With All My Love

Dear Elder Schenewark,

Breyer wanted to make me a birthday cake last Sunday. Since the enter key had already been hit on your letter, I'm letting you know - it was a disaster. Not the actual cake, just the process in making the cake. She's a messy baker, which I have never minded, but this was epic. She tipped over the bowl holding all her wet ingredients and, if you don't know, eggs follow each other in a slippery slide. This slide was into my silverware drawer, With a nice vanilla smell, and just a tad of oil. Then, she has learned that the beaters have a nice notch on the base that allows you to secure it onto a bowl lip, and leave your beaters whipping, hands free. She tried that with the cake batter, and when the beaters fell, the bowl fell. Again, into my silverware drawer. down the cabinet, on the walls, the fridge, and floor. Wagner was happy to help in the clean up, and my silverware drawer has never looked so clean.

But her efforts in my present will go down in history as one of my favorite gifts. She contacted each member in the family and I guessed asked them why you and others love me, wrote their comments on a folded origami design, made by her, held in an origami paper box. Now center stage in my bedroom for frequent perusual.

Wednesday I rolled into work with a flat tire. I actually was suspicious Tuesday while driving to and from Sawyer's scrimmage i Saginaw - 55 miles away. I was very wiggly on the highway but thought it was wind. Wednesday morning I could tell there was no wind, so slowed down a bit. Fortunately I work with an agency that provides a courtesy patrol truck for the highways, and convinced them to help me in the work parking lot.

Sawyer got his second ACT score back and was a bit disappointed with the 31. If the two scores are combined it's a 35 - but BYU doesn't do that. For whatever reason, his 36 score in English last go around was a 28 this time, and his 28 in math was a 36 this time. He also made 82 free throws in a row - and for those of his loved ones who were willing to sponsor him - we paid up.

 This week the nation celebrated veteran’s day with a lot of social media posts indicating "thanks for your service." I grew up in the lap of luxury not having to enlist, and my father and uncle were optional enlistments – meaning there was no mandatory draft. I did get a notice when I turned 18 to register for the draft – as the back then computers had added an E to my Jo. I am grateful for the relative peace I've enjoyed in my lifetime, and am grateful for those whose sacrifice made my freedoms possible.

The Dallas County tax office had a food drive for Thanksgiving – asking for very specific items related to Thanksgiving such as corn, beans, gravy, cornbread mix, rice, stuffing. I put a box out by the time clock, and sent a "public service announcement" out to all the vehicles via an in car screen. I came back the following week to an empty box ☹  My lieutenant put together ten bags, including one of everything on the list, so I had that, but then at the last minute one deputy contacted me and told me he had put in a few items. He filled the box! I guess he’s a softie underneath his crusty exterior, a veteran, and I was grateful for his support. I am hoping for a few extra blessings on his and his family's head.

This is portion of a letter in 2016 from Grampy to Hunter - on his mission in Brazil. 

I hope that you have an obedient and hard working companion where you are – it makes things so much more pleasant when you are both on the same page.  You do know I suspect that your mission has several different aspects to it.  I suppose the chief one is to teach and baptize.  One of the others is for you to use your testimony, your leadership skills and your example of obedience and hard work to be the kind of influence on your companion that makes him better (if you have someone that lacks in those areas).  One of my favorite scriptures is in the D&C, section 121.  I have memorized practically all of it.  At the end it says : “let virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly, then shall your confidence wax strong in the presence of God and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon your soul as the dews from heaven”.

Another is the book of Enos.  He was such a hard working and humble servant, yet he wanted to make sure he was cleansed of any sin and petitioned God day and night and was finally told his sins were forgiven and he was clean.  I love the next part where Enos asks God, but how is that done? (meaning how are his sins taken away) and God tells him that because of his powerful faith in Jesus Christ. 

So remember, faith is a power and most of the time we have no awareness of that when things get going bad in our lives.  My faith is one of the things that I try to work on the most and I have experienced the increase in power that is mentioned in the scriptures – but I know I have only scratched the surface. 

We pray for you.

I know your grandfather is praying for you know, and loves you dearly. He was in such awe of your god given talents. Use them on your mission. Have a wonderful week.

Mom