Hi my precious darling son.  How can I ever tell you how much I love you, miss you, how my heart soars every time i think of you, how I pray for you and hope for you and I am behind you one hundred million percent.  Please know whatever you do you have a Mom on her knees in Utah praying for you mutiple times a day, and thinking of you always.

How are all the investigators? How is the work? I emailed Diana but haven't heard back. Her letter is so sweet.  Are we okay there? I sent you what I wrote her. Wu Zong Hong? Li Yuan Zhen? We have prayed so much for them this week. Is there anything else we can do? Can we/should we write to them? How is English class now that it is different?

How is your health? Are you well?

I got a fun letter from Sister Poop!  She will be home July 25th.
I want to start by telling you something very very important. Are you ready? Spencer went disco skating. It's true.
We had SUCH  a super great sacrament meeting today.  This new couple that just moved in spoke. She did a great job, then he got up and shared his own story of preparing for a mission, getting up to the week before he left and not going, 2 years of inactivity, alcoholism, addictions and failed relationships followed.  He talked about the sorrow he felt and how his life was going nowhere. A counselor and a friend and a very bold stake president helped him to walk back in the door of the church. He was sure he would be judged and looked down upon, but the opposite was true. His return was celebrated with love and open arms.  The people in his ward loved and rescued, accepted and forgave. Now he is married in the temple. He shared a powerful story of a small group of soldiers behind enemy lines in WW2, and the incredible, calculated and complete effort by the entire infantry to get them back to safety. Then he asked, "is it any different for us?"  His willingness to be so humble, honest, real and open just on the chance he could inspire all of us to help in the rescue effort was so touching there was not a sound in the chapel.
We invited a new couple in our ward over for pumpkin pie last Sunday night.  Their story is also incredible. I told you the part he shared in Sacrament meeting already, but they told us a lot more. Sister Dyson sold her car, got on her bike and biked across Canada to Alaska with a tent in her saddle bags to go to college, just sleeping wherever she could on the way.  They were involved in the fundamentalists and they shared their rescue and escape. They just got back from a mission to South Africa and such incredible stories.  They said they could teach all day long every day so many people want to listen.
We had a super big knockout play-the-Olympic theme plan the family goals for the year for FHE.  I think my voice sounds like I'm underwater to the children in my home. I say English words but they look at me like I said "wha wha wha wha wha wha".  It's loads of fun.  Until I say doughnuts, money, ice cream or movies then all of a sudden I surface and they can understand me.
We had a sweet family experience yesterday.  All of us were in the Draper Temple together, also Bailey and Jake Hunt. It was awesome. Coy baptized and Dad confirmed and it just felt so heavenly.
Seth was in his spelling bee on Thursday. He got up early, got his bowtie and suspenders on, and did mousse until his hair was one peice with bangs straight up in front.  He got out on round 3 on a word he knew, just got nervous and forgot an "O".  He had memorized about 400 words and worked so so hard. He cried and was so heartbroken. I tried all my pep talks, but the third one finally got through.  I told him he won because the real test in this life is overcoming the natural man. The people that lose are the ones that are conquered by fear, and are so afraid of failure or work that they never even try.  Satan wins every time the natural man wins.  He finally took that one to heart and the tears stopped, and dipping fries in his ice cream cone helped, too. He was so so darling. Crying over "one stupid "O".
Tryouts for Beauty and the Beast were Saturday. Seth NAILED it with "Something Better" from Muppet Treasure Island. He had actions, vibrato, so much feeling. It was so precious. Coy learned the awesome song from Court Jester "when I was a lad". He was super super awesome.
Joseph the little stinker has such a great singing voice. He was singing and playing "Hallelujah" and it sounds so good. I think he has the lowest voice of all the boys.  He reminds me so much of you lately. Not just becuase he is a dangus with big hair, but he is TRYING to be like you. He is jokey and fun, hard working, pleasant and trying to please Heavenly Father. He has told me he is trying to follow your example.
Annie pure out mocked me for not 1, not 13, not 45, 60 straight minutes while we "watched" spen's game with the ELDERS QUORUM because he turned 18. She copied every single word I said in a voice like a 6 year old little girl for a solid hour! She really is a super funny girl. :).
Thursday night we spent hours in the ER with our dear friends the Jacobs. He developed blood clots from a recent surgery and it was scary. Your sweet Dad gave him a beautiflu priesthood blessing and calmed his fears. He was blessed with the promise of a full recovery.  The Spirit was so sweet and so strong that James just wept.  It was a very sweet experience. I'm so grateful for how your Dad honors his priesthood.  We've been to the hospital daily since and it's been a really really rough go, but I think he's finally doing better.
I have a goal to enjoy the blessings of temple attendance weekly this year. I've been three times this year so far and I love it so much.  I have felt and understood beautiful things and I feel empowered to do what is best and what is a must.
I had a very beautiful spiritual feeling this week from the Spirit that just filled me with a desire and conviction to let go of fear and go forward with faith. The Spirit told me that because of Jesus I have ENOUGH; enough, faith, information, inspiration, responsibility, impact, opportunity, direction, resources, etc.  I felt to just go forward with faith and go for it, and not give credence to fear or doubt that would hold me back. Because we are yoked with the Savior, we have enough. FORWARD WITH FAITH! Lay it all down in joy and gratitude and live in the constant joy of atoning grace!



LOVE YOU MY SWEET SWEET BOY!

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Love your Mom!