"Schools out for Summa"

Dear Elder Nielsen,

Another week has come and gone. It has been a very busy week for me as I have been working long hours, not taking a lunch break and working about 12 hours per day getting ready for the auditors. On Monday, we went to Carly's school as she was recognized by her teacher (Mrs. Wilkinson) as the student of the quarter. Her teacher says she tries really hard and works hard to finish all her work and corrects them when she does it wrong.  Her teacher is very nice and we think would make great members of the church.  Her son played against you in baseball and football, Sheldon Wilkinson. That did not take very long and I went back to work.

On Wednesday, we went again to Carly's school and she got first place out of all the 5th graders for her illustrations in the book she wrote. There were a lot of 5th graders, so that was quite the accomplishment. That is basically all I did this past week was work and go to those activities. 

The Warriors are playing Cleveland in the NBA finals. The Warriors are up 3 games to 1, which makes me happy as I don't like Labron James much, but I do like Stephen Curry.  

On Saturday I went in to work for about 4 hours in the afternoon. The kids got out of school for the summer on Friday. Summer and the youth in the stake are heading to Wyoming for the Trek on Monday morning at 5:45 am. We also went to Hattie Conklin's and Mariah Esplin's high school graduation party. Jacob, LA Jones and Marcus were at Hattie's. I talked to Jacob for a little and he said he is back home working for the summer and working out everyday. I asked him how he did this year, and he said he got his fast ball up to 88 mph a couple times this year. I told him to come visit us some time.

I am happy you are in the promise land. You will need to get those other Elders worked into shape. You set the example and they will follow. We love you and are so happy you are serving a mission. It is the best thing that you could be doing at this point in time in your life. You have now been out for almost a year, so as you get the language mastered, this next year will be a great productive year. Keep being exactly obedient in every thing and you will be blessed.

I am attaching a story about President Monson, which I heard today and loved, so I thought I would share it.

Keep working hard and being a dedicated missionary.

Love 

Dad

This story of President Monson was shared in our sacrament meeting today and I love it. So I thought I would share it will all of you kids if you haven't heard it before now. We can all use the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives as President Monson does.

One weekend in August 1974 an unexpected change of conference assignment came, sending Elder Monson to the Shreveport Louisiana Stake. The Saturday afternoon schedule was filled with a busy slate of meetings. Rather apologetically, the stake president asked Brother Monson if time would permit him to provide a blessing to ten-year-old Christal Methvin, who was afflicted with cancer. Brother Monson said he would be pleased to do so and then asked if she would be coming to the conference meetings or if she were confined to a Shreveport hospital. Almost reluctantly, the stake president said Christal was unable to leave her home many miles from Shreveport.

Elder Monson examined the meeting schedule and found that there simply was no available time. As an alternative, he suggested that she be remembered in the public prayers which would be offered throughout the conference. Surely, he consoled, the Lord would understand and bless the Methvin family accordingly.

Prior to the stake conference, and unbeknown to Brother Monson, Christal had lost her leg to surgery, only to discover later that the cancer had spread to her tiny lungs. A trip had been planned to Salt Lake City, where she might receive a blessing from one of the General Authorities. The Methvins knew none of the Brethren personally, so they placed before Christal a picture of all the Church leaders. She pointed to the photograph of Elder Thomas S. Monson and said, “I would like him to give me a blessing.”

But Christal’s condition had deteriorated so rapidly that the flight to Salt Lake City had to be cancelled. She was growing weaker in body but not in faith. She said, “Since a General Authority is coming to our stake conference, why not Brother Monson? If I can’t go to him, the Lord can send him to me.” At about the same time, Brother Monson received the unexpected change in his stake conference assignment which sent him to Shreveport.

As one final favor to Christal, the family agreed to kneel by her bedside and ask for just one more blessing; the chance to enjoy Brother Monson’s personal visit.

After receiving word from the stake president that Brother Monson would be unable to visit Christal because of the extremely tight meeting schedule, the Methvins were understandably very disappointed. They knelt again around Christal’s bedside, pleading for a final favor on her behalf: that somehow her desire for a blessing at the hands of Brother Monson would be realized.

