Blood Donation

 I decided to go to the NSL blood drive.  After I donated at the Delta Center last time, I got an email to sign up again.  Ok I can do that.  It was super slick and I fetl bad because it wasn't super crowded.  It was during the day so probably most people were at work.  

I was playing golf at Mick Riley and decided to take a selfie to send to Mark. I like to take a pic and send to him and ask him if he can guess where this is.  A guy driving by said hey, I'll take your pic you don't want a selfie.  So here I am.  I'm usualy against pics but how did I say no to that nice guy.

I thoght my selif was ok.  

Played with Andrew at the El Monte in Ogden.  It was super hot.  Andrew walked cuz he is kindof a Rock Star

I love the El Monte. I took this photo and asked Abi where this is.  When she played for the high school, this was the greatest hole.  A Huge tree right in the middle of the fairway on the first hole.  She couldn't remember the name of this course.  Seriously.  It was our favorite

I got invited to play with Nick and Robert and the Bishop.  I was Jack.  The Bishop coldn't come so they invited me.  We went at 6:00 am.  I had to get up at 5:00.  It was super fun.  It was so beautiful and peaceful at that time of the day.  No one was behind us and just took our time.  I wished I played better but was fun to play with Nick and our back door neighbor Robert and his cousin.  

That's Robert.  He lives behind us.  

Goit this pic from Jack.  Love this pic.  Nothing like a tired missionary

Arrival in Alaska

 Jack left the MTC bright and early on Wednesday June 11.  I received the best email later that day.

He arrived safely in Alaska and was safe in orientation. 

Sent this picture.  They sent it as a PDF so not sure how to upload it differently but here it is. 

Then he called and we got to talk to him for a bit.  He said the flight was good and he sat next to a guy that asked him all about the church.  Dive right into missionary work...:)

He also said the rules weren't that bad.  Who would have thought...

This is a view from his first apartment.  

Jack showing us how light it was at 9:00 at night.  

Birthday in the mtc - Jack's Mission Email

 Hello friends and family!! Another week in the mtc has flown by. Leaving for the mission field this week which is kind of crazy to me and a little scary. But anyways my birthday was this week so thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday.

Sunday 6/1: first Sunday in the mtc and it was good we have church and then a "go and do experience" which was kind of awful because it was fast Sunday so everyone was hungry and kept bringing up food and the studying we did for 3 hours that day felt never ending, but at the end of the day the devotional by the president of the mtc was so good to listen too.

Monday 6/2: today we woke up early and did service in one of the buildings which was fine but vacuuming for an hour at 6:45 in the morning is not my favorite thing to do. We helped welcome the senior missionaries on this day and it was pretty fun to see them and how excited and happy they are to serve. 

Tuesday 6/3: we went to the field and played spikeball as a district and it was so fun and then we had class again.... and then we had a devotional that might by Brother shmitt of the 70 and his wife. It was so good and so powerful and how we need to as missionaries drop our "nets" and to not waste time as a missionary and there were a lot of good things said that I liked.

Wednesday 6/4: Today I gave my first ever blessing which honestly I was so nervous for but it went well and it is crazy how the spirit guided me even when I felt I didn't know what I was saying or going to say. We then helped serve in the cafeteria that might for dinner and it was honestly so fun and not as bad as I was expecting.

Thursday 5/5: today we went to the temple and did an endowment session and that was so good and worth missing a class for. Then we had class at night which was exhausting and everyone was tired for.

Friday 6/6: today was My birthday in the mtc which I never thought I was gonna be able to say. This senior missionary found out it was my birthday and sung happy birthday in the cafeteria which we weren't supposed to do but it was so funny. We then did a sealing session at the temple and I think our whole district fell asleep at least one time during the session and going to class that night we were all so exhausted and ready for it to be done. 

This week was a 7/10 the mtc has been so fun and I love my district they are all so awesome!!

