Received Monday, May 6, 2013

Wow! that is news! congratulations to little Elizabeth Cole and all related!

Steven and Heather had their baby 3 1/2 weeks early! She is doing great - that is who Elizabeth Claire Cole is. 6 lbs, 4 oz, 18" long. Born May 4, 2013

QUESTIONS:

What time for the mother’s day call??

we plan on going to someone's house to skype at around 4:30-5:00 our time at the Coleman's house. They also have a missionary out in the world somewhere.

Did you get the pictures I sent of CJ’s mud run?

I did! i will speak of it after this

Talk about your P-day last week at the family’s amazing back yard!!

that seems like forever ago! I tried to take pictures. there were a few different/fun things. they had a big tire swing (the tire laying horizontally) you could stand/sit on and get pushed/spun about wildly. They did have a few obstacle like things we could race on too. a little like some of the balance related challenges they would do on Survivor sometimes. It's hard to describe. between two trees there were metal cords attached tightly between, on down low and another up high. dangling from the high cord were ropes, ad you were supposed to use the dangling ropes to balance/walk across the lower cord. that one was easy. another also had the two metal cords and 2 ropes were attached making a stretched V. It was harder, especially to do fast.

also they did have a volleyball net up, but not really a good ball, so we didn't play much. after that we drove to the stake center to play basketball, but the zone leaders lost theres! there was no ball :( we're playing today to make up for last weeks basketball failure.

Any interesting dinner appointments last week?

umm i'm sure. we always do. my enthusiasm for story telling is low right now because it'll be so much easier to tell any story "in person" over video next week. Yesterday we had a great experience. BTW are you guys still trying to fast a full 24 hours? we didn't yesterday because our sunday food appointment asked us to come over for lunch. It was with the Neeley family, they're great, love having missionaries over. Jake Neeley (18) was just ordained an Elder (no longer a priest) and is going on his mission to Brazil in August. the whole family is active. brother Neeley did not serve a mission. Jake is their oldest son and they want to do everything they can to help him be prepared. during dinner we talked a bit just about "stuff" and a bit about an investigator who came to a ward party a while ago that brother neeley has done a great job befriending and he really wants help her progress especially since many of their kids line up in age and he was astounded at how "normal" she is; i guess he's kind of just come to expect the people missionaries find and teach to be in the less-than-normal category. He's going to come with us to go teach their family this week.

It was at the end, after we left a spiritual thought they really started asking what can Jake do now to help get ready. I talked about taking Moroni's promise seriously, you can't bear testimony about it unless you really know that you can feel the spirit tell you the book of mormon is true by reading in it and praying (something I'm glad I put effort into pre-mission). Also I talked about having prayer become real. not just saying prayers, but to have it be meaningful; seeking after revelation (something I wish I had put more effort into).

Then they asked what can families in the ward do to help the missionaries, What real tangible things, don't say "pray for missionary opportunities".

we gave a short answer and asked if we could come back later in the week to give a more full one. I can report on this future exchange on sunday when we talk.

we also got 3 new investigators this week! woohoo! 2 are family that we found at the same time and the other is seprate. each have a great story. I'll tell it sunday.

I think I've been extra tired this week, but it's been really good.

I can't believe there was a baby born last week! I didn't realize at all it was getting close, I would have guessed there was months left! what does Jayna think of the sudden appearance to a new sister?

Good pictures! both in the email and in the snail mail. Christophers mud run looked crazy and fun. I would not have liked being in cold water though. being shocked would be weird too.

I hope kylie's knee gets better

the weather here has continued to be great. went out in a short sleeve shirt one day.

ok, that's all for now. see you on Mother's day!