Author Archives: Joy

Family History Friday: Grandma Blanche!

Posted on by
Reply

Blanche

Did you ever love someone that you couldn’t spent much time with?

That is how I felt about my Grandma Blanche.

She is my dad’s mom. She was an amazing woman. She was the mother of 8 children. She was a very talented seamstress. She worked with my Grandpa sewing men’s suits at their tailor shop. She was always a hard worker, an example of industry. I wish I had been able to ask her how she did it all?

The family lived in Spokane, Washington. When my dad was a young adult, he left home to work in California. He never went back. Opportunities came and he met and married my mom, and they moved to Utah. At the time, the main mode of communication was letters. You could call, but it was expensive, and most people didn’t use it much, unless there was an emergency. I felt at times that I wish I could see my Grandma more, or at least visit with her. She did send me a birthday card every year.

I know she loved me.

I saw my Grandma Blanche about 5 times in my life. She passed away just before my second child was born. I remember being sad that I didn’t get to know her very well, and I didn’t have the opportunity to spend more time with her. She died in the spring, and when my birthday came in November I knew that I wouldn’t receive a card in the mail from her ever again.

I miss her.

I do believe that I will see her again someday.

I will get to spend time getting to know her better and loving her. I will be able to tell her how happy I am that she is my grandma, and I am very happy about that.

“I’m in the Armpit!”

Posted on by
Reply

IMGBack in the day, many moons ago, Kelsey was in jr. high school. It was a tough time for her. It’s a tough time for everyone. I had a friend once call jr. high, “The armpit of life.” Ever since then, we call it that too. We didn’t hide this description from the kids, they knew that’s what we called it.

One day Kelsey was having a particularly hard day.

She was very upset about life, school, and anything else you can think of. We were giving her suggestions of things she could do to make things better, and we were probably giving her a little grief for not doing as well in school or life as she could be. She finally blurted out,

“I can’t help it, I’m in the armpit!!!”

We all started laughing, including Kelsey. It was a good. We all needed the reminder that the “armpit” was temporary. From that time on, she was much more relaxed about the struggles that come while you’re “In the armpit of life.”

Out on a WIM #25

Posted on by
Reply

Emily in the Rain

#25

Hello! This week was excellent. Didn’t quite show in our numbers! But let’s face it numbers don’t mean a thing….. SO yes 🙂 I got the package! THANK YOU, it was a lot of fun! The O’s aren’t there… We actually were lucky to have been there when he dropped it off! Yes you can still send mail there. The Zone Leaders and I check the mail and take care of the O’s stuff since they are not here. We should be getting a new senior couple soon! Prolly next transfer.

Awwwww… I am glad dinner went well for Janny’s birthday dinner!!!
Sounds like you did great in sharing time 🙂
They do not celebrate Halloween here! Ummm… but for Halloween I dressed up as a sister missionary and went around door to door sharing the gospel…. 😉 Hahaha I actually did wear an orange skirt, purple shirt and black cardigan though for Halloween. Me and the sisters all wore Halloween colors and we drew moustaches on our faces at the end of the day for a picture.
Yes my new members are doing really well! Brother K. is about to get a calling and he has the priesthood. Has never missed a day of church and never misses an activity or branch project.
L. is doing well. She bore her testimony in church on Sunday and also was fasting and always pays her tithing and fast offering She is so cute. She always “Sister, I am sorry but will you help me fill out my slip again. They are both SOLID. AH!! I am so happy. Um so Brother K. only has one church shirt and it doesn’t have a collar so he can’t wear a tie and I really wanted to get him something. But I really am not sure if we have money for me to do that… Will you let me know if that’d be possible at all?
My new comp… Yes she is having fun. She is warming up to being a missionary. She has opened up a lot so that makes me really happy. We are good friends, I love her a lot. There is still much to work on but she and we will get there. I just have to remind myself to have patience and take things little by little. I have seen miracles happen with her though so I am excited to see what else is in store. I see a lot of good in her and I know I am blessed to have her as a companion.
Stressed? Me? Noooooooooooo….. Just kidding! A little but I have a better handle on things than I did before. There is just a LOT on my plate and really all I can do is my best. Yes He is already helping and lifting me to a higher plane I believe.
Thanks for everything mommy 🙂 I sure love you. You are such a strength to me.
Tell Dad I love him and I think the world of him.
Ummm this week we performed the puppet show again! It was a lot of fun. We also did an all day service project painting this cute day care center! Lots of service this week. I love it!
I am doing really well. Sometimes I am really tired inside and my brain feels a little over loaded but I really am doing great! I never will let that tiredness show. I am so grateful for this time I have… I would never waste a minute of it! Don’t worry about me in the least, I am working hard and doing my best and learning and growing everyday! It is great!
I love you all.
Special Birthday shout out to the one that birthed me… Mama, I am SO glad you were born. I look up to in every way and you have made me the person I am today. Thank you for choosing to live a good life and be a good mom and raise me in the gospel. It means so much to me. I love you more than anything. Seriously you are still my best friend. I wish I could give you a hug for your birthday and buy you some flowers and stuff but sadly I can’t… But it’s the thought that counts! You know I would if I could. But what I can give you is an air hug and a cool shout out! Anyway back on track… Thanks for all you do. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST MOM EVER!!!!!
One and all have a great week!
Remember Alma 37:6 “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass…”
I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL (I know Janet loves when people do this) So I did just for you as a special birthday gift… 😉

