Welcome 2014!

Hello you two sister Missionaries,
 
It was great to skype Amber Lee for an hour on Christmas day.  It is too bad that Erin could not skype or we could have had a 3 way skype conversation going.  Amber looked great and sounds like everything is going smoothly and wonderfully.
 
This past week was kind of a blur.  I took off the day before Christmas and the day after to work on some house projects.  I had wanted to finish the food storage cabinets and then my air compressor went out on us.  The tank would not hold air.  That thing is practically new and already does not work.  So I went and worked on "Chelsea's bedroom" down in the basement.  Cody and Amber will now probably put dibs on that room when it is done. Christmas eve was interesting as Summer and Carly were throwing up all night long.  Then the next day, Cody and I had a bit of the Flu bug.  I was not throwing up, but had to stay close to the Bano with the Rocky Mountain quick step was going on with me.  Cody just felt bad, but I don't think he ever threw up.  Friday, I went back to work and Mom and I and Cody and Whitney went to the college to watch BYU play in the bowl game.  They got beat 31-15 by Washington.  They played decent the 1st half, but did not do any thing the 2nd half.  The 3 younger girls had a late night at the Goldings house and did not get home until 11:00 pm, way past their curfew.
 
Saturday, I worked in the basement on the room again.  One of Whitney's referrals to the Sister missionaries got baptized Sat. afternoon.  I don't remember her name, but last name of Williams and is a junior in high school and plays softball as well.  Cody knows her.  Cody went to the baptism and then he and Whitney spent all afternoon and evening playing games.  Cody was beating her and she was not happy, (very competitive).
 
Sunday, mom spoke in sacratmeeting about her 2 daughters serving missions and did a good job.  We had Whitney, and the elders and sister missionaries over for dinner after church.   Then our home teachers came over to visit us.  And Cody and I did our home teaching for the month.  We were suppose to have a discussion with Matt, the paper route guy that mom did a willing and brief question to at 7:30 but he was not home.  We did have a discussion with him in our home with the Elders on Friday night about the restoration and he seemed interested and wanted to read the BOM, but had no real religious background knowledge at all.  I was not very impressed with the teaching abilities or presentation methods used of the Elders.  I liked the way the sisters taught Whitney.
 
We watched Ephram's Rescue with Whitney Sunday night, but both mom and I were out sleeping very quickly.  Amber, have you seen that movie yet.  The missionaries here were able to watch it on Christmas day.  It is like the 17 miracles.
 
Tricia, Whitneys roommate is getting baptized this Sat. at 7 pm.  So that will be good. Ol whit is quit the missionary already.  Not a whole lot more going on in our lives.  Cody got 3 days off from basketball and now they have league games this Friday and Saturday.  Cody is trying to finish his eagle project, so he can get his eagle scout and drivers license.  He is pretty anxious for his license.
 
Well I hope you 2 have a great week.  Erin, I hope your companion straightens out.  You still need to keep being obedient and doing every thing you are suppose to whether she does them or not.  Your mission is very similiar so far to mine.
 
Erins Mission                                            Dad's Mission
Erin left 2013                                            Dad left 1983
Erin left 10 days after 19 yrs old           Dad left 1 day after I turned 19
Erin went to Peru Lima South                Dad went to Argentina, Buenos Aires South
Erins MTC comp named Sissons            Dad's MTC comp named Sexton
Erin's MTC comp struggling at MTC      Dad's MTC comp went home from MTC after a week or 2
Erin named SHE HULK in MTC                Dad named MAN HULK in MTC, (no just kidding) Elder Smiley was my name
 
A few similarities but I thought they were kind of interesting.
 
Have a super week.  We love you two and pray for your success daily.
 
Love Dad
 

2 Daughters on Missions

Hola,
 
I am now sending this email to 2 daughters on missions which is awesome.  This past week was really busy. Monday night we had the choralier concert and it was great.  We think it was one of the best concerts they have ever done.  Not that the singing was that much better, but all the students were enjoying themselves and having a good time.  They had the dancing and singing group which Cody participated in and they had this group of 5 seniors singing a few acapella songs that they had made up them selves and they had a little band with drums, base, guitars, piano etc.  It sounded like he that musical group who does Christmas songs.  But Ms. Rodgers was in a good mood and it was a very fun evening.  Erin was able to go up and sing the alumni songs with the group so that was good.  We got there 15 to 20 minutes early and were still late.  We could not find seats.  So we had to break up and sit in different areas.
 
Tuesday night, Erin got set apart as a missionary by President Lewis.  President Shumway and his wife were there along with President Esplin, and then our family and Whitney.  We thought is would be good for Whitney to see and hear the setting apart.  It was really good. He asked President Shumway to give the opening prayer.  And in his prayer, he mentioned something about those present here and those present in spirit (both from this life and the next).  President Lewis gave Erin some advice.  Told her not to get discourage and Satan will use discouragement as one of his biggest weapons on the mission.  He told her she would see alot of poverty, etc.  Then he asked Mom to bear her testimony and Sister Shumway and President shumway and President Esplin and myself.  It was really neat.  President Shumway said that Amber was only 1 of 3 that he could not set apart in his 9.5 years of service, so being there with Erin kind of made up for that.  President Esplin said he had known Erin since the day she was born.  Any way, it was all very nice and then President Lewis gave Erin a very nice blessing;  that she would be healthy and avoid sickness, that she would learn the language and love the people that she is serving.  It was a very special night and evening. 
 
We came home and had prayer an scriptures and Erin was getting all the last things done and packed etc.  At about 10 pm the phone rang and we thought it was Ben, so we said, do we answer that?  I told mom, yes we should and that is probably Chelsea calling to talk to Erin before she leaves.  It was a lady from the church travel department and she said that Erins flight from Elko to SLC had been canceled and wondered what we wanted to do.  We had 2 choices, we could have her catch a 12:30 flight out of Elko, but then she would miss all her connecting flights and have to stay the night in a hotel in SLC, and fly out the next day by herself, or we could drive her over to SLC to catch her noon flight out of SLC.  We asked Erin and she did not want to travel by herself and wanted to drive to SLC.  If we missed the flight on Thursday, she would not be able to fly out until after Christmas, which she did not want.
 
So mom got up at 3:30 am and woke me up, I was trying to sleep until 4:30 but was not able to go back to sleep, so I got up and showered and got every thing ready and we left at 6 am.  We had good roads, but there was quite a bit of fog in Utah.  Some places were pretty thick.  But we made it there in good time and I dropped off Erin at the airport and she made it to Lima.  We got an email from her the next day.  She got to the Lima MTC at 3 am.  I guess in the SLC airport she met up with a group from the provo MTC going to Argentina and her Lima MTC companion was on that flight from Heber Ut and an Elder John from Idaho Falls.  We were glad she got there.
 
After I dropped her off, I went by mom and dad's house and met Sharon and Deeray there and I took home alot of mom's old food storage.  They are trying to get rid of all the junk and old things.  Charlene will inherit the house, but we think she should sell it and get something more manageable for her to upkeep.  I brought home soup, and pickles and old meat from the freezer, etc.
 
I left Utah around 2:30 pm, as I did not want to be traveling in the dark with alot of fog.  I got home around 6 Elko time and then we went to Summer's FFA activity and decorated gingerbread houses.  I was tired when we got home, it was a long day.
 
Thursday was just another day, I played bball in the morning and went to work.  Cody left with his bball team to go to Utah for a tournament there. They played Logan on Thursday who was undefeated and suppose to be the #2 team in the state in 4A.  Elko won by 3 points.  Cody had 7 points,  one 3-pointer and 4 for 4 from the line.  So without his buckets, they would have lost. 
 
I worked a half day of work on Friday and the kids got out of school at 1 pm, so we went to see Cody play in SLC.  We took Whitney with us as this would be the only time she could watch Cody play while she is home.  Elko played Heriman and lost 50-41.  Elko's 1st loss of the year.  Elko did not play very well.  They could not make any of their baskets.  Cody was 1 for 2 shooting with 2 points total.
 
We stayed at mom and dads house Friday night.  It snowed quite a bit Friday night and sat in utah.  Since he lost they played at 1 pm.  They played Syracuse and won by 3 points.  Cody had one 3 pointer and 1 jump shot for 5 points.  He was 0-2 from the free throw line.  He missed 2 front end of 1 and 1s.  Afterwards, we went to temple square as Whitney had never been there before, to see the lights and temple, etc.  We met a ton of visitor sisters missionaries and it was fun.  One sister asked me if she could take my phone number and use me as a member present when they are teaching people over the phone.  So I said, heck yes.  I think that would be great to share the gospel with missionaries when they are calling referrals over the phone.  FUN FUN FUN.
 
We went back to mom's house and Darhl and Deeray, Timmy, Nate, Brenna, and Trevor were there.  We had a fun time watching BYU bball team play Oregon, the #13 team in the country.  BYU led the entire game and lost in OT.  But it was a fun night with tons of laughs.  Whitney thought we were all crazy.
 