At the very moment the Methvin family knelt around Christal’s bed, Elder Monson was shuffling his notes, preparing to speak at the concluding portion of the Saturday evening session. However, as he began his move to the pulpit, a voice whispered in near-audible tones a brief but very familiar message: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

His notes became a blur. He attempted to pursue the theme of the meeting as outlined, but the name and image of Christal Methvin would not leave his mind. Then, ever faithful to the precious gift so demonstrably his, he responded to the spiritual message. He instructed that changes in the next day’s conference schedule be made, whatever the cost in confusion and disruption. Then the meeting continued.

After a very early Sunday drive over many miles, Elder Monson gazed down upon a child too ill to rise, too weak to speak. Her illness had now rendered her sightless. Deeply touched by the scene and the Spirit of the Lord which was so prevalent, Brother Monson dropped to his knees and took the child’s frail hand in his own. “Christal,” he whispered, “I am here.”

With great effort she whispered back, “Brother Monson, I just knew you would come.”

A blessing was pronounced commending a sweet child’s body and spirit to the loving watchcare of her Heavenly Father, who surely must have been observing that tender scene. Her barely audible “Thank you” gave eloquent benediction to the blessing and to the sweet life of faith she had lived. The next Thursday, as she was being remembered in the prayer circle of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve where Elder Monson had placed her name, Christal Methvin’s pure spirit left its disease-ravaged body and entered the paradise of God.

Dearest Elder Nielsen,

We are officially out on Summer break.  Yeah!  I was counting down the days.  I love to have a change in the schedule.  I can't believe Adelaide is going to be a 1st grader.  That will be really different for me... and her.  We gave her teacher a box of Europeon Chocolates that I got on clearance at  Smiths.  They name on the box said "Merci", I thought that was kind of appropriate.  Mrs. Nutting gave her a thank you card and in it she said "thank you for being a good girl."  I read her what the card said and she responded in all seriousness, "I never tattle-tailed once."  She had field day and picnics and all kinds of fun stuff the last week.  We went went to McDonalds with Hartman and his mom to celebrate the last day.  Ads had been asking me when she could go there and I thought that was a good reason to go.

Carly had a good final  week.  She was recognized at two different assemblies.  Her teacher is so wonderful and really praised Carly.  Her first certificate was for being Mrs. Wilkinson's Student of the Quarter.  She loved Carly's work ethic, and said she will always correct her mistakes to get a better grade.

At the Young Authors' Assembly she was chosen as the 1st place illustrator.  All the fifth grade students had to write and illustrate a book, and then they were judged by a committee of 5th grade teachers and her book was chosen as the best illustrated!  She got a little trophy.  We always knew all those mermaids she would draw would one day take her somewhere.

Summer got her bucket all packed up for the trek.  She is using the one that you decorated with the BYU theme.  She kept the duct tape mosaic that you did, she likes it and didn't want to change anything.  She has to be at the church at 5:45 in the morning.  We watched the  2012 home video of the trek and also the picture CD that the stake gave out.  It brought back lots of memories.  We saw clips of you, and you looked young and cute.

It made me want to be there, but I informed Pres. Esplin last week, that it would be best if I stayed home.  I was so torn, but when I considered who would miss me most-- the trek people or my family, it was a no brainer.  So, next week my heart will be in Wyoming, but my feet will stay in Elko.

We watched the NBA finals on Friday night, Steph Curry had 38 pts.  He has been struggling during this series with Cleveland, so it was good for him to break out and have a good game.  Then Saturday we attended some graduation parties for Hattie Conklin  and Mariah Esplin.  Hattie said she won a 750.00 gift card to the Apple Store at the big grad party at GBC.  Instead of giving out a computer as the big prize, they gave out $1,000, 750.00 and 500.00 gift cards to the apple store.  I thought that was so much better, because, what if you don't need a new computer? 

I hope you have wonderful week:  we pray for you, talk about you,  think about you and love you very much.  I know you can turn that district/zone around.  Inspire them to "sprint to the finish line!"  Love, Mom