Sunday Best!

Posted on by
Reply

DSC04847        “God asks that we give thanks to Him for whatever blessings we receive from Him. It is easy for us to become mechanical in our prayers of gratitude, often repeating the same words but without the intent to give our thanks as a gift of the heart to God.” 

-Henry B. Eyring

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy

Happy Halloween!!!

Posted on by
Reply

We only had two people dress up for Halloween at our house!

Tayzie and…DSC06157

DSC06158

Flexy! Tayzie is a pumkin and Flexy is a Sith. In case you don’t know what a Sith is, they us the dark side of the force in Star Wars. I told Flexy that I’d rather he be a Jedi, but he wasn’t going for it. DSC06162

I said that if you’re going to be on the dark side, you better not smile, you better act tough. So here he is not smiling and acting tough. He’s still very handsome though.DSC06160

Out on a WIM #24

Posted on by
Reply
IMG_0706
#24
Alright Family! How are you all? It sounds like you are doing oh so great!

OH WOW!!!! Lot’s of people are having babies!!! Wah. I have been a little bit baby hungry the last couple of days. Hahaha but no worries it’s nothing serious! Just a slight craving.. It will pass. Tell everyone congrats for me!

Tanks for the quotes! I love the ones you send 🙂

Ok so as for this week…. WOW it was probably the most crazy week EVER. I literally was so stressed that I could hardly function. We had Zone Conference this week. And for our interviews with President M. we were to memorize ten verses of a chapter in the BOM. The senior couple had to go home early because her sister died… 🙁 So the ZL’s and I are in charge of the finances and basically everything that the senior couple does….

Alright so Zone Conf. on Friday was SO GOOD. I felt the spirit so strong. And everything they shared was exactly what I needed. President and Sister M. are amazing.

The AP’s decided to come out teaching with us on Saturday and my brain was just fried from all of the stress… Plus it was crazy having them come out with us. I WAS FLIPPIN’ OUT! So anyway we took them to a lesson and it went AWFUL. Well so I thought at the time.. I am thinking welp I am an awful teacher and I can’t handle this stress I am having.. I was getting physically ill from it all.

Anyway so I just cried that night and prayed like crazy. Heavenly Father helps me out so much and Sister W. the Sister Trainer Leader called me and just let me tell her everything. I felt better a little bit.

So Sunday I was still feeling sick and just sad and like I am just not good enough…. And church everything just fell into place. The things I learned and heard helped me so much. I then could see the good things in life like I normally can. So I went back over our time with the APs in my mind but looking in a different light and realized that there are so many tender mercies that are happening around me. And so many things I needed to learn from that lesson. I am so grateful for this week and for the struggles I have. I have learned a lot about myself and really felt of a love from my Father in Heaven. I know everything will fall into place when we trust in the Lord.

I need to slow down and stop stressing myself out. Let go of things I cannot change and take life one baby step at a time. What about Bob!! Hahahah who knew right? I have been saying baby step doing this and that! It helps!