Sunday we stayed over to let the weather clear up.  We were planning on driving back early and go to church, but it was still snowing, wo we decided to go to church with Charlene. Cody and I  did not take our church clothes.  The girls had skirts.   Cody and I wore 2 of dads old suits, with his cowboy boots.  I had a green shirt on of my own, not a church shirt and it did not match at all.  Cody said, he had a white shirt of grandma's on, but I am sure we looked liked a couple of hicks.  We left after church and drove back to Elko and had great roads.  No snow, no fog, etc.
 
It was a long but short week.  Erin, we wanted to know if you were able to take you jerky with you on the plane and through customs.  Whitney said she was not allowed to take food or drink with her on the plane.
 
I hope you two have great weeks.  Study hard, learn alot, choose the right and return with honor.  Erin will you be able to call or skype on Christmas?  We hope you are learning the language and adjusting to the MTC life.  How is the food down there in the MTC.
 
Enjoy this time as a missionary as it goes by very quickly.  We will talk to you Amber in a few days.  We love you both very much and pray for you daily.
 
Love,
 
DAD

Counting down the days! 2 days left for Erin

 Hello Sister Nielsen,

 
We hope you had a super week this past week.  Christmas is next week and I have not even thought about it yet.  We are focused on getting Erin on her mission and then perhaps we can think about it a little more.  Even though we had 3 months to prepare for this, it sure seems like it snuck up on us very quickly.
 
This past week appears to be a blur like the rest of them.  I had a big report to get out at work, so my entire focus was getting that done.  I finally finished it Thursday evening.  I am also trying to finish up my accounting class and get the grades posted, they are due tomorrow.  Summer had her middle school choir concert one night this week, so we went to watch that.  Cody has been busy going around to all the schools singing and dancing.  Mom was at Northside when they were performing, but I arrived just after they finished their show choir dances.  They have their christmas concert tonight so I will be able to see him there.
 
Cody and his bball team also travel to Fernley on Friday and Fallen on Sat.  They beat Fernley by 40, cody was 1 for 1 from the 3-point line.  Sat. they were up by 37 at the end of the 3 rd quarter, but got outscored 19 - 2 in the 4th period.  So they only won by 20, but cody said they had their 2nd and 3rd teams in playing.  Cody had 2 points in that game. So they are still undefeated for the year, 5-0.  They go to SLC for a tournament this week, thrusday, friday and sat.  We might go over there on Friday to watch him play friday and sat.  Whitney got back from college on Sat night and picked him up at the high school after he got home from the bus.  It was about 11:30 pm when they got home, and mom and I were crashed in the chair and on the couch.  We were not too coherent at that time of night.  We got up early on sat. morning to deliver the papers and finders which were big again, so we did that for 2+ hours on Sat. morning.
 
Yesterday was a good day.  Erin gave her farewell talk in the 3rd ward.  Sharon and Brian and Charlene came over representing the family.  They drove over sunday morning, we had dinner as quickly as possible after chruch and they left around 4 to travel back.  We were all running around the kitchen trying to get every thing prepared for the meal.  Whitney ate with us as well.
 
Erin did really well on her talk.  She spoke about the atonement and Christ and missionary work from Elder Hollands address to missionaries in the mtc.  She did a great job.  The entire elko high school varsity girls basketball team was there except for 1 girl and the coach.  They took up an entire bench.  But I thought that was wonderful for them to support her like that.  And hopefully a few hearts were touched.  Whitney and Tricia and her boy friend were there as well.  Then the Choraliers sang after sacratmeeting to our ward, so it was a very special sunday.  They always bring the spirit with the songs they sing.  Then at 4:30 pm on Sunday, we met up with the Shumways and the Bryces in our ward to go caroling to a few elderly people in our ward and to the lady that mom has been fellowshipping through cross guarding.  Then we went over to the shumway for hot apple cider and snacks.  It was a fun day.  We got home and tried to have FHE, Erin wanted us to watch that Holland video she used in her talk, as we all fell asleep.  I think she was kind of disappointed in us.  She probably felt like the savior did in the garden when his apostles kept falling asleep.    We will have to watch it tonight again.
 
Well, that is it from this end.  I hope you have a fantastic week and keep working hard these last 2 months.  Enjoy every second you have to be a missionary.  They called President Shumway to be a counselor in the mission presidency.  I am sure to prepare him for things to come.  The east stake president has only served for 4 years and they called him and his wife to be mission presidents of a spanish speaking mission, not sure which one yet.
 
We love you and in 2 days we will have 2 missionaries out in the field to pray for and support.  What a great blessing it is to have missionaries serving from your family.
 
Love,
 
Dad

Brrrrrrr!

