With All Our Love

Dear Tanner,

Was that my package that arrived last week? _______ Tell me how wonderful it was! _______ Just to let you know, your missing package arrived here in Ohio last week. Items were missing. Do you want me to send May's conference report in your next package, or just November's? _______

I have the best life. I love getting letters from my family and so enjoy hearing about the things that make them such good people. I gave up a long time ago trying to be as funny or as spiritual or as wise and just be me. I was reflecting on the family history portion of the letters. Boy do I have some history! For example. I was asked by the BYU police and joint FBI investigators to go undercover to catch someone fraudulently producing identification cards/licenses to the highest bidders. The FBI was involved as he had allowed someone to gain illegal access to a military base across state lines. I was wired, followed, and drove to meet the man, who made a Montana license for me so I could quickly age and have access to liquor. I guess I wasn't even 21 yet. When the transaction was completed, we waited for him to contact me for the drop off. I can say I was cuffed, pushed into a patrol car, and whisked away under the pretence of being a perpetrator of an illegal activity, but my favorite part was when testifying in court, watching his face when I was sworn in as an employee of the police department to purport the truth! He knew his ship was about to sink. And that's MY family history story of the week. 

For the rest of the history of this week, I'll begin with Elder Hutchins. He wrote about "the corner," "a corner in the kitchen which no one has ever attempted to clean because there was literally an inch of mold and just gunk coating the floor. As we began our regular weekly cleaning I declared to my companion, "That's it, I am taking on the corner!" For a second he just looked at me then his mouth dropped and he just said, "You are one brave guy." I remember your raising the bar in apartment cleanliness earlier this year, and can't emphasize how important maintaining our physical environment is to our spirit.

Naomi wrote that she was "introduced to this idea of calls. She said plan in an hour a day to just call people. Call all of your friends, call the members and chat. Remind them that we're here, make them feel good, and don't ask them for anything." I liked this, and wondered if this is something you had thought about.

Elder Cummings wrote about a game called tako or bats. It's played with two 2-liter bottles, 2 pieces of wood, a tennis ball, and some chalk/a rock to mark the street. Have you ever heard of or played this game?

Elder Peterson wrote that got to work with Elder C and Elder S from Tuesday until last night. That's you, right? He said, "They had a bunch of possibilities there...This week was straight up great!!! The zone ended up baptizing 16 people which ties the mission record for the number of baptisms in a single zone in one week. This was the last week and Tiradentes ended up winning!! Our reward is a preparation day with the president!

Stephen received his mission call last week, just forgot to mention this and where he is going. Sorry! It's the Mexico Cuernavaca Mission. I think he said his friend Jared is also in that mission? Anyway, he and his family are SO excited, and he'll be off the 18th of December.

Hunter golfed in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, with six schools. He qualified to go on to districts, and will golf again Tuesday against sixteen schools. Golf is unique in that he misses all of school to compete, and has make-up work the rest of the week. But he loves it!

Your brother goes into sewing mode every Sunday. Especially since you are in such awe. He asked Breyer what she would like him to make and she said a snake. So he made one out of old baby socks. It's adorable. Then she said cow, so Cooper obliged, even attaching udders. 

He also made a hot air balloon frame out of Legos, and wrapped it in brown paper bag. I liked it better without the paper.

Your sister has said and done a few things this week that make me smile. I am always in a skirt or dress after seminary, while I finish breakfast and lunches for the boys. Sometimes it stays on for a long time before I change into work clothes. Anyway, Breyer said, "Mom, I want to wear a dress like you." That was a first! Your grandmother made her a beautiful fall outfit, that we'll introduce to you first.

 

The boys finished off the season finale of American Ninja Warrior, no one won the crown. The obstacles were not completed by anyone. When that show is on the house is FULL of testosterone. Miller is crawling up the door frame, Sawyer is lunging down the stairs, Cooper is drawing out plans for the ultimate ninja obstacle course...you get the idea. I feel like a yellow traffic light. Nobody ever listens and wants to stop! They're all eagerly awaiting the next installment, America vs. Japan Ninja Warrior...coming soon to a living room near me.

This was Dad's second football game, also away. He was gone from 4 p.m. until midnight'ish. A long time! They did not win, but a boy stepped up Tuesday to work as a kicker, and did everything Dad told him to do during the game, and was perfect! He kicked the ball off, scored Fairland's FIRST ever field goal, and their point after touchdowns. Porter was stopped by a football player on Wednesday, who said, "Your father works with the kicker one day and he looks like a professional!" Heads are spinning on the field in Proctorville. I'm so glad he can contribute doing something he is great at and something he loves to do - coach.

Hunter spent Saturday morning taking the ACT, his second and last time. I was at the church for an early morning seminary meeting, a stake Relief Society conference, and a baptism. Including the time it took to put all the tables and chairs away that were left in our gym, I was there from 9:30 - 6:30 p.m. Long day! It was good to see Jarrod taking care of the kids, taking care of lunch and dinner, taking care of transportation...the Manny duties he's not around too often to do. They were in good hands. Even though Breyer never got out of her pajamas, she was happy. The boys' soccer games were cancelled due to torrential downpours, so they kept her busy. Your brothers had to run at Shawnee State in those same rains, and came home wet and tired. Porter has been steadily improving his score. I know he had a 23, then 22.4, then 20.30. He's broken the seven minute mile, we'll have to see if he can whittle closer to six.

I've been thinking a lot of how to share the message of the gospel. I am in Baptist country, and are glad that we at least share the belief that we must follow Christ's example and be baptized. "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

But when speaking to friends about the temple usually the ordinance of marriage for time AND eternity is where the discussion is led. But we also perform baptisms for those who might not have had the chance to be baptized here on the earth, by the proper authority.

This is my thesis statement: Understanding that after the crucifixion and death of the Savior, he visited those in spirit prison to begin teaching the gospel to those already gone from this earth, helps us understand that baptism is so essential to our salvation that those who have died without hearing the gospel also must receive this ordinance.

The Bible is replete with examples of this doctrine: "And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited (Isaiah 24:22).

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live...Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice (John 5:25, 28)

"For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living (Romans 14:9)."

"By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison...Because of this, is the gospel preached to them who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live in the spirit according to the will of God. (1 Peter 3:19, 4:6)

Understanding that Christ did open the prison doors makes it possible to understand the importance of the ordinance of baptism being extended to those who are dead, through the temples here on the earth. "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:29)

And knowing that we are responsible for helping those deceased family members have the opportunity to accept the ordinance of baptism, explains the need for us to search out our family through our genealogical efforts. "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened (Revelations 20:12).

There's my thought for the week. I hope it helps you as much as it did me. We love you! We're excited to read about this week's adventures! I apologize for not having a lot of pictures in your inbox...we were without internet all week. I'll get back to work!

Love,

Mom and Dad