Republican National Convention

I've loved watching the relationship between Ann and Mitt

"She wowed everyone" were his comments after her speech. What a great couple!

I've loved their daily themes, such as "We Built It"

I loved that Mitt thought his Mom and Dad would probably be given a little time off to watch him.

I loved all the red, white, and blue!

But my heart stopped a few beats when Dad walked out on the stage.

His prayer was sincere, very touching, and extremely powerful.

His strength and spirit were exuding from every fiber of his new suit!

And I loved Mitt's speech.

What a great night!

Girls Night Out!

Everybody needs to go to a country wedding once in their lifetime!

The candles and flowers were beautiful, but the bride on horseback was my favorite!

Such a fun date, Breyer!

Letter #5

Halfway! Time flies by.

(Traditional half-tie on hump day)

The week was rather uneventful but I feel exponentially more focused. Time to get down to business. Our favorite district left yesterday for the field and the CTM will be somewhat darker for their departure. They were a great help in the first weeks and even put together a treasure hunt for my companion and I before they left. Clues were scriptures like holding onto the iron rod (handrail), drinking from living waters (water fountains) etc. They were all around the CTM and at the end was lots of candy: ) In other important news I counted the number of stairs I ascend multiple times a day: 90. Whew! Feel the burn. Nobody leaves here unable to climb a hill!

(Tanner arranged for a slumber party when his favorite district was leaving.)

We went back to the Sao Paulo temple today. That continues to be my favorite time of the week. Go to the Temple; there is peace and rest from the world. Our Brazilian wildlife list is slowly growing and this week's addition was the long (5 inches) black and very hairy caterpillars crawling around. They seem to be in season. It also has yet to rain here. Where are the deluges of legend??? Two months without rain in Sao Paulo.

The thought I want to share this week is small and consists of one question and one statement I have pndered over this week. Do we let the atonement of Christ work in our lives? Notice the key word "let," because Christ is always willing and ready to help. The decision rests with us. Second, a failure to use Christ's sacrifice for us stems from either a lack of understanding or knowledge, a lack of faith in its redemptive power, or an active decision to not change, to not progress, to deny ourselves the blessings that would come if we let them. So, are we letting daily, the Atonement of Christ work in us? He can take away all pain, all uncertainty and all guilt. I know that doing so will bring us joy and peace no matter the current physical, economical or spiritual condition of our lives.

This week's letter is kind of short, but don't worry they're not going to get shorter and shorter. It was simply an uneventful week, in which I continue to feel the Lord's hand in helping me grow as a missionary, bit by bit. I have a flash drive to save my pictures on and will put them on when I get into the field. I imagine that then I will be able to email them as well. In the meantime I hope you got the ones I mailed: ) I haven't gotten one of your letters yet, so the suspense is building!!! Will it come today??? It's like having Christmas multiple times a year but you never know the day it will come. 

I grew half an inch. . . Okay, just kidding. But I grew a little bit and am proud to announce the slightly ideal height and weight of 6' 2" 183 lbs. Oh yeah. There are two guys here from the BYU baseball team, kinda cool. Did you know Elder Koeliker's family somehow? For some reason I thought you did. But his grandson is here and we're good friends. For exercise here we can play volleyball, fun, or basketball, also fun, and there's an interesting small oval jogging track with sit up benches and pull up bars as well as a small weight room. With a little innovation you can work out well. Did they email the video of us singing? They better have. It was etheral: ) I love you all so much and the only thing better than being here would to be there. Are you all preparing to go on a mission? DO IT. It's the best. Hopefully I willl have a more exciting letter next week, but for now all is well, especially because I have you , my family. You are the best!

L
O
V
E
Tanner: )

On the Green

Morgan, Hornets win quad match

Published 1:38am Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Staff Report

PINE GROVE — The Coal Grove Hornets won a four-team match on Monday at the Ironton Country Club. Brent Morgan took medalist honors with a 1-under par 34 to lead the Hornets who posted a 178 team score. The Ironton Fighting Tigers were second with a 199 score followed by the Fairland Dragons at 201 and Rock Hill Redmen at 254.

Hunter Scheinerark led Fairland with a 44, Hayden James shot a 48, Tyler Blake 53 and Blake Kerstetter and Patrick McCoy each had a 56. Bailey Manns shot a 57.

Third Place, Overall

Congratulations, Hunter!

(It's nice to see your summer efforts pay off!)

With All My Love

My Dear Son,

I am sure that your mom will most likely send the letter out to family and friends. I am grateful for all the people who bless our lives in so many ways and if they read these letters, I hope they will find joy in them, as you do. I am also hoping to get Hunter to start up his Schenewark Star Newsletter, as it would be a fine family history document. I am also attaching this letter as a PDF, hopefully you will be able to see the pictures attached to the letter. Well, let me get started with the weekly letter.