We are in the deep freeze currently right now in Elko.  I left to Vegas Monday morning around 5:00 am and the weather was usual for that time of year.  Vegas was in the 50's when we got there, but then the artic freeze moved in and Elko has not been above 32 degrees since.  Last night it was suppose to be -18.  Winnemucca and Ely got down to -37 or close to that.
 
Well I had some good department of ed training in Vegas.  I stayed at the Luxor hotel and it was ok.  The conference was in the Mandalay bay hotel and the two hotels are connected by walk strips.  So I did not leave the hotel the entire week.  I missed lunch everyday as we had training meetings the entire time.  Vegas was even getting down to 23 degrees.  We came back Friday night at 6:30 pm.  I had to do the books for Cody's game.  Elko beat Damonte Ranch by 40 points 83-43 on Friday and then they beat Reno High school sat. by 20 points. 76-56 or something like that.  Cody did not have any points either game.  He played ok, but does not have any confidence in his shooting.  It look to me like he had changed his form.  So Sat. morning, cody, summer, carly and I went to the church to work on their shooting form and get his shot back.  We shot for a little over an hour.  He was doing good when we left, but was tired.  Then I did the books for 3 games including Cody.  So I was gone most of the day.  It snowed last Tuesday and again Sat. morning.  Some girl got hit by a car Friday night after the game crossing the street.  I guess she is ok, broken leg, etc.
 
Sunday, Erin gave her farewell in the YSA branch, so cody, mom and I went to listen to her speak.  She did a good job.  Next week she speaks in our ward and that is her last sunday until her mission.  She received her itinerary and she flys out Wed. morning on the 18th from elko, around 6 am.  I believe she flys to Dallas, then atlanta, then lima.  We still have a lot to do to get her all ready.  She has semester tests this week, and then we have a lot to get done.
 
We had tithing settlement on sunday afternoon, and we had the elders from the YSA branch over for dinner for ERin's big 18th birthday.  After tithing settlement, we went to the Creche festival at the stake center.  Mom stayed and did her 2 hour turn there from 6-8 pm.
 
The paper truck broke down today coming from Twin Falls, so the papers were late, and mom was out delivering all 3 routes all day long.
 
Well, I can't think of much else to say, as I was in meetings all week.  We love you and hope you have a very special, successful week.
 
Cody starts league play this week in Fernley and Fallon friday and sat.
 
Keep working hard and enjoy these last 2 months.
 
Love,
 
Dad

Thankful

Sister Nielsen,
 
We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We were going to go to Utah, but Cody had bball practice at 10:00 am on Friday, so that would have made it a very short trip.  The papers were suppose to be out by 3:00 am so mom was up most of the night.  The papers came about 11:00 pm, but mom had to insert all the ads inside and put rubber bands around all the finders.  She laid down and slept for a couple hours and then went out and delivered them.  I woke up at 3 and she was still not in bed, so at 4 am, I heard her come back home and I helped her finish delivering the papers and finders.  We let Cody and Erin sleep in.
 
So mom made us a wonderful thanksgiving dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, yams, etc.  It was nice.  I was tired after dinner as I did not sleep well, wondering where mom was all night and then getting up and helping her early.  So I took a little nap.  Friday, I tried to do some honey dos.  I fixed the bug for Erin and the cable to the gas pedal broke, so I was trying to figure out a makeshift fix to get it to run again.  I spent some time at the auto parts store and then at home depot trying to come up with a solution.  I finally decided to try a particular method and it worked.  I also fixed the door to the cabinets in the little bathroom, that was broken.  Saturday, I worked down in the basement, trying to fix things up.  I am still trying to finish chelsea's room, but It makes me nervous as the window wells keep flooding when it rains, and snows.  I would hate to finish everything and then have the basement flood again and ruin every thing.
 
BYU beat University of Nevada Reno in Football on Sat.  It was an ugly game.  Then Cody and Erin had their alumni games on saturday night.  The girl alumni team lost by 3 points.  They should have won.  Erin had 3 points, all from free throws.  Should could not make any normal baskets.  The boys basketball team won big over the alumni team.  They won 72 to 56 or something.  Cody had 3 points as well.  Cody was 1 for 3 from the line with a short jumper and Erin was 3 for 4 from the line.  She tweeked her ankle a bit and the very end of the game.  But it was fun to see them play again.  It should be a good year for the boys team.
 
It was fast Sunday today and we had a good day.  We did not have any one over for dinner, but it was good.  I figure that we need to enjoy these last few weeks with Erin before she leaves to Peru.  They called us to substitute for nursery, and we only had 2 kids in there from the spanish branch.  Then mom went to relief society the 2nd hour so I was by myself.  The 1 little girl wanted us to hold her the entire time.
 