Um… as for training it is going about as good as it possibly can. I am taking it slow by slow, line upon line and doing my very best. I love my companion and have seen her grow so much already I am excited to continually see this change!

There is a lot that happened this week! But L. is now confirmed a member of the church! Yeeha!

But just so you know I am mostly back to myself! I feel so much better. I am extremely blessed.

Mom: (the letter at the top is usually mostly for you) Thanks for sending the package! Hopefully I get it tomorrow. You are the best. Keep being you and having your beautiful big heart! I love you an awful lot. Don’t ever worry about me, I am having the time of my life and am in good hands, (Heavenly Fathers hands).

Dad: Hahaha you and your documentaries 😉 You are so great. But it is true we should have that kind of faith in our Father in Heaven. Keep being awesome and serving your heart out. I love you daddy.

Moral of this week: Take it easay.

Scripture of the week: Ether 12:27 Our weaknesses help us to be humble and we can learn and grow and help our weaknesses become strengths! Especially through our Savior Jesus Christ and his gospel.

The church is true of course! I know 🙂 I will hopefully send pictures next week! I love you all. Remember who you are and what you stand for. God bless!

Got Any Gwapes?

Posted on by
Reply

DSC06146

Look at these beautiful Concord grapes!!! They smell and look so wonderful. We have been juicing almost everyday! The juice from these grapes is the best!DSC06148

The color is spectacular. I wish I could capture it in my picture. We are so excited to drink this juice all winter long!DSC06149Yum!!!!!

Out on a WIM #23

Posted on by
1
baby emSister Emily at 3 months old!

#23

Mommy: I sure did love my package. Specifics: The clothes fit great. Thank you for the notes and everything that was in my package it made me so happy! Yes I would appreciate my meds soon if you could do that 🙂 I am indeed having a lot of fun with Sister H.! She was so shy… But she is opening up. We have a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. I am just trying to continue showing her the ropes of missionary work! It is oh so great.

This week has been crazy!!!!!!! First of all I had my second baptism yesterday 🙂 It was L. She was so ready and everything went well. She got up to bear her testimony and started to tell this random twenty minute long story about nothing. Then I realized that I never explained to her how to bear a testimony….. Woah. This’ll never happen again. Ya live and ya learn right?? Hahahahahaha it was pretty bad. L. likes to talk…….. A LOT. Well so does everyone here but she is…… yeah. Anyway she is great and sure do love her!

Another cool thing that happened this week is: E. (the one who said she hated Heavenly Father and Jesus a long time back) said a prayer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The most heart felt prayer. It was beautiful I started to tear up! She has come A LONG WAY from where she was and she still has a long way to go. But I know that we met her for a reason and cannot give up on her.

Also this week my favorite old lady from the mission field… The one that is ninety years old? Yeah she passed away this week. It was very sad. But I know she is in a better place but I will miss her a lot. The members all called me to let me know because they knew I loved her so much.

This week is Zone Conference coming up! I am deeply excited!

Hmmmm… There is a lot more but not too much time! Heavenly Father is so great. The scripture that has been sticking out to me this week is the one talking about how God shows us our weaknesses so that they can become strengths and everything like that! I feel that this week. There are lots of strengths and weaknesses I have. But I want to be better everyday.

Mama thanks for all you do again. I know you can’t hear it enough… So I will keep telling you. I love you tons and tons.

Anyway Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor. I am still loving being a missionary. I have a heart full of love for my Savior and his gospel and each and every one of you. I know the church is true. It is such a blessing to me. Have a great week, remember to read the scriptures and pray all the time! Remember, “Life is good”. Always!

Love always, Sister Emily 🙂

Sunday Best!

Posted on by
Reply

DSC04387

“Generally there is in man a divinity which strives to push him onward and upward. We believe that this power within him is the spirit that comes from God. Man lived before he came to this earth, and he is here now to strive to perfect the spirit within. At sometime in his life, every man is conscious of a desire to come in touch with the Infinite. His spirit reaches out for God. This sense of feeling is universal, and all men ought to be, in deepest truth, engaged in the same great work—the search for and the development of spiritual peace and freedom.” -David O. McKay

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy