With All Our Love

Hello Elder Schenewark!

I tracked your package, and I'm not quite sure what to think. I'll have to visit the post office and ask. But, having mailed it the 31st of May, having it arrive in Columbus the 1st of June and Chicago the 2nd of June, obviously it's a little late. Nothing's listed after Chicago. But it's on my to-do-list.

What a week! Your father being in scout camp all week, with two of your brothers, was a bit of a vacation for me in terms of cooking and wash. But different than his Colorado trip, as Hunter was home. He who needs a little more consideration for dinner than the younger crowd. He who mows, showers, works the fair parking lot, showers also has a little more wash. But it was still relatively quiet. As such, I tackled some of the projects I've put off for a long time. I moved Porter's bunk bed into Sawyer's room, for Cooper. 

I took down Breyer's crib. Permanently. She's sleeping on her mattress in my room, and I slide it under my bed during the day. Having Cooper in Porter's room, as he goes to early morning seminary, didn't work out too well last year. I'll probably move the princess downstairs when Hunter leaves, or perhaps Cooper, as he'll be starting seminary within the year then. I don't know. I do know that the bunk bed held a lot of books, so when the bed left, I had huge piles of books with nowhere to put them. I bought a couple of tall cases, and had Miller and Sawyer help me put them together. That took a good portion of one day. The little boys' room took two days, and putting Porter's room back together another two. And my time was up. The big boys returned home Saturday, with seven days of wash x 3.

I had my first seminary CES training of the year, so I was gone 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Coming home to six hours of 'left-home-alone chaos' is bad enough, but add in three boy scout campers and their camping paraphernalia, a really stinky Ranger accident (first one since your last one), and seven haircuts...I was just a teensy weensy bit in shock. Good thing I had six hours of spiritual thoughts ;-) That is my week in a nutshell. Hopefully you can beat that one!

I should mention that Breyer always wants her "turn" at getting her hair cut. I had asked her earlier if she wanted one, and she said no. Ten minutes later she was on the chair holding the buzzer to her head, a buzzin' away. Good thing they weren't on. We had the talk about girls not using buzzers, only scissors, but I don't know if it will stick.

She gives good hugs. Now I use her for service. Whenever I think somebody might appreciate a little hug from your cute sister, I'll ask her. Today she ran to Jerry Spence. He hasn't been seen for months because of his ailing wife. I've enclosed a photo of her today, fresh off the press, so to speak, so you could smile. She was helping me cook waffles for dinner after church.

Dad went right to work when he got home, as all of the grades from his on-line class were due. Plus, he had to wrangle up a few more volunteers as his 'Lose the Training Wheels' bike camp begins early tomorrow morning. Miss that? He's invited the six missionaries to work the camp for their service hours. We haven't had a lot of time to even talk about scout camp. I'm sure pictures will be forthcoming, but it's the stories we're all waiting for! I know a few boys were sent home early, Rick Koth brought him a chocolate shake, there was a few big storms that moved through, the sewer backed up into the swimming pool, the food wasn't that great, and other stuff that makes up good stories and lots of laughs. We were trying to think of how many years your father has been going to scout camp. He went three years before you were eligible, and then the last ten years. And he only has ten more to go! I will be posting more pictures throughout this week, so look forward to their adventures in photos next week. But just to wet the whistle, I've included these.

Some North American wildlife ;-)

Not your brother's ear lobe ;-)

Porter very high up in a COPE exercise.

Hunter spent the entire week working the bank parking lot after hours and parking cars attending the county fair. If I had a picture of him this week, it would be sitting in a camping chair in the hot sun. He was able to raise $840 for the golf team. I helped him for an hour this week as well, and we both learned a few things for next year. Hopefully there will be a next year. No matter the benefactor, it's a good gig. He only had three hours (plus Sunday) he didn't work, and a few shifts where he was accompanied by another golf player. He probably put in thirty hours this week, for an average of $28 an hour, in $5 increments. He had a few stories but since they highlight the undesirable side of life, I'll pass in sharing them with you.

In your last email, you sent a picture of yourself with an elder that was not your companion. Who is he? _______ And who were you painting for in your service project? _______

Sis. Cummings was grateful for all the information you imparted in your last epistle. She received an email from Elder Witter telling her that he was on special assignment, and would have to write later. Then she read your letter, and found out he had been made a trainer. So we assumed he had to travel with his companion going home, pick up a new elder, go to training, and then travel back home. She found out later he wouldn't be writing last week. Hopefully that never happens to me! She wrote, "It is very exciting that Elder Cummings and Elder Schenewark, who were the only two missionaries in their CTM to come to Londrina, were made trainers at the same time. They will both be excellent trainers!" We are both hoping that you remembered to get a photo together!! _______

Your cousin Naomi's letter had a lot of cool food information. Since you're such a foodie, I thought you might enjoy reading about her adventures with food in France. "We saw foot long blueberry marshmallows and went for it. I have to say, I would rather eat one of those than a regular marshmallow, but at the same time, I've definitely had better food. Like pre-made mousse that they sell here. Also, YOP is like a drinkable yogurt, except the chocolate flavor is more like thicker, creamier chocolate milk. AKA heaven in a bottle. I also had a Cru sandwich, which I didn't know until halfway through was made with uncooked meat. Yikes. Still looking for a Belongerie, which is where they make those delicious French pastries, but we haven't found one."