I should start with our trip to Washington DC, after having dropped you off at the airport. As some know, I had a conference to attend Washington DC for some consulting work I do on the side. I am grateful for the work, even though I wish it was related to something I do with my regular work. The highlight is being able to go to Washington and take some of my family. Last year I took Hunter and you and you were able to roam the city while I was in meetings This year the idea was to take everybody (except you). The downside was that the conference was in August, when it is hot, humid, and buggy.

We made good time, having dropped you off at the Boston airport so early. We arrived outside of Baltimore at about 2:00 in the afternoon. I saw the sign for Fort McHenry, and have always wanted to stop there, and decided this was the time. Fort McHenry, you will remember, was the place bombarded by the British during the war of 1812 and which inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The fort is much smaller than I expected. I thought it would be like the great brick forts we have seen in the past such as Fort Point in San Francisco, Fort Pulaski in Savannah, and Fort Warren on George's Island in Boston.

The fort was commanded by Maj. George Armistead (his nephew Lewis Armistead would help lead Pickett’s Charge in overthrowing the Union at the battle of Gettysburg), who had about 1000 men under his command. The British ships were situated outside of the American artillery's effective range. So they were able to fire upon the American Fort with no fear of being hit. It is estimated that 1500 to 1800 rockets and cannonballs were fired upon the fort during a 25 hour period. Yet only four Americans were killed and twenty-four were wounded. 

I thought a little bit about how many battles the United States lost during the American Revolution and the war of 1812, in comparison to the number of battles won. During those two wars we lost many more battles than we won. If you remember the British burned Washington DC before the Battle of Fort McHenry. I believe that such facts fostered in our ancestors to have faith in heaven and to never give up. I have attached a picture with one of the cannonballs fired on that day, which did not explode. It is as big as your sister. 

I thought the best part of the fort is the visitor’s center. In the main room of the visitor center a movie is shown, so the room is dark. It talks about the battle and Francis Scott Key. Now I had to leave because your sister was not interested in the movie and I let your mom sit with Miller and Sawyer (your other brothers were there as well). So I was walking around with Breyer, and I came back in to the room, to see that what I thought was a wall was really a screen. The screen rose up and exposed the panoramic window through which visitors looked directly at the fort and could see (on this clear blue day) the Star-Spangled Banner flying high above the fort. It brought a tear to my eye, especially to see the audience standing and singing the national anthem. 

We left for McHenry and traveled on into Washington DC. As we traveled around the beltway we are able to view for the first time in many years the Washington DC Temple. This was the first time your brothers had ever been able to see it. So with that your brothers were able to see the New York City, Boston, and Washington DC temples on this trip. We went back before leaving the city and walked around the grounds. 

We got to the hotel, which is a few blocks from the White House. It is also near the Chinatown district of Washington DC. I do not know there was a Chinatown in Washington. So after getting your mom and brothers in the hotel room, I took Hunter and Cooper to walk over to Chinatown to get dinner. The two most interesting things we saw were the whole smoked duck (beak and all), along with whole cuttlefish hanging in the window. None of your brothers wanted to take home a whole duck. 

There was a Fuddruckers nearby so we took back some hamburgers.

For those who have read about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, I discovered another interesting site. Still standing is the original building of the Mary Surratt boardinghouse. If you remember your history this is where conspirators who plotted to assassinate Abraham Lincoln supposedly met. As a result of these meetings Mrs. Surratt was executed along with three other conspirators. The building had a bronze plaque stating that this is the Surratt House. However it is now a Chinese restaurant called “Wok and Roll.” We did not eat there however I hear there are many interesting ghost stories associated with the building, especially, from the 1870s through the 1890s, as the building continually changed ownership. The former owners document many strange happenings. Also nearby was Ford's theater and across the street the house where President Lincoln was carried in which contains the room in which he passed away. I took every one on a walk to at least pass by these buildings. Some other time we will have to venture in.  

Since it was so hot, Breyer and Miller had a very hard time and so Hunter got to be the group leader with Porter, Cooper, and Sawyer. I took your Mom, Miller, and Breyer back to the hotel while your other brothers roamed downtown Washington DC. It is interesting to hear what your brothers really wanted to see. Cooper really wanted to see the Air and Space Museum, so they walked down there. Cooper has been building airplanes, out of K’ Nex. He then tests the airplanes by connecting them to the ceiling fan. I came home the other day to find four planes flying in a fast circular motion. Apparently the biplane disintegrated one day, but he has improved the design and it is flying once again.

After seeing Fort McHenry, and me telling Sawyer, that the original Star-Spangled Banner was in the Museum of American History, this became Sawyer’s one item he most wanted to see. Porter was good to go anywhere, but we made sure that he got to see the giant statue of Albert Einstein. Hunter took your brothers to the National Botanical Gardens. He also took them to “We the Pizza” pizza place a couple blocks behind the Library of Congress. I was hoping to take your whole family to the pizza place, currently that is my number one place in Washington DC for price and quality pizza. Your brothers were very happy as well. 

I took Hunter, Porter, Cooper, and Sawyer out during the evening to see some of the memorials which are open. We were out till about 11:00. We first stopped at the Albert Einstein statue in front of the Natural Academy of Sciences Building. 

