Erin is Married Now!

Hello Elder Nielsen,

This week was a very crazy and busy week but a very good week. Monday was the national championship game for college football and Alabama beat Clemson by a touchdown or so. So Alabama has won 5 championships in the last 9 years.  I was voting for Clemson.

On Tuesday, I had to go to Battle Mountain to visit with financial aid students.  They kept me very busy that day.  We were getting more snow every day.  It has been crazy this year with snow.  Quinton our neighbor said he heard we have received more than 47 inches of snow this winter.  It is making up for all the past years when we did not get any snow. 

Wednesday, we were trying to finish up all the arrangements and reception plans and the girls had an early out, so I took off work around 2:30 pm and we headed out about 4 pm to Utah.  It was snowing in Elko before we left, so I wanted to get on the road before it was dark. I don't like driving in the dark especially in the snow. Chelsea and David made the trip from New Mexico and we all stayed at Sharon and Brian Dunn's house.  Amber and Kevin came down from Rexburg and got in around 1 am.  We got in about 8:30 pm Utah time and wanted to go to Costco before they closed, but we missed it.  So we went to walmart and bought a long subway sandwich for dinner and went to Sharon's house.  It is very nice of them letting us all stay at their place.

We had to be at the temple at 8, so we wanted to leave at 7 am Utah time. I wore that charcoal suit from Hong Kong that you ripped out the pants and suit coat to the temple and reception.  I wore that same suit 27 years ago at my wedding reception.  So I think that is pretty good for me to fit in the same suit I wore 27 years ago when I was married.  But mom had to sew up the suit before we left. Mom got up at 4 am utah time, 3 am Elko time to shower and get every thing ready. We ate breakfast at Sharon's, she had some ham and cheese croissant sandwiches, which were good. We left about 7:20 am and had to go pick Erin up at Landon's sisters' apartment. We only had the address and we were driving around and could not find it. It was about 8 am and we were suppose to be at the temple at 8:10 am.  We finally found the right road, and mom found Erin. So we hurried to down town SLC  to the temple and got in there about 10-15 minutes late, but it all worked out ok. It was snowing all morning and pretty cold. The girls in their dresses were freezing.  The sealing ceremony was nice.  It was a little different, he talked a lot about the history of the Salt Lake temple. And told them to forget themselves and concentrate on the other person to make their marriage work.  Not a lot of personal counsel as we have seen at other sealing ceremonies. From our family, we had Charlene, Cassidy, DeeRay, Darhl and Joanne, Bishop Olsen and his wife and Kylee, Hermana Bott, Amber and Kevin, Cameron and Amelia Dunn, Brian and Sharon Dunn. The Welch's invited the Bates, the Nesbits, with Scott, and a bunch of their family members. It was all very nice. Another payday from the parents perspective. 

We took lots of pictures afterwards. Erin wanted a professional photographer and we spent $1,500 for the photographer and the person who was video taping the event.  Afterwards we drove to Holiday Utah to a chapel and had the luncheon.  The food was purchased from Olive Garden. It was lasagna and salad, bread sticks and some Alfredo noddles. It was good.

Afterwards, Summer forgot her bag and we had to drive back to Sharon's place to get the bag and then we went to Costco to buy meatballs and crackers, plates, and a bunch of other things for the food for the reception. We spent another $400 there for food. Then we drove back to Elko. From the Pequops to Elko it was snowing very hard.  From Wells, you could not see the lines in the road and they were all covered in snow. We got about 3-4 inches of snow in that 1.5 hours.We got back to Elko around 8:30 at night. Elko got 6-8 inches of new snow on Thursday night. 

We got up and had to do the papers on Friday morning and I shoveled the driveway and sidewalks.  We have about a 5 foot drift where I have been shoveling snow like we did that one year when you were a kid and you guy would slide down it.