Your cousin Greg is very happy. In his own words, "I love my district not only because I can crush them all at pig, with my awesome basketball skills, but also because when you are serving the Lord together you learn to love each other." He wrote about food as well. "Another thing about the food here is that they try to have American food, but in really weird ways. It's really cool, like the fruit salad they put strawberry whoppers in it... hmmm. Or they will have pizza for breakfast, a very interesting concept if I do say so myself. I was able to go the temple today and it is gorgeous!!! I love it. I learned that all the land is owned by the government, so the church set up a deal with them that if they want to come and inspect the temple they need to give an hour or two notice and in that time everything sacred is taken down. All the temples in Mexico are designed with that possibility in mind."

We read about a cow that fell through a roof, in Caratinga, southeast Brazil, killing the man as he was sleeping in his bed. So sad! And it was the neighbor's cow that crawled up onto his corrugated roof. Medical responders thought he only had a broken leg, but he died at the hospital, while waiting to see the doctors, of internal injuries.

Also in the paper about Brazil, was how corrupt the police have become. Apparently criminals are so blatant and vicious (pouring gasoline on those they rob, and lighting them on fire), that police generally tend to have a slippery trigger finger. The article was commenting on Sao Paulo, as people are hoping this city will lead the way in reducing unjustified police shootings, although tolerance for these police killings is generally tolerated as the means to reduce crime. No necessary to remind you to be careful, be alert, be cautious!

At my seminary meeting, a man there shared with us how his son, one of six children all whom have "left the nest," wanted to draw his family closer together and have more spiritual experiences together. He presented to his family the idea of reading the Book of Mormon together, everyday in the morning, and sent out the reading assignments. On the very first day of their shared reading, they were to read the first chapter of Nephi, which they did. This son then went to work, and later that day during rush hour, was on the eight lane Minnesota bridge over the Mississippi River that collapsed, killing thirteen people. At least fifty cars were traveling, including a fully loaded school bus. Everyone in front of this son's car died. He did not. The concluding verse in the first chapter of Nephi states, "But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." They know that their family was given a tender mercy, because of their faith, and in direct fulfillment of Nephi's promise, their son was delivered. That was a great example of the power of the Book of Mormon. How exciting is it to be teaching it this year in seminary? Along with Aunt Rachael, and now Aunt Jenny. The Book of Mormon allows us all to experience these tender mercies in our lives, in our time of need, and is such a strength to those of us living in these the latter-days. I know you know this, and are helping others to discover this as well.

In honor of pioneer day this Wednesday, and the 'pioneers' in our family, namely your grandparents and father, I leave with you a more typical, true pioneer story I love.

Marie Cardon was just six years old living near Torino, Italy, in 1840 when she received a witness of a work unfolding on the other side of the world. Born to Waldensian parents, there was nothing in Marie’s quiet, rural life in the Alps to suggest the event that would, as she later put it, change “the career of my whole life.” Marie had a vision of messengers of a restored gospel coming to Italy. She later described the dream:

"I was upstairs in bed. A strange feeling came over me. It appeared that I was a young woman instead of a mere child. I thought I was in a small strip of meadow, close to our vineyard, keeping my father's milk cows from the vineyard. It seemed that I was sitting in the grass reading a Sunday school book. I looked up and saw three strangers in front of me. As I looked into their faces I dropped my eyes instantly, being very much frightened. Suddenly the thought came to me that I must look at them that I might remember them in the future. I raised my eyes and looked them straight in the face. One of them, seeing that I was afraid said: "Fear not, for we are the servants of God and have come from afar to preach unto the world the everlasting gospel, which has been restored to the earth in these last days, for the redemption of mankind."

They told me that God had spoken from the heavens and had revealed his everlasting gospel, to the young boy Joseph Smith. That it would never more be taken from the earth, but that His kingdom would be set up and that all the honest in heart would be gathered together. They told me that I would be the means of bringing my parents and family into this great gathering. Moreover, the day was not far off when we would leave our homes and cross the great ocean. We would travel across the wilderness and go to Zion where we could serve God according to the dictates of our conscience. When they had finished their message to me they said they would return soon and visit us. They took some small books from their pockets and gave them to me, saying, "Read these and learn." Then they disappeared instantly.”

The little girl immediately told her father, Phillipe Cardon, everything she had seen and heard. About ten years later, after a royal decree had granted freedom to the long-persecuted Waldensians and the family had moved to Piedmont, Italy, Phillipe heard talk of three strangers preaching the very doctrine he had heard from his young daughter a decade before. He “became so excited and so intensely interested that he could not proceed with his work.” Instead, he went home, changed into his Sunday clothes, and went off in search of the three strangers.

He traveled over mountains and through valleys and arrived on Sunday morning just in time to hear Elder Lorenzo Snow preach. My dear father was most happy to hear the pure truth so well and so earnestly explained. His heart was full of joy. After the meeting my father approached these servants of God, shook hands and kindly invited them to come to our home where he desired them to make their headquarters. They kindly and willingly accepted his hospitality.

Marie and most of her family soon came to accept the gospel in its entirety. Marie even accompanied the missionaries as they preached in the mountains, translating their sermons for her neighbors. In 1854, the Cardon family immigrated to Utah, where Marie married John A. Guild. They had eleven children and eventually settled in Piedmont, Wyoming, named for the home of Marie’s youth. She died in 1914, leaving an autobiography for her children in which she bore strong testimony of the faith that had shaped her life.

"My dear children, I cannot doubt the faith and the principals which I have embraced. My whole soul is filled with joy and thankfulness to God for his regard for me and for you in His manifesting to me the divinity of his great work in so remarkable a manner. How sincere is my prayer that you my children may realize how wonderful and yet how real and true is this, my life’s testimony to you."

It is my prayer for you, my child, that you may remember how wonderful and real and true the gospel is.

Until next week!

Love,

Mom and Dad