The statue is a block from the Federal Reserve building. Hunter saw the Federal Reserve building and wanted his picture in front of it so we walked over there. There are no change of barriers in front of the building to prevent pedestrians from walking on the steps. So Hunter stood up on the steps nearest the street and that brought down the wrath of a federal officer who yelled at him, while I was taking the picture, to get off. So we complied and then watched a Japanese couple walked up on the few steps, get yelled that, and have other federal officers emerge from the shadows of the building. 

We saw the Martin Luther King Memorial which is very impressive. I have a number of thoughts about that memorial. It is unbelievable that it was designed and made by the Chinese. I wish that memorial would have carved in the side “Made in China,” so that when you buy souvenir miniature memorials, which is made in China it would be an exact replica. It would be funny to see if “Made in China” appears on the bottom. It's also interesting to think of all the memorials, statues and façades on the great buildings of Washington, this is the only one where an individual is displayed with arms crossed. All the other figures (even military) display strength, but also openness. It would be nice to do a book on the statues and figures found in Washington DC. I’ve always thought about doing a picture book with the many quotes found on federal buildings...

Until I can finish, I love you!

Dad

The Rest of the Story!

Jeff,  (JeffBenedict.com)

Thank you so much for that wonderful article you wrote about my father. I'm SO glad Rich was inspired to contact you, and put the release of this story in your hands. It was written beautifully, and could not have been finer. We were able to watch a bit of Rock last night. You did a great job on that as well. Appreciate your willingness to work on your vacation!

Sincerely, Amy Jo

Ken Hutchins, the former police chief in Northboro, MA, was honored on Mormon Night at Fenway Park. 

Wednesday I got an email at 2:51 a.m. It was from a Mormon friend of mine Rich Hutchins. He works as a senior director in pharmaceutical advances for oncology at Pfizer’s research and development headquarters in Groton, Connecticut. Rich and I are the same age and we both think sleep is overrated.

His email informed me that his father Ken Hutchins had been chosen by Mitt Romney to give the invocation on the final day of the Republican National Convention. There has been tremendous speculation about the unnamed Mormon that Mitt had chosen to say the prayer. Rich asked me if I wanted to break the news.

This was an easy call. You see, Ken Hutchins was my ecclesiastical leader in Boston when I was in graduate school and law school. No religious leader has done more to shape my character and make me a better husband and father than Ken Hutchins.

So yesterday I took a vacation from my vacation to write a story about Ken Hutchins. It was pretty interesting trying to write a breaking news story while trying to kayak with my kids on Long Island Sound.

Letter #4

Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 1:52 PM
Subject: love you!

Dear Family,

I love reading your emails!!! This week was very exciting. My Portuguese picked up again after a small week 3 mini-slump and I can talk pretty fluently in present, past, and future tenses. It makes me excited, really excited for the day when I can talk to people and express my love and my love of the gospel to them, just as I would in english. This week we went to the Campinas temple again and once again it was a wonderful, peaceful experience. Last night for our usual Tuesday nioght devotional or serão, 15 elders and I performed an acapella arrangement of "the prayers of the children." It so touched the President and his wife, that they had us sing it again after the devotional and recorded it to use in the CTM welcome video!!! Also I think they are going to send it home to you! : ) I had almost no voice from a minor cold this week but was able to sing and it was one of the funnest things I've done so far. I 'm also playing piano for the fireside on Sunday. The highlight of the night, however, was watching President Monson's birthday celebration. Afterwards we had cake and sang him happy birthday in Portuguese. It was fantastic and simply made me more focused on getting ready for the field. (It was a last minute thing that they got permission from Salt Lake for.) To finish the day I received 3 letters which really just makes you smile, and I'm thankful for all those that write me: )

Another highlight of the week was teaching class on Sunday. I taugh ton the importance of constantly having the spirit to help teach and guide our lives. I'm grateful that all there were alert and really participated. The spirit was burning and many came up to me throughout the day and thanked me for the lesson. I love to teach the scriptures! Uncle Rich in his letter this week suggested I give some advice on how to prepare for a mission and I thought that was a simply excellent idea. So here's my advice for the week:

Develop a personal , father-and-son relationship with our Heavenly Father. What does that mean? To me, it means when I have a question, or a problem, or feel something lacking, I turn to my Heavenly Father. When I feel impatient or angry I pause and ask Him to help. Help me be more like him. Most of all it means always striving to do what he wants, and do it the first time. As the scriptures say, to be submissive as a little child, not because he's more powerful, but because we know that he loves us with a perfect love and wants only the best for us. As you do this, as your pray and read his words, you will know and feel his guiding hand every day of your life. You'll feel his spirit, his love, and his desire for you to do what is right. Living close to God helps you better love those around you; missionary work is love.

In other news from the week, Thursday we went to the Federal police and registered ourselves. We had our fingerprints scanned (fun!) and confirmed our names spelling about 20 times. It was good experience though because I talked Portuguese to our guide the whole time and learned cool stuff, like Brazil doesn't have Degree or Old Spice deodorant. (Our guide Fabiano would kill for some American deodorant.) I also had the oppurtunity to talk about the gospel with a French student studying in Sao Paulo. She had heard about the church but was interested in what we were doing as missionaries. It was a short and sweet conversation in English no less, and perhaps a seed was planted! I love you all and pray that everyone is well and busily engaged with all their many activities. Has Hunter won any golf medals yet? Is Porter thinking about basketball this year? And I'll bet seminary is a BLAST: ) LOVE LOVE AMOR LOVE,

Your Devoted loving son,
(And the best big brother in the world; )

Tanner

p.s. people in Brazil still hitchhike frequently!!!

With All My Love

Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 8:31 AM
Subject: howdy!

Hello my number one son!

I can't believe it has been a week since we've heard from you! It seems like forever! My new nightmare is not getting my letter off before you get online! We will print off and mail you our letters, not a problem. Even if it's not free ;-) Read ours quickly, then spend more time writing, if you please! We got your international driver license from AAA, and have dropped that in the mail. We've also printed off a few of the blog posts so you can see pictorially what your brothers have been up to you, and are mailing them in small batches. And, your father chose some of the best pictures from this summer's adventures and we're mailing those, in addition to copies of our letters, to you as well. So your mailbox will no longer be in drought from your immediate family. We're grateful for all your aunts, uncles and grandparents who support you by writing letters. We love reading them, and we're not even in Brazil!

The big news came yesterday from Grampy. He got a call from Mitt Romney, asking him to say the prayer before he gives his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention next week in Tampa, Florida. Can you believe we'll get to see Grampy on television praying? What an honor. How exciting! Actually, Mitt's son Tagg called Uncle Aaron, and that's really how it began. He said his father was looking for a good, old-fashioned Mormon prayer, as all week those of other faiths would be praying. Grampy still has ups and downs with his chemotherapy, especially during the first 15-20 days after his infusion, so his back-up plan, in case he doesn't feel well enough to go, is Uncle Rich. Your father was reading me newspaper accounts, speculating whether or not it would be this congress woman, or that politician, who would say the prayer. Imagine their surprise when they find out it's a Ken Hutchins. They were quick to report, however, that it was Mitt's "longtime friend."

Seminary has begun in earnest. My door is very busy between 6 and 6:05 a.m. I have nine attending in person, and one on Skype. I'll share with you one favorite moment thus far. We were reading in Luke 15:11 and on, about the Prodigal son. I asked them, "Why did the son return home?" There was a famine in the land, he was hungry, he was tired of living with the pigs...he remembered his father, and how merciful he was, even to the servants. Statistically speaking one or two of those present might not be interested in church at a later time in their life. We talked about how it was my hope that if they were ever "living with pigs" and hungry, they would remember being filled with the spirit and the good things of the scriptures and "return home."

School began last Friday, and this is the first full week. The boys seem to be adjusting well to all their new schools. Miller and I try to incorporate "school" into our life and jargon. When we walk the dog, we're doing "gym." When he plays with Breyer on the back deck, we're having "recess." When he paints, he's in art. He definitely wasn't ready during kindergarten testing in March, but he's come a long way since then, and is expressing more interest in going NOW. I won't second guess my decision to keep him home one more year, now, but he sure has grown up over the summer!

We love you more. We pray for you more. We miss you more.

Mom

Go Dad!

Mitt Romney asks long-time Mormon colleague Kenneth Hutchins to offer prayer at Republican National Convention

Ken Hutchins was a 27-year-old police sergeant in Walpole, Mass., when two Mormon missionaries visited his home in 1968 and invited him to read the Book of Mormon. A few visits later they taught him what they termed "the pattern of prayer" – address Heavenly Father, speak from the heart, and close in the name of Jesus Christ. Hutchins, a protestant, had never prayed aloud. But at the missionaries' urging, he tried it and soon thereafter joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

That was forty-four years ago. Since then he has given hundreds of prayers from the heart in Mormon congregations throughout the greater Boston area as a bishop and later as a stake president. Next week, at Mitt Romney's invitation, the 71-year-old retired police chief from Walpole will give the opening prayer on the final day of the Republican National Convention.

"I am honored and stunned," Hutchins said in an interview from his home in Northboro, where he is recovering from chemotherapy treatment. He has active lymphoma. "I plan to be in good enough shape by next week to travel to Tampa and do what Mitt has asked."

Duty and honor have dictated virtually every decision Hutchins has made in his life. He started his career as a police officer in 1962 at age 21. He retired as a chief in 2003. For most of that time he doubled as a lay church leader in the Mormon faith. As a leader he had the uncanny ability to command respect by virtue of his humility and his compassion.