Cody had to be the sub for his sunday school class.  They asked erin, but she went to the YSA branch. 
 
At work, they moved our offices, so this past week I have been packing and unpacking our office.  That took up most of my time at work.  This next week I have a meeting and training in Las Vegas all week.  So Tawny and I are leaving at 5 am tomorrow to go to vegas.
 
We enjoyed hearing from the sister missionary that called us on thanksgiving.  She said you were the hardest working missionary that she has been associated with.  That was a good compliment.
 
I believe I told you before, but perhaps I forgot, but Whitneys entire softball team and her coaches are going to go to church with them this next Sunday.  Her coach said, we have 4 mormons on the team, so why don't we all go check out what this mormon religion is all about.  That is a pretty neat thing.  An entire softball team and their coaches from a Menonite school is going to check out this mormon church.  That should surprise the missionaries serving in that ward.
 
I need to tell you a quick story that Sharon shared with us.  There is a lady in her ward that is the only member of her immediate family.  This story happened 14 years ago. Her daughter was going to received her endowments and be sealed in the temple to her fiance on a particular Friday.  The Monday before she was to me sealed in the temple, she went to have her wisdom teeth pulled out since she was still covered under her parents insurance.  Well she went in and never woke up after they put her to sleep.  She died during the procedure, had some kind a allergic reaction to the anesthesia.  Her mom was devastated and was really having a tough time with the loss of her daughter.  But they got permission from the 1st presidency to still have her sealed to her fiance the following wednesday.  And this mom said that when she walked into the temple the day they were going to seal her to her fiance, she saw her daughter who was dead.  Her daughter said to her mom, "isn't this exciting?  This is going to be the best day ever."  This lady in sharon's ward said, that her deceased daughter spent the entire time with her in the temple that day.  In the sealing room, there was standing room only, and this mom did not know the majority of the people in attendance.  But her daughter stood there next to her and told her about every person that walked by her and congratulated her after the sealing.  She said she said something personal to every person in attendance that day.  So if that was not special enough, this lady said that about a week had gone by after the passing of her daughter and the phone rang one day and it was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the phone.   She had never met him or talked to him before.  Elder Holland told her that as he was reading her daughters obituary in the newspaper, the heavens were opened to him and the veil was lifted from his eyes.  He saw her daughter and told this lady in sharons ward that her daughter is doing very well.  She is happy and learning a lot and that every thing is fine.  He also wanted to know how her daughters fiance was doing?  I guess he called him as well and told him that he needs to go on with his life and marry again in this life, etc.
 
Well I guess, Elder Holland called her a few more times after that to follow up on this lady in Sharons ward.  One day he called, the mom was down going through the things in her daughters room and was having a very tough time and the phone rang and it was Elder Holland.  He also told her that if there is any opportunity that any of her family members needed to be sealed in the temple, etc, that he would love to have that privilege of performing that sealing.  I guess he is a close family friend now to the family.  Pretty amazing, no?  This lady told sharon that the veil is very thin and that she could sit there all day and tell her stories of how she has been visited and associated with her deceased daughter.  I guess her fiance did marry another lady and they now have 5 kids.  The oldest of their children is a girl who the named after the deceased fiance.  I guess this girl was the best baby ever, always happy and always smiling, never crying, etc.  When the little girl was about 2, she was over to the house of this lady in sharons ward and they were pointing to pictures of this lady's other children and asking her their names, etc.  When they pointed to the daughter who died, and asked that little girl who that was, the little girl said "that is mommy".  And her real mom, said, no, that is not you mommy, I am your mommy.  But the little girl said, no that is mommy too.  So they think that the deceased daughter could have possibly been helping out with those children.
 
When this lady was telling Sharon all these stories, sharon said, well the veil is not very thin for me.  My mom died 3 weeks ago and I have not seen her or had any experiences with her after she died.  And the lady said, yes but you are so strong in the gospel, you do not need to have those kind of experiences to help you,  but I was really struggling and I needed those to help me get by. 
 
So Sharon and I were talking, and I told Sharon, that is probably why we don't have any of those experiences.  I know now, more so than if I had seen a loved one who had passed on, that there is life after this life.  I know that families can be together forever and there is no doubt in my mind.  Seeing a love one who has passed on would not add any more to my testimony or to the knowledge that I already have that has been born to me by the holy spirit.  Any way, I thought that was really cool.
 
Well, we love you and hope you have a super week.  Keep working hard.  Enjoy all the time you can as a missionary as it is some of the best experiences that you will ever have in this life. 
 
Love
 
Dad