5/2/21 Family Letter

Dear Eve

I'M SO PROUD OF YOU SISTER EGAN TOLD ME YOU WERE THE ONLY PERSON YOUR AGE IN OUR WARD THAT HAS DONE INDEXING WITHIN 2021! GOOD JOB!

my friend lost his phone in the sewer Friday. We tried to find it with doggie bags and sticks, no luck. I didn't know it was the sewer so I put doggie bags on my hands and went in. OH YA GUESS WHAT I MADE 8TH GRADE SBO!!!! This week at school it was dress up days. There was senior day, Decades day, Wacky Wednesday, and Game day. I got my second baby sitting Gig!!!! I made $20( tithing excluded). Any way I think that's pretty much it

 

PEACE OUT SISTER!

Mari ;)

 

I'm not tired, you're tired

I was supposed to start work this week, but I might have Covid! I mean, not really, but I might. You remember I competed in state and I got a medal right? Well, we found out that some of the competitors tested positive, and since I was super sick last Sunday, we suspected that I might have had it. I got tested Thursday morning and they said they'd have the results back to me by Friday morning. I'm still waiting. The lack of results has prevented me from starting, and It's killing me. We're just going to assume that I'm negative and move on, but Chick-Fa-La is very strict, and I don't know how that will work out.

I lied, I'm tired.

Love you!

Hyrum

 

Sweet Eve,

We are back to 2 hour church!  Dad had a lot of set-up/arranging stuff to get ready for that.  He is amazing (as usual) and had everything organized and supplies ordered.  Then, last minute there seemed to be miscommunications that created some late Saturday night stress.  He took it well, but me, not so much.  I was frustrated (for him) feeling like he was trying so hard but not given the right information to succeed.  Anyway, my frustrations came to a head which ended up in a home visit from President O'Hara, who apologized for his role in the miscommunication.   It was really nice of President O'Hara to spend his personal time to come and make sure we were okay.  I have been praying that Dad will feel loved, and I think he does.  I'll have to bake some cookies for President O'Hara.  We have great leaders.

 

I enjoyed fasting for the NDBM/drought today.  I feel that our faith, mixed with all of you missionary's faith will open the windows of heaven for a miracle!  Be on the lookout for those miracles!  Did you get to go to the temple this week?  Did you get to watch the young adult devotional broadcast (Elder Stevenson) today (Sunday)?

 

Today, Grandma Charlene and Larry hosted a party in their back yard.  It was nice to be together again. I asked all of them to pray for rain for the Dakotas.  During the Sacrament today, some of the  'instructions' I received were that I need to think/talk of my parents in a more positive way. I need to focus on their admirable attributes (they have many) and be used to speaking of those attributes whenever I can.  My Mom:  she is faithful to the Gospel.  She has a very strong testimony and love for the Savior.  My Dad:  he is very knowledgeable about many things.  He is a friendly guy with a fun sense of humor.  It feels good to focus on the positive!

 

The weather here has been warming up.  We bought a new tree:  A Crimson King Maple (purple/red leaves).  It will be a beautiful shade tree (to shade our patio when it grows up.  Hyrum named it "Kingston"  because it is a Crimson King.  So far it seems happy to be here.This Saturday, I am hosting a bridal shower in the back yard for Jaren Kump's fiancee.  They will be moving into the ward after they are married.  Melissa thought a shower would be a good way to help her feel welcome.  She asked to use our back yard. For sure!  Love those parties!

 

This week I listened to a few talks from the BYU Women's conference.  One of the things that stood out to me was the "Next"...as in what comes "next" after the Pandemic?  I'll explain:  The Lord always prepares his people before something big...Lehi's family had many trials as they were on the ocean.  Those things prepared them to live and prosper in the Promised Land. The plagues in Egypt prepared the children of Israel to be able to escape Pharaoh and go into the wilderness, to then receive the 10 commandments.  What has the Pandemic prepared us for?  What is "next"? President Nelson has told us that great things are coming.

 

Also, when thinking of the parable of the 10 Virgins, think how you would feel if your best friend didn't come to your wedding because "something came up".  How would that make you feel?  The Second Coming is Christ's "Big Day".  He wants all of us to prepare everything we need to be/do to be there.  Do we care enough about Him to make Him a priority?  The 5 foolish virgins did not make him a priority and were not prepared...so he knew them not.

 

I am so proud of you and I love you so much!

💜🌻Mom

 

Millie,

 

We enjoyed uniting your fast with the NDBM.  I hope it makes a difference.  We are back to 2 hour church.  Well, it is more like 1.5 hour church.  There has been a lot of prep needed to make it be safe.  I have been asked to get the rooms ready for sanitation.  We put a sanitizer pump and wipes in each room.  I thought we were ready to go until we got to church.  I was told Nursery was not going to happen but some Wards plan to have it.  We had all our sanitation supplies for the chapel in that room.  We moved them late last night to get them out of the way.  The Wards were announcing to gather supplies to clean room that we did not have instead of using the wipes in each room.  They are cleaning more than we had discussed cleaning.  It led to some frustration and confusion.  In MM 2nd hour the members were attempting to clean all the chairs which is not necessary.  Your Mom attempted to stop them and was rebuffed.  I attempted to stop them and was met with some angry responses.  Maybe not angry but not nice.  We had a chat with President Steed about it and he was told something different than what I was told.  Your Mom was so concerned about protecting me she began to cry as we discussed it with the Steeds.  I asked President O'Hara about it and he planned to review it with Presidency and get back to us.  After they met he came by to visit us.  He was concerned he put me in a bad position.  I am ready to get everything back to some level of normalcy so we don't have to worry about cleaning everything in sight.

 

Emma and Matt took us golfing yesterday.  It was cheap golf near their old place in Vineyard.  It is a course by a lot of houses which always makes me nervous.  The first tee I hit a house.  At least I think I hit it.  It went that direction but I did not hear it hit anything.  Your Mom kept wanting to look for golf balls but the course was too busy.  that is her favorite thing about golf.  On the last hole we were once again by some homes and I was very careful to make sure I hit the ball right down the middle.  Matt was not so careful.  He launched a ball high towards the homes and we heard the "THWACK" as it hit the roof of a home.  He dropped another ball and hit again just to have the ball go higher and farther in that same direction.  This time the "THWACK" and a little "tinkle" that followed.  I think he shattered a solar panel.  I don;t know why anyone would want to live by a golf course.

 

We had a BBQ for Grandpa Barlow's BDay celebration.  We were in their backyard and most everyone came.  They had a lot of yard games out.  That is Mark's new thing.  they have a lot of them.  We played some cornhole and I'm hooked.  We bought our own set on the way home.  I played some cornhole with Mark, Kimberly and Rachael.  Mom had a detailed conversation with John and Angie.  I got a chance to wrestle with their kids.  It was fun.  Today we went to Grandma Charlene's for a Mother's Day BBQ. It was good to be those people also.  I think Larry is good for Grandma Charlene.

 

It was a crazy weekend and I'm glad to start a new week.  Good luck in your finding, music and Instagramming. We are very proud o you and your effort.  Keep trying and good things will happen.

 

Love,

 

Dad

 

D&C 45:3-5