The selection of Ken Hutchins as the Mormon ecclesiastical leader to address the convention is an insight into how Mitt Romney relies heavily on people he has known and trusted for a long time. Back in 1987 when Romney was a stake president in Boston, he tapped Hutchins – then chief of police in Northboro, Mass. — to be a bishop. Later, Romney asked Hutchins to be his counselor in the Boston Massachusetts stake presidency. During that time, Romney developed a deep respect and appreciation for Hutchins.

But the two men could not have been more different. Romney, the son of an auto industry CEO and former governor, was the CEO of Bain Capital. Hutchins, the son of a union organizer for mill workers in Massachusetts, was chief of police in a small town. In many ways, Hutchins was a lot like Andy Griffith — wise, folksy, gentle and quick to smile. Together, he and Romney carted Mormon teenagers all over Boston for youth activities, figured out to build congregations for a burgeoning community of foreign speaking Mormon immigrants in inner city Boston, and helped bring a Mormon temple to Boston.

"We had some just outrageous, wonderful, memory-stoking youth events," Hutchins said. "Mitt was an integral part of those memories. I spent time with him there and talked with him and got to live with him so to speak. He was a terrific leader."

When Hutchins retired after 23 years as chief of police in Northboro, Romney was governor at the time. He spoke at Hutchins' retirement ceremony and formally declared it Kenneth Hutchins Day. Then, with Romney looking on, Hutchins took the lectern and thanked all his officers for their loyalty and friendship over the years. Then he gave each one of them a copy of the Book of Mormon as a token of his friendship and shared his personal testimony. It's the sort of thing Ken Hutchins has been doing his whole life. Serving the public as an officer of the peace and telling people about his faith in Jesus Christ.

Hutchins has had minimal direct contact with Romney in recent years. But he has become quite close to Romney's oldest son Tagg. After Hutchins retired from law enforcement in 2003, he spent three years as a mission president for the church in Tampa. Then he returned to Boston to become the temple president of Boston Temple in Belmont. Tagg Romney was his neighbor and was assigned to be his home teacher, essentially making monthly visits to check on the Hutchins' family's health and welfare.

On Monday morning Hutchins received an unexpected call from Tagg at his home. It was Hutchins third straight day in his pajamas, thanks to the negative effects of his chemo.

"What are you doing right now?" Tagg asked.

"Sitting on the couch," Hutchins said. "I'm not feeling very well. But I'm cheered up by hearing your voice."

"I'm going to cheer you up even more," Tagg told him, "because my dad would like you to give the opening prayer on the closing night of the convention down in Tampa."

"What?"

Tagg explained that the convention would include prayers from Catholics, Muslims and many other religions. He went on to say that his father also wanted "a good old fashioned Mormon prayer from someone I can trust. So call Ken Hutchins."

At first, Hutchins was speechless. If Romney could only see him, looking haggard in his pajamas, barely able to walk from his bedroom to the couch. He felt obligated to be upfront with Tagg.

"Right now at this very moment," he told him, "I'm struggling a little bit from the after effects of chemo. I think I can be in shape next week to do this. But if I cannot, my oldest son Rich is a stake president in Providence, Rhode Island. You could never go wrong in inviting him down to do something like this."

Tagg accepted Hutchins' suggestion for a back-up without hesitation. Before hanging up he gave only one instruction. "Now, I'm not going to give you counsel on the prayer," he said. "We just don't want any political statements in it."

"You don't have to worry about that, Tagg."

As soon as he hung up the phone, Hutchins telephoned his 45-year-old son Rich, a senior director in pharmaceutical advances for oncology at Pfizer's research and development headquarters in Groton, Connecticut.

"My dad told me about the call with Tagg and that he'd be there if at all possible," Rich Hutchins said in an interview earlier Wednesday. "But he also told me that he wanted me as his back up if he couldn't make it. I told him I'll be praying for you, dad."

Rich Hutchins said that filling in for his father would his greatest honor. "But I told my dad that you are the one who had the personal relationship with Mitt and served with him in a stake presidency in Boston. I'm rooting for you to get better and be able to do this."

It wouldn't be the first time that Ken Hutchins has overcome cancer to do something great. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002, but later went on to serve a three-year stint as a mission president in Tampa, Florida. Anyone who has been around Hutchins knows that he would have to be drop-dead sick not to fulfill a request to pray. Ever since that day in 1968 when he first knelt with two Mormon missionaries in his home, he's been saying the kind of prayers that inspire people to do better, strive harder and be more compassionate.

He doesn't use big words. Nor does he raise his voice or pause for effect. Rather he speaks a simple language – the language of the ordinary man on the street. But Ken Hutchins was my stake president for eight years and I've knelt with him in the privacy of his home and heard him pray for my family and me. No one – and I mean no one – has ever motivated me to be a better husband, father and neighbor than Ken Hutchins. That's the sort of prayer that can be expected when Ken Hutchins takes the lectern at the Republican National Convention in Tampa.

"I just love the Lord and I'm grateful for the great life he has given me," Hutchins said. "It doesn't matter what somebody's status is. It doesn't matter what culture they are from. It doesn't matter what their economic status is. When they open their mouth and talk to Heavenly Father, he hears and answers prayers. All anybody has to do is speak to him. He has ears for all of us and loves us all."

Jeff Benedict, Deseret News

Letter #3

Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 1:27 PM

Subject: helloooooooooo

Helloooooo!!!!!

I can't see the pictures from your blog posts because of the restrictions on the computers here, and there will be tons of spelling mistakes in this letter if you want to correct those; ) I thoroughly enjoyed reading your letter and am sorry that every one is suffering from poison ivy. I had a spot about the size of a dime that went away in the first two days, so I imagine that if I got it at all, then it must be pretty bad there. Shaving's been really bad here. My face isn't too bad, its just not very enjoyable. They don't give us much time here to read and write to you, and we can't print the letters off. If its free to mail to the MTC could you mail the letters too? It only takes like 4 or 5 days to get here, although it takes 2 weeks to get back.

I figured out how to print pictures here so I will send some today. Today we went to the Campinas temple and it was beautifyul. up on a hill above Campinas. It's the temple for my mission. We also had a devotional from Elder Godoy of the Seventy yesterday. My favorite moment so far being here. He was very funny and even though the whole thing had to be translated into English for us, very touching. My favorite line was, "If you think you can do more for your families at home rather then on a mission, then you are believing that you can do more than the Lord." I know that the Lord will bless our family greatly because I am here. The Lord asks us to do many things in faith, believing that we will be blessed, tithing, baptism etc. 

Baptism especially since this week we comitted our first investigator to be baptized. What a leap of faith some must take to commit to that in the first or second lesson! And what great responsibility we have to be messengers of God throught the Spirit. This week was hard. Still trying to get into the rhythm of MTC life and focus ALL DAY on what needs to be done. Sometimes the classroom hours get to you. But it's been nice to be able to study outside most of the morning, because the weather here is beautiful. Missionary work is a sacrifice though. I didn't realize it fully until I got here. 

On a lighter note, in a devotional Sunday President Degn the MTC president, shot a blow dart gun illustrating the fiery darts of the adversary and told some very good stories from a missionary here who was actually Amazonian and used blowguns. He said how the darts didn't kill but made unconcious those they hit, so they could drag them back to village to be slaves. Very applicable analogy about how the adversary can bring us into bondage through blinding us with his fiery darts. Received three letters yesterday!!! One from Sarah (thanks!!) Aaron (2 letters 2 days in a row, woo woo!) and one from Mom mom ( : ) Be assured that I will send replies to them as soon as I have time. It costs about 50 more cents here to send letters there though, so I may send them to a central location and have family distribute them?

Parting poems: It s a good way to let off some pent up energy.

Bitter, bitter, bitter,

was the bigger baby-sitter

as she sat the bigger

baby on the ground.

And bitter was the baby

as he bit the sitter lady

with his gums and

used his thumbs with

which to pound.

Hope that brings a smile: )

I love you all so much. Finally I cannot find words for something. Two years seemed very short but these two weeks thus passed have seemed much longer than that. Good luck Hunter with golf!!! Be sure and take time putting: ) I miss all the little tornadoes running around, and hope that Porter hasn't passed me in height yet! Get rid of all that poison ivy and enjoy seminary. I'm jealous!

Love love love love, XOXOXxoOXO (Elder) Tanner (Schenewark)

Princess Alert

When playing on the deck, and the door is open...

please remind the Princess that feeding her baby (sand) should probably be done on the deck.

Thank you.

With All Our Love

Subject: Howdy!

Monday, August 13, 2012

My son,

It makes my heart happy to know you're doing so well. I loved reading about your adventures thus far, your success with the language, and hearing that your being well fed. Even if you don't know what you're eating! Life here has been one constant scratch and itch. I have learned many new things about poison stuff (ivy, oak...). My case went systematic, over 30% of my body, and it's everywhere except my feet, on my nose and one palm! Did you just scratch? I didn't get or take 21 days of steroids, so it came back with a vengeance. Either that or I inhaled the stuff. Now Jarrod is suffering, and will probably go to the doctor tomorrow. Are you itchy yet? He had a few spots on his legs, and scratched them with his tennis shoe while working at his desk. So much for wood projects! Stop scratching! I thought I did fairly well for three days in Dad's pile, but forgot to wash after Jen's? At least my eyes have reopened, my hair no longer sticks to my neck oozy spots, and the cellulitis seems to be managed by the antibiotics.

Tonight at Family home Evening we sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in honor of Johnny Pesky, who passed away today. We also inaugurated our "sing a song in Tanner's honor," with "I Hope They Call Me On A Mission!" And, decided that FHE would be when we color in your chart, showing how many days you've been gone. It's pretty empty looking right now! Everyone, in order, gets to take a turn.