Then we spent all day at the church setting up for the reception and traveling back and forth hauling all the dead limbs or trees that mom has collected and painted over the past 3 months. We were running around like chickens.  It was good to have Amber and Kevin here helping us set up and with Chelsea making all the cheese balls.  Mom came home from the church at 6 to get ready to go and the reception started at 6:30 pm, so we were scrambling around trying to get ready and back over there.  We needed another couple of hours to get it all ready.  But it turned out very nice.  Erin had made a full size cut out of you with your face from a picture cut out.  It turned out very nice. So you were represented.

The line was constant all night long, from 6:30 to 8:30.  Then people were visiting and we had the traditional dances until about 9:30 pm. Then we had the clean up. We were at the church cleaning up until 1 am. We were exhausted. We still had some things to do on Saturday to take down and return, but we were tired. 

Mom and I had to get up early and do the paper route and it snowed again during the night, so I shoveled the walks. Saturday we were able to spend more time enjoying David and Chelsea as before that we were running around like crazy.  Kevin and Amber drove over with Chelsea and David and left Amber's car in Utah.  They all headed back  to Utah around 3 pm Sat. and it was snowing again here on Sat.  It snows every day.  Erin and Landon came over and opened all their presents Sat. afternoon.  They got about $2,300 in cash and gift cards plus other gifts.  So they did pretty good.  I was tired all day Sat. and every muscle in my body hurt.  My broken rib was bothering me as well. 

Sunday was a good day, but mom and I were soooo tired we were falling asleep in every meeting.  We need about 3 days to recover from all this. I am glad it is over.  Chelsea and David made it back to Farmington ok, so we were happy about that. We had the missionaries and Erin and Landon over for dinner today.  They are sorting out their gifts to see what they need to return and what they are taking back to school with them.

We love you and are happy you are serving the Lord. Take a minute and think about the sacred privilege you have to be a special representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. Enjoy it and remember it always.  Be exactly obedient in all things.  We are happy you are doing so well. Keep working hard.

Have a super week.

Love Dad

Dearest Elder Nielsen,

Well, It's all done.  Erin is now Mrs. Landon Welch.  We had a wonderful weekend.  The best day was on thursday when they were sealed in the temple.  It was the day I didn't have to do anything but just attend and enjoy the spirit of the day.  We drove to Utah on Wed. after school and drove to Sharon and Brian's house and stayed there.  Chelsea and David were already there.  She had arrived  a few hours earlier.  Brian couldn't make it because he had a court case he had to stay in Farmington to attend to.  But, she was determined to come and Brian was supportive and let her as long as she made certain arrangements, which was that she had a companion to drive with her and the weather had to be good.  She had a young woman in her ward, that had family in Lehi, Ut. go with her and she just dropped her off with her cousins and she stayed there until it was time to head back.  David is still a little guy, but he is getting bigger, and he smiles a lot and he is very cute. 

Addie really had fun hanging out with him.

The best day was the day of their sealing.  I enjoyed it a lot.  I could just go and enjoy the spirit of the day.  They both looked very happy. We had some good representation of our family.  We took pictures outside outside the temple in a light snow.  It was beautiful.  We went to a church for the wedding luncheon which was catered by Olive Garden.  It was really yummy.  Uncle Ken came to that.  We went to Costco for some last minute wedding stuff and then we headed back to Elko.  Friday morning we were up early and heading to the church to set up for the reception.  It was a lot of work, but it turned our very nice. A lot of people complimented on how beautiful it was.  The canoe was a hit.  Amber made a sign to go on the back, that said, "Just Married", and it was really fun. Your picture cut out was very charming, I loved seeing your cute face. We had plenty of food, I had a lot left over.  Dad and Kevin were great.  They just let me do my thing and  were very supportive of all my grand plans.  I am so glad it turned out so well, but just as glad that it is done, so I can get back to a normal life.

I had wrote a lot more about this, but I lost half the page somehow--it went Poof!  We are just happy that Erin has a wonderful husband that loves her and Amber has a great guy too.  Chelsea and Brian and little David are a cute little family, and I just feel overwhelmingly blessed.  Our family is growing and I love it!  I love you and hope you have super great week!  Love, Mom