Quote of the week " Elder Chapman has truly changed my life..... Changed it for the absolute worst"

Week Two - MTC for Jack

 Hello everyone!!! Week two of being a missionary was so so awesome. I got to the real mtc on Wednesday and saying goodbye to my family was probably the hardest thing I have ever done but I got here and met all my district and my comp. My district is pretty lit and we all have our strengths and weaknesses. But I feel like I have learned so so much and I am honestly still so exhausted that for sure has not changed at all. The days feel so cluttered and are so long. But we were able to go the temple and that was so awesome and the temple is so amazing.

I would love to hear back from all of you so feel free to email me back!!!

Aspirin Countdown

 Since I was diagnosed 30 years ago with AFib the docs put me on a regimind of aspirin every day.  I was opening a new bottle the day Jack left for the MTC.  The jar has 365 pills in it.  AND they come in a two pack from Costco.  I just need to go through two bottles of Aspirin and Jack will be home.  

Miss him so much already

I have been so stressed with him leaving that I needed to Hotworx and rest.  I love to just go and rest and settle in as the teacher says. 

I planted a tomato plant.  I am not very good at growing plants.  We will see.  

Look a tomato already

A New Club

In the midst of all the Chaos of a mission, I came home and found this club on my bed.   

It is a newer version of a club that I love.  Like 10 years newer.  Andrew researched it and bought it so I could rock at the golf course even more than I already do.  :)  

It is a Taylormade Burner.  It is such a good club and would be better if I were better. So thoughtful to think of me amongst the chaos of getting a missionary ready.  

It came with this note.  Love it.  Love him.  

 

MTC for Jack

 Today is the day I have been dreading for a while.  I know what is coming since I dropped Nick off three years ago.  

The day started with Jack and Nick playing their last round of Golf at 6:00 am at Bountiful Ridge.  They have been playing once or twice a week with our Bishop and the back door neighbor that is in the bishopbric.  Blake and Robert.  They go early because they have to be to work.  

Robert and Jack

The 4 some.  I am sad it is ending because they have had such a great time.  

Then it began.  I cleaned the car out.

Found all my golf shoes

Got the clubs out.  Those are Jacks and he won't need them for two years.

Searched up where we needed to go.  

Clean car.  Just need to load it.

Got a shut off notice today.  Haven't had one of those for a while...:) 

One last good by to the Wonton.  He will probably be two times that size in two.

Headed to the Maverick one last time

Loaded up and on our way.  Jack looks good...He was a bit scared and didn't say much on the way down.  

Can't seem to get Nick in the pic.  He was sitting behind Jack.

I could have done without the arm shot, but the pic of Jack is cute.  

We got to the MTC about 10 minutes early.  We made two laps arond, then Andrew and Jack decided they needed to go to the bathroom.  We went to three places before we found a bathroom that was working.  Can't go to the MTC without using the bathroom :)

The tears have already started.  We were directed to the end of the row, and a Missionary came to escort Jack into the MTC.  

Jack and Andrew

Headed in. Not sure why the missionary wasn't helping him.  I bet he was hot in that sweater.

 

AND he is off.  That is it.  Takes about 10 minutes maxx.  

He will be so great.  I am not sure why we send our children off to serve a mission at just 18.  I know it is to convert souls but does it have to hurt your heart so much.  

Go Jack and be Awesome.  Find those souls in Alaska.  Learn a lot.  Be Kind.  Work Hard.  Be Brave.  Be prayerful.  And remember to come back to us.  We will miss you and pray for you every day.  

God Speed Until we Meet again.  I hope my heart can stand it.

After the MTC we decided to go see Grandpa at the cemetary in Spanish Fork  We were only 15 minutes way.

We tested out the Burial plots for the people that are coming next.

Brooke is testing out Grandma's

She's testing out Melanie's.  Melanie is already in the ground though.  She said that Melanie spoke to her and told her that she would have loved Amazon and Doordash.  

Just saying Hi to Grandpa

We all had to test it out

We ended up at JCWs for hamburgers and Cheese Fries.  No pics.  We stopped there after we dropped Nick off at the MTC too.  It didn't disappoint.

Such a bitter sweet day.