Josh's Setting Apart

Tonight Josh was set apart as a full-time missionary! There were several missionaries getting set apart tonight and so the Stake Presidency had to divide and conquer! We were with President Parker. He had everyone give some advice to Josh. This was much easier than expressing how we feel about him, which always caused the tears to flow! Josh was given and incredible blessing! It was a really special experience! They even let immediate family members zoom in. We had Janika and Brandon and also Jaiden! We are so proud of Josh! 

Josh's Missionary Farewell!

Today was Josh's missionary farewell! 

I had a lot on my mind today -- Josh's farewell, Jared and Hallie's upcoming wedding, and Janelle and Bryton's engagement! Jared and Hallie had brought a couple hundred wedding invitations for me to label and send out tomorrow. I was disappointed that the address labels that I ordered from Amazon didn't come in time, but then Rick said he had a bunch at the Seminary building and so he saved us! Then we worked on the last minute food preparations and clean up for the luncheon. 

Josh did well on his talk. It was a little short -- just over six minutes, instead of the requested nine minutes, but that's okay! He received a lot of compliments on it. Hattie Allred did the musical number on the violin and did well too. Steve Larsen was the other speaker and did awesome too. He went to the same mission as Josh you can tell that his mission deeply impacted him.

I was really touched by his closing story. He said that in Korea, like in many missions, they teach English classes a couple of times a week. As part of their English classes they would teach a gospel-centered message in Korean in the middle of their class. He had been out in the field several months when they asked him to give this spiritual lesson in Korean. He was nervous, but he was also excited. He thought about it all day and really tried to prepare. However, when it came time to share in front of a room filled with people who only spoke Korean, he couldn't think of a single thing to say. He said, "My mind was blank, my tongue was tied." He had so much he wanted to share and felt the fire from within, but didn't know how to express it in Korean. 

He said that he basically said the same thing over and over in order to fill the time because he didn't know how else to say it. He said that he felt so awful and was just so embarrassed. He said he went to the bathroom and he just felt so pathetic. Then fast forward seven years. He was teaching in the MTC and a Korean sister came up to him and said that she was in the room that day when he had shared his humble testimony. She said that she was so touched by the spirit with his words and it was that experience that led her to investigate the church and eventually be baptized. He learned then that God truly works through small and simple ways! I was totally crying through this story! 

After the meeting Brother Awerkamp gave a very beautiful and touching prayer and then we came home for lunch. So many young adults came to watch Josh speak and also to the house after -- much more than I was expecting! I was grateful that we had enough food! After the block the Phillips came over and the Larsens. Summer and Logan came over too. So we were finally able to have a little adult company after the hoards of teenagers left, ha ha! 

A couple of hours a down pour hit and so of course Jenna had to go run around in it with mascara running down her face! Thankfully it cleared up well before Josh's setting apart that night! 

Frozen!!

Jared and Hallie wanted to go see Frozen tonight at Tuacahn, and so I got tickets for them and for Janelle and Bryton also so that they could have a double date! Tammy from Tuacahn really came through for us -- she got us awesome seats! They were row H, right in the middle, which is just 8 rows from the front! Jenna was working too and was able to get them some snacks. So they had a fun, free date!! The only drawback was the heat. It seems like it has been ever hotter this year than usual, even well into August. They still enjoyed the show though!  

Lots Going On!!

There was a lot going on with our family this week! Janelle and Bryton were at Lake Powell for the week with his family, and got engaged while they were there! Jase was competing at the National Laser Tag Tournament in Colorado, and we were busy preparing for Josh's missionary farewell. Rick was working and Monday and Tuesday I had interpreting jobs. 

Wednesday morning Rick and I got Josh and Jenna up at 7:00 am in order to pull weeds for a few hours before it got too hot! I stayed out longer than everyone else and went out the next morning for another couple of hours. We filled both big outside garbage cans with weeds, grass, and branches that had been pruned. 

Thursday night Ellen and the Boys came for the weekend so that they would be here for Josh's missionary farewell on Sunday. Since Jase was at the laser tag tournament, she was on her own! It was sure nice of here to com all the way here with the boys without Jase to help. I am sure it wasn't easy! I was glad that they got a few nice swims in! 

I had actually come down with a cold this week and wasn't feeling very well. I was glad that it only lasted a week though, and thankfully no one else got it! Thursday Rick and Josh went to the temple.

Friday morning I drove with Ellen to the car shop to get her van checked out because it started shaking really bad just before she arrived on Thursday night. They were able to get it fixed and it didn't cost too much thankfully! I guess the screw on one of the tires was not screwed in all the way. That would have been really dangerous if the tire had come off, so I am glad that they were able to figure out the problem and get it fixed! 

Friday Janelle and Bryton came after their Lake Powell trip and showed off her new ring! It is beautiful! Friday and Saturday Jenna and I were cooking all day in preparation for Josh's luncheon on Sunday. I put the two big pork roasts in the crock pot Friday night so that they could cook all night and be ready on Saturday to shred and prepare for Sunday. Saturday afternoon Jared and Hallie arrived! 

Saturday we also decided to have Bryton's family over for dinner. We thought it would be a good time since Janelle and Bryton just got engaged and we wanted to do it before they start back up at BYU. It was really nice to meet their family -- they are awesome! We think that Janelle and Bryton are such a great match!! We just had hamburgers and hotdogs and a bunch of salads. Bryton's mom brought a potato salad and fruit plate tonight too.

Jenna was excited too since she had met their family and had dinner at their house while Rick and I were on our vacation. But the two her age (one 14 and one 16) had to work tonight and couldn't come, so that it too bad. Jenna also had to work tonight, but not until later and so she was still able to eat with us. It was fun to get to know their family and to talk a little bit about the upcoming wedding!! Then Josh brought Jenna to work and the two engaged couples went on their double-date to Tuacahn!! 

Janelle and Bryton are engaged!! 💗

Janelle went to Lake Powell with Bryton's family and it was there that Bryton proposed! One of the evenings they were there, McKenna, Bryton's sister-in-law suggested they all go on a sunrise hike the next morning. Bryton nonchalantly acted somewhat uninterested by mentioning how early that would be. When he came to get Janelle in the morning she was still in her pajamas and he was wearing a nice, white collared shirt. The shirt tipped Janelle off a little, and Bryton tried to cover it up by saying that his mom made him bring this "rich guy boating shirt" on the trip, ha ha.  They went to a pretty overlook point and Janelle walked forward and saw the big light up letters that said, "Marry Me." Bryton proposed and she said, "Yes!" Janelle and Bryton are so great together! We are so excited for them to start this new adventure together! 

Josh, Missionary Photoshoot

I brought Josh to Snow Canyon to take some missionary pictures today! I was glad that we got some good ones!!