Hunter has begun his golf season. After his first practice, his comment was, "The coach smiled at me!" He was one of two picked for the two new golf bags, which made him happy. He has a golf meet tomorrow where only six can go, and he was the #2 choice by the coach. He has a little golf gadget he won at some tournament in April that he finally opened. It's two golf balls joined together by a stick that's about two inches. Supposedly if you practice putting with this, and learn how to make this combo roll straight, your putting will improve. Hunter hasn't figured it out, but Miller hits it straight every time. In Hunter's contest as FHE activity, Miller won the chocolate bar. Hunter's desperately trying to figure out what Miller does or doesn't do!

Porter decided he wasn't interested in running cross country, but did ask to be manager, so he goes to practices and keeps track of everybody's times. I'm grateful he can do this. It won't be as demanding, but still gives him an outlet. Cooper, Sawyer and Miller all begin soccer practice this week, three different teams. They're all very excited, especially Miller. Everyday he asks if it's his practice, if he can put on a practice uniform, and what size ball should he bring.

Breyer is still very busy. Today she thought she could help by carrying jam jars. She found them in the wash room, and would bring them out one by one, and hand them to me while I was working in the kitchen. She dropped two, and the seals popped, so now I have extra jars of jam in my fridge. She's good about not knocking over the dog water now, but she still likes to drop the dog food into the dog water. She's added a few new words since you've left: Bye, kitty, (ba)nana and "one, two, three, go." She and Miller line up on a line, like where rug meets floor, she counts, and they have a little race. And it was her game!

School begins this Friday. After five years of driving to four schools, I'm down to three. Miller will not be going this year. Sawyer moved to start 3rd, Cooper moved to start 6th, and Porter moved to start 9th. That's a lot of change over here! Jarrod starts about ten days later, and I'll begin teaching seminary next Monday. At the seminary meeting yesterday after church I spoke about traveling throughout New England with Bro. Parrish, and meeting with parents who weren't sure their children could handle early morning seminary. I also enrolled in five additional religion classes, after the required 8 from BYU, and graduated from institute. Did I say I love seminary? I know that it's THE most worthwhile activity for youth. And my built-in-sub isn't too shabby, either ;-)

Tomorrow will be a bit crazy...4:00 set up cub scout display at West school, drop Cooper off at Middle school for his orientation (hopefully Jarrod will meet us there); drive to East school and set up cub scout display, pick up Porter from cross country, go back to display and sit there until 5:00. 5:00 go to Sawyer's orientation at West, and take Cooper to soccer. Take out display at West, pick up display at East, pick up Jeremiah and take to 6:00 high school orientation, drop off Hunter to mow, take Sawyer to soccer at 6:15, pick up Hunter from mowing, and Cooper from practice at 6:30. Pick up Porter, drop off Jeremiah. Crazy! Got all that?

While Jarrod was at the high school with Porter, your old art teacher said she had one of your drawings you never picked up. What a tender mercy for me! It's beautiful. If it's yours? It's a lily in a pot next to a brick wall. Sound familiar? I will take a picture of it and get it on the blog. Please let us know if it's not yours. If it is, I'm so grateful. Frame worthy.

Have a wonderful week. We love you, and pray for you EVERY prayer!

Mom

Hello My Son,

I know today is your P-Day and we are looking forward to your letter. I know that Mom has sent a letter and I don't want to use up all of your computer time reading my letter, so it will be mailed. I don't know how much time you get with the computer or if you are able to print off your emails. If you are able to print the emails and then read them later in the day, let me know.

We love you and miss you. I am so excited and amazed when I think about you in Brazil. It is a great opportunity and I am sure that the missionary training center is great. We received a letter from your Londrina mission president and I will scan it into the computer for you to read next week, if you don't receive it before you get it in the mail. He wants you to have a copy of your patriarchal blessing. Do you have a copy? If not I can forward a copy from the computer. I have it scanned as part of our family history.

I went to the high school for Porter's freshman orientation. You are well loved and remembered by many of the teachers. Porter will have much to live up to, I am grateful for your good example, it is a blessing for your brothers. It is a great blessing for your family, as you serve faithfully. Thank you.

I am suppose to take Hunter to get his driver's license this morning. We are borrowing a car from Dr. Mak for him to take the driving test.

Look for our letter in the mail and I will have more details on life here at home.

Love you very much,

Dad

Letter #2

Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2012 3:23 PM
Subject: Oi! A word from Elder Schenewark

Dear Family,

I know its only been a week but it feels like 3 or 4 months! Hopefully by now you got the letter that I sent the first day if not it'll be there soon. Also this company across the street called mission ties had a promotion for a free cookie if we sent a trial letter. I wanted a cookie so you'll probably get an email about that too. It's not a bad service but I don't reallly know specifically what they do or if its advantageous.

