Today is Labor Day

 Hola Hermana Nielsen,

Well you are going to have to explain the institute thing.  Is that part of your area or is that your assignment in that new area.

We are all doing fine here.  It was fair weekend so the kids had Friday off of school but Cody had football practice in the morning, and then he and I went out elk hunting on Friday and Sat.  We did not see any elk.  We did see some fresh tracks and sign, and herd 1 bull elk bugle once, but nothing else.  We are going out again this morning.  So I thought I would drop you a quick line before we head out to the field.

I hope everything is going well.  We love you and pray for you all the time.  Keep working hard.  We are in Sept. and the middle of this month is your hump month.  

Keep studying the language and being obedient and you will be blessed.  The church is true and it is all worth it.  Whitney did not go to church again, that is 6 or 7 weeks in a roll.  I had her come in and talk about FAFSA stuff last week and she said the church always talks about families and the church has driven her from her family.  So she is spending more time with her family.  She wants to go to Boise State next semester.  So keep her in your prayers.

Have a super week.  I am off to call Cody in a big bull elk.

Love Dad

Dearest "Hermanita" Nielsen,

The Espinals referred to you this way, Dad thought that was kind of funny.  That was fun to see you in a picture with them that they posted on facebook.  You are right, their family has grown up a lot.  Marlene said that you spoke Spanish amazingly well.  I don't know exactly what she meant by that, but,  I'm sure that was fun for them to converse with you.

Cody has been on time for seminary 4/4 days last week.  He and Jacob Conklin are having a contest to see who will have the best record for punctuality.  I walked down in his room the other day and his bed was made and on his desk was the ATC test practice book, and Preach My Gospel and the scriptures were opened.  I thought to myself, 'Who lives here?'  He is really serious about his studies this year.  He is taking some hard classes in hopes of getting into BYU-Provo.  I told him I thought that was a good college for him, that he would not be as satisfied unless he could go to sporting events.  I don't know if you have heard anything about the ALS ice bucket challenge.  It is to raise money for Lou Gerhig's (ALS) disease.  People get challenged to take a bucket of ice water poured over their head or contribute to the ALS foundation, and then they in turn nominate a couple of their friends to do it.  Its really gone viral, since all the people post themselves being doused with the buckets.  Well, Amber, Summer and Carly did it and Cody got nominated by Romney, but he talked Adelaide into doing it for him.  He said she volunteered as tribute, #savedbya4yearold, #allforapieceofgum.  She is so cute on her little video, and Cody looks like he is having the best time getting to be the one throwing water on everybody.

We got the railing up on the front porch.  You know how Grandpa Croft has always said he felt there should be a railing on the edge so that someone didn't fall off the porch and keep going down into the window well?  I called Bro. Hessing about it (since he is a contractor) and he sent out a guy to measure and give us a quote on it. He told us $600. , which grandpa said he would pay for, since it was his insistence that we do it.  It took him weeks to get back to do it, but when he came to put it in he told us if we paid him cash, he would only charge us "5 Bengys" ( Benjamin Franklin is on the $100 bill).  So, even though we had some money stashed, dad had Amber put the  money in her purse and then go for a little drive pretending to go to the bank to get some cash.  He didn't want him to think we had "Bengys " just lying around.  I really like the way it looks, it was something to get used to, but I think it looks good.

Kelly, the mechanic lady came and got the bug to fix it.  She thinks it is the starter.  Walter has been in the sick bay for a few weeks, but we will need to get him up and running if we are going to add Cody to the driving ranks here.

Amber just read me your exciting news about your new area and your unique assignment,  Dad will think that is WONDERFUL ! We had the Neff Family over for dinner yesterday.  They have been in town all weekend for the fair and so we thought we would have them over for Sunday dinner. Summer and Carly were quite happy about that.  Vivian came back from Provo for the weekend, so she came too.  Their kids and our kids have so much fun together.  They played dodgeball in the backyard, with multiple balls.   

  We love you so much, love Mom 

...and I think I will try to get a new debit card and then I will send it to you.  Another thing --I met a lady at education week, who has a grandson serving in Lima, Peru, not sure which mission, but his name is Nathan Livingston, do you know him?