Spring, finally!

Dear Elder Nielsen,

It was great to see you and talk to you. You look great. I hope you are surviving the heat ok over there. It is starting to warm up here now. It usually goes from winter to summer in a week. It was cold at the beginning of the week and the Ruby Mtns got about 1.5 feet of snow. We received grapple down here in the valleys. 

Monday was Summer's Choraliers concert. It was good, and Ms. Rodgers is enjoying things a lot more every since Erin's grade graduated. There was a lot of contention with her and that group. Summer wanted to go out to Denny's afterwards, but it was too late. They did not go over there until 9:30 pm and we get up early around 4 am. So to go pick her up later was not good for us. Summer has to get up early and do her paper route any way. I know you kids the older you got, the less desirable that was. (Except for Amber, she wanted to go out afterwards every year)

On Tuesday, I had the nicest family come in to see me about there FAFSA. They are a Mexican family with twin daughters that are seniors. The mom and dad do not speak any English, so we were talking the entire time in Spanish. It was very fun and we hit it off together very well. We both enjoyed the visit and I told them we would have to have them over for dinner some time. You know what that means..... An invitation to listen to the missionaries. They told me they were Catholic and attend church every week. I did not invite them that first night, but they are coming in to see me with the other twin tomorrow, so I will make that invitation then. They are an awesome family and would make great members of the church.

On Wednesday, I had to drive to Reno for meetings. I left around 2 or 3 pm and got to Reno about 7 pm. The wind was blowing badly the entire drive over there. I was hoping to make it over there to go to the temple and do some work, but the last session ended at 7 pm. They only have about 5 sessions a day.

I had meetings all day Thursday and a half a day on Friday for the NSHE retirement advisory board committee that I serve on.  I was hoping to make it to the temple on Thursday night, but we all went out to dinner and did not get done in time for me to make the 7 pm session.

So on Friday, we got done at noon with out meetings and I went to the temple and the next session did not start until 1 pm. So I did some initiatory's for an hour and then I did a session. So I left Reno about 3 pm and got home about 7:45 pm.

On Saturday, mom, the kids and I worked on the house all day. I put another shelf in the fruit room. Mom has filled that thing up already with food and storage.

Sunday, I had to give a talk on "Using the Book of Mormon to get answer to prayer".  It was kind of a specific topic, but I worked on that Saturday evening.

They talk went well. Mom and I went out and did some home teaching tonight. I also went with Brother Hiles to give Sister Gurr a blessing. She fell and hit her head and had spent some time in the hospital.

Elko lost the 1st 2 games at state in baseball to Boulder City and Moapa Valley. Spring Creek made it to the championship game but had to beat Boulder City 2 to win, but lost the first game 9-8.

The Cavs are blowing out the Celtics in the Eastern finals and the warriors are blowing out the spurs in the Western finals. On Friday, the Cavs were up by 41 points at half time. Largest lead ever in a play off game at half time.

Well, keep working hard. Sprint to that finish line and give it all you got. Don't be waving at the fans until you cross the finish line. You might pull a hammy or something like that.

We love you and pray for you daily. Missionary work is the best thing ever. Enjoy it while you can. I can't wait to make that invitation to that Spanish speaking family tomorrow evening.  Ma bajo un kili kili mo if you are working as  hard as you should be.

Love,

Dad

Dearest Elder Nielsen, 

Finally!  I think Spring is here to stay.  We had a few nice days in April and then it got cold and snowed again.  But, this week it is supposed to get into the 80's.  Yeah!  I am so ready for warm weather, it was a looong winter.  I planted my flower pots on the front porch and Adelaide helped me plant the petunias that line the front walkway.  Dad was in Utah last weekend for a youth temple .trip and he went to Costco and bought me a whole bunch of flowers for Mother's Day.  The grass is looking healthy and green; I am hosting Bookclub this week and I am considering doing it outside, if its a nice day.  Adz has been enjoying riding her bike.  She was out all day on Sat. going up and down the sidewalk playing with all her little friends.  We have a new family on our street.  They live in the Johnson's house (Chris and Lorrie built a house by the golf course and moved over there)  It's a single dad and 3 kids-- a girl Adelaide's age, and then her brothers that are 5, and 4yrs. old.  Their grandma lives with them too.  Then Nathan and Emma, the Jimenez grandkids were here this weekend, so it was quite a little road race out there.

The Spring Choralier Concert was on Monday night.  It was really good as always, but I don't know if I have been to one quite as wonderful as the one that had the "combo" group  and you all sang "Happy".  I loved it.  Things at school are starting to relax now--choir concert complete, track is over, and this is the last week of seminary.   There is 3 1/2 weeks left of school, time is flying.

Thanks for getting me the copies of your driver's licenses.  I hope that I didn't take away too much of your work day to go get that done.  Sis. Bertin told me you were given permission to go do that.  She is a great lady.  I just emailed her and told her I needed some help completing your housing application.   She responded right away and always expresses how grateful she is  for the missionary that you are.  I got the details about their homecoming; its on the calendar.   I finally got that housing stuff done!  It was a long application and I had to upload your ID documents onto the online application.  I had never done that kind of stuff, so I called Chelsea and she walked me through it.  I even converted your jpg. attachments to the required pdf. (with Chee Chee's help) I'll probably forget the process before I do it again.  Alex and Benjamin are on your roommate request, so that should be a lot of fun.  Now, that that is not a concern, put it out of your mind and just concentrate on your "Sprint".

Also, little Taco, grandma's dog died last week.  She was 14 and had been having some health issues this past year and she finally succumbed.  Mom's pretty sad, and misses her a lot.  

Dad gave a good talk today about using the Book of Mormon to get answers to pray; he did a good job.

Well, have wonderful week, we sure love you, Mom