Well! The work goes on! If I may say humbly, I've learned a good portion of the language very quickly and constantly receive compliments from all the Braziolian missionaries that I chat with when they learn I've been here less than a week. My companion Elder Cummings from Bellvue Washington is great, very diligent and enhusiastic. He makes my occasionally ponderous self kick it into high gear all day long. Worn out by 7 p.m. We've taught 5 lessons in Portuguese and are going to commit our investigator to baptismo tonight. Granted they're not real pesquisadores but you still feel the spirit, just as in a real lesson. The food is fantastic. most of the time, aside from the beans and rice and cow, I've very little idea what I'm eating. . . But I eat a lot! Today one of our teachers (we have two Irmao Costa and Hamahlya, the best in my opinion in the CTM) took us to a Brazilian churrascoro (BBQ). It was good, but when I told him about Fogo de Chao, he conceded that that was the very best. The weather's beautiful. Summer must be scary! All the Brazilians wear sweaters and say its fria and its 70 degrees outside. Beautiful. We have quite the view on our 6th floor dorm (not sure how to send pictures yet, but I'll figure it out).

Driver's are crazy! A motorcycle driver dies every ten minutes in Sao Paulo and I'm surprised that its not higher. They don't drive in the lanes but right on the lines, 6o mph all the time. Even the car drivers are insane. I'm careful when I walk around the city. We went to the temple in Sao Paulo this morning and I heard that next week we get to go to the Campinas temple farther away as Sao Paulo will be under construction! Cool! It was a wonderful, peaceful experience and the session was in English. I think they're sending a picture of our district since its the first trip. By the way, one of the guys in our district is my friend from BYU. He came in on the plane after ours the morning we arrived and I saw he was on the list to arrive so I made a sign saying, "Welcome Elder Blair!" Pretty funny when he came out of the tunnel and saw that. Glad to have him here. He's great. Also saw my other friend from BYU. One guy in our district knows Julia and is Sarah Ayer's cousin, Elder Eliason. He's in our room. We have two Brazilian roommates who I am teaching to pray in Ingles, and we have room prayer every night at 10:15. We pray in Portuguese. Not funny story. Our floor's bathrooms have been out of toilet paper for two days!!!! So we've been bathroom hunting around the CTM. LAME. Postage stamps are MAIS MAIS MAIS expensive so the letter output will be a little lower than previously expected. Everything here is more expensive than in the US.

Thank Uncle Rich for his letter which I got yesterday. Just the thing for my day, really brightened it up: ) P-day is Wednesday. I miss all of you sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much. Acutally more than that. Send pictures so I can hang them in my room!!! And lots of letters of course. Also no packages until I get to the field, or they'll take away my first born. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE XOxoXoOxOxx,

The Only Elder Schenewark in the World : ) Tanner

p.s. These Brazilian keyboards are tricky!

p.p.s. Pretty much nobody else is going to Londrina except my companion. Maybe we'll be the only Americanos there!!!

Letter #1

Dear Family,

Where to begin? I've only been here a day but it feels like a whole week passed by. Tuesday was looong! I flew all day and when we got to Dallas I had a five hour layover. There I met four other missionaries who flew with me to Sao Paulo, although in seats not adjacent. That flight was longer than all of Tuesday. Ten and a half hours from the time we left. I sat next to a larger Brazilian man who typed furiously the whole time and seemed to think he was entitled to half of my leg room and all of my arm room. Other than that a nice, quiet companion. I enjoyed flying over the gulf and islands lit up at night. Pictures to follow. Don't know what islands they were, though I asked the flight attendants. I saw oil tankers, oil derricks, lots of cities lit up and some very dense rain forest this morning. Sao Paulo was beautiful this morning; indescribable. It's huge. Dwarfs NYC in scope. Lots of hills, apartment buildings.

We landed and waited for other elders to come. Lo and behold my friend from school was on the next flight and is now in my district. A nice blessing and comfort. Also, already saw my other good friend from school though we haven't talked too much yet. Today was a busy day! Had lots of orientation and took a tour of the city and the CTM. So different, but not strange. Things aren't cheaper either. They're more expensive usually. Had street vendor carmelized coconut pronounced safe by our very wizened guide Elder Steadman. Wasn't bad. We exchanged ALL of our money, which was more because I had no baggage fees - hallelujah! My first companion is Elder Cummings from Washington State. Very nice, very enthusiastic. Should be a good companion. Also the only person I've met going to my mission! Other missions are in plentiful supply but not ours.

The food is great although most of the time I've no idea what I'm eating! Already we're learning Portuguese, teaching investigators...taught first investigator in English today, teach first in Portuguese tomorrow. I'm having more fun than I've ever had in my life because it's eternally meaningful and we immerse ourselves in the gospel ALL THE TIME! Incredible spirit. I'll write on preparation day next week.

Love, love, love, Tannner

Back to School!

"The beloved and remembered teacher instills in students an unqunchable thirst for learning and a resilient desire for success." Andy Baumgartner, 1999 Nattional Teacher of the Year, from Randy Howe's 1001 Smartest Things Teachers Ever Said

Sawyer, headed to third grade, DID NOT brush his teeth on the first day of school!

Cooper, entering 6th grade in middle school, WOULD NOT wear a collared shirt in Tanner's honor!

Hunter, entering 11th grade, STILL takes forever putting in his contacts!

Porter, going into 9th grade in high school, COULD NOT stop long enough for me to take a picture! But, he did put on some sweet smelling cologne!