Sunday, March 28, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
We took Flat Bailey to The San Pedro River and Riparian Area, Boot Hill Cemetary, Tombstone to see the OK Corral and Bird Cage, Bisbee Copper Mine, and The Mexican border at Naco. Grampa found her a hat on the internet to wear for her travels.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Bryan email update
I might have already posted this but due to some switching to google or something his new email address is bryan.sieler@myldsmail.net
Monday, March 22, 2010
Bryan's latest email
Once upon a time there was a young man serving the Lord on a full time mission in Mexico. He served with all his heart and gives it all his got. To him it really doesnt matter whats waiting at home anymore because he has his vision only in the glory of God. However the work one week was very hard. He knocked and knocked and knocked and knocked and knocked and knocked and knocked and when the knocking was done he knocked some more. However nobody seemed to want to let him in. Not by the hairs of their chiny chin chins. Oh well not all was lost for this young man. He continued serving with all his heart. Then one morning he woke up to a new day. This day was different from all the rest because he just knew that he was going to hear from those that he loves. Excitedly he woke up and prepared himself for the day. The apartment had run out of gas the day before but that was nothing to stop this youg man. He bathed in the cold water with a smile on his face actually kind of enjoing it because it reminded him of old family vacations to lakes and rivers where the water was always so cold. It made him wonder if maybe his family went somwhere for the weekend and what they were going to tell him about it. Quickley finishing his preparations for the day you could actually see the glowing excitement in face of this young man. It still wasnt time though for the president had told him the week before that he needed to buy new shoes. Not all was lost, this young man likes a new pair of shoes and they were sorely needed. Scaning shelf after shelf the young man looked for the perfect set of shoes. Shoes that will look good and last long, but mostly just look good. A smile crossed his face as the shoe clerk went to the back to find his size. A smile because he thought of what his mother would say if she were there. Then with the new shoe on one foot and the old on the other he excitedly went to show his companion who quickly remarked: "What do I care I´m not the one who´s going to wear them". Oh the smile that crossed the young mans face again. Back from the store with a new set of shows it was now the time. What new things happened in the far away desert from which he came? Who had said something funny? How many family get togethers did they have? How are things like and what has changed? All of these questions running through his head and many more as he sat down in the tiny internet cafe. The keys seemed to register to slow as he recounted his week to his president. Then the business part of his expierience bieng over he opened his email ready for the answers to all his flowing thoughts. He scanned the list quickly. Thinking that something must be wrong he scanned it again. A little bit down hearted he clicked the refresh button. But there was nothing to reafresh. What was there was still there. Or rather, what was not there was still not there. How could it be!? In the land where this young man came from computers graced the walls of every home, business and candy shop. A land where internet floated through the open sky. Surely it could not be for lack of resources that his inbox was empty. Maybe it was for lack of time or maybe they just didnt think about him throughout the week. Oh well what ever it was he will continue with his work for he loves the Lord above all things. He is a young man who loves his work. So dont worry to much for him he is a strong little fellow and firm in his faith. However he loves his family as well for it is because of them that he came to know and love this gospel. He loves to hear about their progresion and listen to the strengthening power of their testimonies. A Quote has started running threw his mind. One spoking by a prophet or apostle or someone like that who said "if you forget about home, home will forget about you". This young man feels like he has found his home here. A second home full of people he loves. However his heart still lyes with the ones he left back in his other home. In a way that makes him wonder that maybe they have forgotten about him. He would also like the directions of the bishop in order to write him next week.
