It's officially Fall 9-24-2023 (from Mom)
Hey William,
It's been a pretty good week here. Just kind of a normal week, and I know I told you we had a ton of peaches and some apples, but now the apples have been picked and they are Jonathan's ( my favorite) and my favorite peaches are ripe on the tree that we keep talking about taking out, but it produced a ton of huge delicious peaches, so it will be hard to take it out.
We took the youth to our temple yesterday to do baptisms. It was pretty amazing to be inside our temple actually doing baptisms with the youth. We really could have used you to baptize kids though, we only had one priest show up so a temple worker baptised all the girls. I don't know if it was the way they do baptisms, or if it was just that the kids were excited to be at our temple, but they were more reverent than I have ever seen them as a group doing baptisms. The Spirit was strong and I really love that we have a temple just for us. It's the best.
I ended up with a huge old hutch from Bonnie and all her special fancy dishes and even some real silver silverware with a daffodil design. I didn't really want the hutch. It's kind of outdated and huge and I have no idea where to put it, but she really wanted me to have it because it is special to her and she knew her daughter wouldn't treat it special at all, so she chose to give it to me. I am honored that she chose me. It was really super sad to watch her have to move. they cut down the metal horse in front of her house to take it to the cemetery next to hers and her husband's headstone. She wasn't ready for that to happen the day we were there and she was super sad about it. I hate seeing her have to let go of her house that she loves and all the things that she loves to have to move into a one bedroom apartment at an assisted living center. Seriously so sad.
We had lots of really good conversations in the car with grandma and grandpa and Val. It was mostly a good day, just really long and kind of sad.
Not that I want to make you sad, but cohen sat next to me today and just started crying. It was really hitting him just how long 2 years is. He really misses you a lot. I told him he could text you in the morning on the way to school. Hopefully that is ok. I also told him he could email you anytime he wants, he just has to wait till monday for a response. That's why you got so many emails from him today.
I'm attaching a few photos from homecoming. Eden went with her friends and they had a great time. And Danen just looked awesome.
Dad and I finally celebrated our anniversary. We went to a fancy dinner at La Caille. I had never been there, but it was fun and delicious.
You finally have a missionary plaque up at the church!! We were so excited to see it today. Eden was especially excited to see that the scripture you chose was one that you two memorized together awhile back. It really made her smile, and helped her feel connected to you.
I've been studying Elder Uceda's talk this week. It must have been one we missed when we were driving to AZ because I don't remember it. I really really loved the story about Julia's dad in this talk. I love how he talks about the 99 and the 1 lost sheep and the woman and the lost coin. Jesus ministers to the 1. I love that. Yes, of course the 99 are important, but he doesn't ever say that 99 is enough. He always goes after the 1. I love that so much. It makes me think about your missionary work and how you minister to each person one by one. It makes my heart so happy to know that you are representing the Savior in such a sacred and holy way. What a privilege you have to be His hands right now as His missionary. We definitely miss you, but being a missionary family definitely brings blessings that I am so thankful for. And I know the families that you are bringing to Him will be eternally grateful for you.
It was so great to see you laugh and smile and just hang out with you last week. I am excited to talk to you again tomorrow. Love you so much!!
Love,
Mom
Elder Uceda's talk:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/34uceda?lang=eng
Here is what Emily Belle Freeman had to say about this talk in her Inklings group.
It’s such a small number in the grand scheme of things.
You’ve probably dropped a penny before, one skittle out of the package, a pebble.
Odds are you didn’t even pick it up..
What is one when you have so many?
When we talk about one coin, it could feel insignificant.
Same with one sheep.
As long as you’ve got the other 99 is it a great loss?
We could question the importance of the rescue for either of those things.
But not the boy.
One boy.
Who the Father watched out for every single day. Until he came home again.
Until he was safely home.
I think the Lord wanted us to understand the significance of one when Luke 15 was written..
It’s how He ministers.
One by one.
He’s good at finding lost things.
Even lost boys.
Especially lost boys.
There is great comfort in that.
It's been a pretty good week here. Just kind of a normal week, and I know I told you we had a ton of peaches and some apples, but now the apples have been picked and they are Jonathan's ( my favorite) and my favorite peaches are ripe on the tree that we keep talking about taking out, but it produced a ton of huge delicious peaches, so it will be hard to take it out.
We took the youth to our temple yesterday to do baptisms. It was pretty amazing to be inside our temple actually doing baptisms with the youth. We really could have used you to baptize kids though, we only had one priest show up so a temple worker baptised all the girls. I don't know if it was the way they do baptisms, or if it was just that the kids were excited to be at our temple, but they were more reverent than I have ever seen them as a group doing baptisms. The Spirit was strong and I really love that we have a temple just for us. It's the best.
I ended up with a huge old hutch from Bonnie and all her special fancy dishes and even some real silver silverware with a daffodil design. I didn't really want the hutch. It's kind of outdated and huge and I have no idea where to put it, but she really wanted me to have it because it is special to her and she knew her daughter wouldn't treat it special at all, so she chose to give it to me. I am honored that she chose me. It was really super sad to watch her have to move. they cut down the metal horse in front of her house to take it to the cemetery next to hers and her husband's headstone. She wasn't ready for that to happen the day we were there and she was super sad about it. I hate seeing her have to let go of her house that she loves and all the things that she loves to have to move into a one bedroom apartment at an assisted living center. Seriously so sad.
We had lots of really good conversations in the car with grandma and grandpa and Val. It was mostly a good day, just really long and kind of sad.
Not that I want to make you sad, but cohen sat next to me today and just started crying. It was really hitting him just how long 2 years is. He really misses you a lot. I told him he could text you in the morning on the way to school. Hopefully that is ok. I also told him he could email you anytime he wants, he just has to wait till monday for a response. That's why you got so many emails from him today.
I'm attaching a few photos from homecoming. Eden went with her friends and they had a great time. And Danen just looked awesome.
Dad and I finally celebrated our anniversary. We went to a fancy dinner at La Caille. I had never been there, but it was fun and delicious.
You finally have a missionary plaque up at the church!! We were so excited to see it today. Eden was especially excited to see that the scripture you chose was one that you two memorized together awhile back. It really made her smile, and helped her feel connected to you.
I've been studying Elder Uceda's talk this week. It must have been one we missed when we were driving to AZ because I don't remember it. I really really loved the story about Julia's dad in this talk. I love how he talks about the 99 and the 1 lost sheep and the woman and the lost coin. Jesus ministers to the 1. I love that. Yes, of course the 99 are important, but he doesn't ever say that 99 is enough. He always goes after the 1. I love that so much. It makes me think about your missionary work and how you minister to each person one by one. It makes my heart so happy to know that you are representing the Savior in such a sacred and holy way. What a privilege you have to be His hands right now as His missionary. We definitely miss you, but being a missionary family definitely brings blessings that I am so thankful for. And I know the families that you are bringing to Him will be eternally grateful for you.
It was so great to see you laugh and smile and just hang out with you last week. I am excited to talk to you again tomorrow. Love you so much!!
Love,
Mom
Elder Uceda's talk:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/34uceda?lang=eng
Here is what Emily Belle Freeman had to say about this talk in her Inklings group.
It’s such a small number in the grand scheme of things.
You’ve probably dropped a penny before, one skittle out of the package, a pebble.
Odds are you didn’t even pick it up..
What is one when you have so many?
When we talk about one coin, it could feel insignificant.
Same with one sheep.
As long as you’ve got the other 99 is it a great loss?
We could question the importance of the rescue for either of those things.
But not the boy.
One boy.
Who the Father watched out for every single day. Until he came home again.
Until he was safely home.
I think the Lord wanted us to understand the significance of one when Luke 15 was written..
It’s how He ministers.
One by one.
He’s good at finding lost things.
Even lost boys.
Especially lost boys.
There is great comfort in that.
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