he's not, he just doesn't talk. He said he got to choose his topic and he chose to talk of the Book of Mormon and prayer. He said we probably thought he was wimping out by choosing those topics but he chose them because they meant so much to him. He talked about how after he got his call he didn't feel like going on a mission was the right thing for him to do. He felt like it would be a waste of time and money. He was nervous about telling his parents so he decided to wait until Zach came home to tell them. Then he had his Patriarchal blessing scheduled so he decided to wait until after that to tell them. Then someone, (I can't remember if it was the Patriarch or bishop or who), challenged him to read the B of M in one week and to really pray about it. He decided to take the challenge and had some amazing feelings of confirmation of the truthfullness of the B of M and the church. He said is was 2:00 in the morning and he was so overwhelmed with the feeling that he had to share it with someone. So he went to his parent's bedroom and woke them up. Remember they didn't know anything of his struggle to that point. So they were worried when he knocked on their door to talk to them at that time. Anyway, as you can imagine, it was a neat experience for them and he feels right about his mission now. He said he has been a Mormon all his life but he feels like a new convert.

After Doug talked the ward choir sang and then Zach got up. He said, "I love my brother." And then he got so choked up and teary that he just sat there with his head down trying to gain composure for like almost 2 minutes or so. Just when he thought he was going to be ok he would choke up again. When he finally got controll he said his mom once told him that if you give a Tongan 15 minutes to talk he would cry for 14 minutes and talk for one. That got a laugh!

After church we went to their house. They have a different house there in Orem. It is nice with a fantastic view from their back yard! Of course they had lots of yummy food to share with everyone! It was a very nice day! We need to get with them and go out to dinner or something! I sure like that Miller family! They are the kind of people that make everyone feel like they are their very dearest friend!

So yesterday was your little brother's 16th birthday! It wasn't too exciting! He got his bike about a month ago and that was pretty much his b-day. He did get a few swimming suits, shorts, shirts and flip flops for the cruise....oh and some circus peanuts, I always wonder why he likes them so much! He was hoping for a car, but that is not to be. I know he feels a little picked on, but that's the way it is for the moment. Today I took him up to the DMV to get his official liscense. Now, I hope all goes well with that! It's a bit scary to let your kids turn 16!

So Thursday is the last day of school! I can't believe it! Remember the last day of school last year? Jansen's famous ride in the ambulance! I hope we don't have to have any incidents this year. The Spanish Fork baseball team took 1st in state in the 4A division. They were pretty excited about that.

Tani has been asked to give a speech about the future at her 6th grade graduation program on Thursday. She has done really well writing her talk and getting it ready. It will be fun to watch her with that. Kind of crazy to think of her heading down to the big bad Jr. High next year!

Last weekend Dad, Tani and Tia went on a daddy/daughter cabin outing with the Popes and the Allans. They went to Nate Pope's parents ranch in Elkridge. They got to ride horses and four wheelers. They had a great time! While they were gone Jansen and I got to go out for birthday lunch at Red Robin. So it was a nice bonding weekend for everyone.

Cam got home from Japan this weekend. I think he had a mighty fine time there! We haven't had much of a chance to talk to him yet. We look forward to hearing more and seeing pics. It's kind of fun to know of the places and people he talks about because....we...were...there! That was so fun last year!

Do you remember that we are going on a cruise? We are leaving here Saturday morning and driving to Las Vegas. We will stay there and head out early Sunday morning to get to LA to board the ship. We will sail Monday, go to Cabo San Lucas on Tues, Mazatlan on Wed, Puerto Vajarta (?) on Thurs. Then we sail Friday and Saturday and get off Sunday morning. I will try to have another letter written before we leave so you have something from us on your next p-day. But if for some reason you have nothing from us, please forgive us and know we still love you anyway! : )

Oh....and before I leave....one very big thing.....we had sunshine today! No rain, no snow....it was a beautiful day! It has been a crazy spring!

Have a great week! We love you!

Love,
Mom, Dad and the gang!

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