Bryan's email last monday
Well I am glad to finally see that stump gone and dead. I would have helped you but I´m a thousand miles away. Maybe you could plant another tree and we`ll pull it out when I get back. This week I will finally send you some pictures of my efforts. I finally got to see some results of all this hard work I`ve done and we had three baptisms this week! Boom baby now that’s what I`m talking about. Their names are Michelle, Ivan, and Antonio. Michelle and Ivan are cousins that just haven’t been baptized yet because of the laziness of their parents. The brother of Michelle baptized them both. He`s name is Eric and he just started coming back to church a couple weeks ago and he brought his sister with him. Maybe there is something to this patience thing. Antonio is nineteen years old and he just made the mistake of dating a member. He`s freaking awesome though. When we left him homework to read he recited the whole flippin chapter to us the next day. He`s way excited and already wants to serve a mission as well. We`ll have to see how that goes but I`m pretty sure he`ll make it. He comes from a not very good family life and his parents didn`t really ever let him study or anything in high school or further on for who knows what reason. That’s probably why he hooked on to the church so fast because it just became his family full of nothing but hugs and encouragement. I love this Gospel so much. Anyway I`ll send all the pictures along with the pictures of the family we baptized about a month ago.
Dad asked me to answer why I believe. That’s a question I have been thinking of for a very long time. I try to ask myself why I believe to better be able to help others believe. The answer is buried very deep in my being. Here there are a lot of people who only believe what their parents believed. In a way that they just have these ideas in their head that are so messed up that they have forgotten how to reason. In seeing these types of people virtually everywhere I go I started to think that maybe I was the same. Maybe I had just grown up in this gospel in such a way that there is just no other option for me. That maybe I am the one who has forgotten how to reason. However I have come to the conclusion that this idea is absurd. It`s absurd because my testimony isn`t about what they taught me in church or what my parents taught me. I have received thousands of lessons and listened to or read thousands of talks but in the end I have learned that a testimony is not based on what you know it`s based on what you feel. It`s what I have felt. It`s what I feel in the church, and when I read the scriptures and when I listen to the prophets and the hundreds of other things we do in the church. When I feel the guidance of the Holy Ghost leading me to people who are ready to hear this Gospel, if this was not the true church then there would be no heavenly guidance to know where to go and what to say. However I testify that I have literally been guided to people and had words put into my mouth that I was not going to say. I just know this church is true for about a thousand different feelings I have had throughout my life. Its all about what I have felt. I really have always known it as well. I cant pick out one single moment where it all just clicked. Just a lot of different moments where I realized what I already knew. I know this Church is true. I know that Joseph Smith saw and talked to God the Father and Jesus Christ face to face just as one man talks to another. I know that Jesus lives. I know that he suffered and died for us and rose the third day. I know my Father in heaven loves me. I know he answers our prayers. I know that I do not know all that God knows but I have faith in him and in his eternal design for the salvation of his children. I know Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God. I know who I am and I know what I can become. I know these things for my self because the Holy Ghost has testified them to me. I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Believe and trust in God and everything will be all right. I share this things with you in the holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Kelsey and Carson go to Prom. This is the dress I made her my last week in Montana. She helped with it for her Young Women's project.Saturday, March 13, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
BRITT'S GOING HOME PARTY AT OUR POOL
Britt, Katie, and Rachel after a swim- Getting warm
The family at the pool- Grampa at the bar-b-q- Chris and Michelle in foreground
Joseph de-stressing
Emmie and friend
Adam and Hyrum in pool
Lori, Britt, and Rachel- I think Rachel ate the whole dang hamburger
Annie swimming like a pro- Who needs a life vest anyway- She taught herself to swim last spring
Mike and Amy after a day of climbing- Chatting with Joe
Chris and Jenny having a pretty serious conversation
Katie, Rachel, and Michelle- Baby Chris is buried somewhere under the blankets- It got chilly
Britt preparing her salad
SOME IMAGES OF MY FEBRUARY 2010 MONTANA TRIP
Carson supervising the progress of the prom dress
Nice socks girls- Lexie, Lilly, and Bailey
Get up Aar
Tim and Liv putting down a new wood floor
Timmy serenading Aaron
Maddy getting her bedroom finished- She and siblings helped dad and mom mud
Playing games of course
Getting ready for ski trip- House sitting for Harlan and Carol
Making Kelsey's prom dress- She helped for Young Women's project
Andy, Aaron, Maddy, and Me- Suzy
Aaron, Maddy, Liv, and Andy
Hanging with the kids- Wiley, Turner, and Lilly
