2013-09-22 swirlyconefamily newsletter

SwirlyConeFamily Weekly Letter

22 September 2013 Volume I - Number 1

Yarima Age 18 / Freshman @ USU-Eastern [email protected], 435-630-7328 451 E 400 N, PMB 5553, Price, UT 84501

College is going great. My classes are so fun and interesting. My favorite class is Nutrition. I have also really have enjoyed institute. I have met a lot of people and we are now good friends. I love my ward (Price YSA 1st ward). The first week of September we had a stake FHE at the park. We had a really long slip and slide and we played water games. Last week we had a movie night watching "The Goonies" I couldn't go because I had work. On that Tuesday I went to a relief society activity about healthy food. This last week for FHE we played capture the flag at the park. It was intense. As you all know I got the job at Taco Time. The first two weeks were kind of hard because I needed to get the hang of things but now it’s great. The place is a small fast food place so you would think that hardly anybody goes there but no! Every day we have at least a 3 hour rush. It is crazy! We have all hands on deck running all over the place. Yesterday I had a couple classes and then had the rest of the day off. I helped a lady from work by watching her little girl. I was also invited to play volleyball at the church. One of the guys invited us to a bonfire. We roasted marshmallows and hung out. Because it was a full moon the school was doing an activity called "True Eagle." If you kiss someone on Gibby, you become a true Eagle and get a free shirt (On campus we have this rock named Gibby that you can decorate when no one is looking, so it's different every week). It was cool at the beginning but then it got awkward, so we left and watched Tangled in Spanish. It was a fun day.

Yarima's friends/roommates: Marissa, Kenzie, Bright, Natasha, Morgan

Braden Age 18 / Full-time missionary @ MTC [email protected] OCT23 PHI-OLO, 2007 N 900 E Unit 19, Provo UT 84602

It is such an amazing, crazy experience being here at the MTC. Things are going very well. The first day here was basically orientation. We went on a tour of the campus, learned where our class, room, cafeteria, chapel, and all the other important locations are. I also met my MTC companion, Elder Christensen (who is our district leader). I am so blessed that he is my companion. He and I both work our hardest to be on time to every class/activity, and he is not rebellious at all. It is a blessing to not have to worry about disobedience. Our district is also amazing! We have four elders, and six sisters in our district: Elder Christensen (Saratoga Springs), Elder Jarvis (Oregon), Elder Larron (Marshall Islands), Sister Beckham, Sister Johnson, Sister Raynor, Sister Udall, Sister Neeley, and Sister Sidwell. Elder Larron is from the Marshall Islands. He decided he wanted to be baptized last year, after one missionary lesson. After only one year of being a member, he is here serving a mission. Every day is such a blessing that I get to be around him. He has a humorous personality, always laughing, and trying to be everyone's friend. He is going through the temple today (Sep 14), and our district will be there while he receives his endowment. He is so humble, and even though he really only speaks very little English, he shares all his favorite scriptures all the time. When he shares, he gets so excited and motivated when he hears them being read. It is crazy how much you can love someone after only knowing them for three days. He is such an amazing elder. Would you each write him a letter, at least once a week? All the rest of the district members have received mail and he has not. Just use the same address as mine, but write "Elder Larron." Yesterday, Elder Christensen and I "taught" our first lesson in Tagalog to a volunteer who acted as an investigator. I say "taught" because we basically wrote a script of what to say, memorized the phrases, and hoped that the investigator didn't ask too many questions. To me, it went as well as it could have, given that we have only been learning the language for two days. If he had any questions we couldn't answer–which in this case would be any question–it was my job to say "puwede po ba kaming bumalik bukas?" This means, "may we respond to that tomorrow and answer it then." We are teaching him again tonight and have to memorize another lesson by 6:00.

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Volum 22 September 2013 Volume I - Number 1


Dropping off Braden at the MTC (at a church parking lot just down the road)

Learning Tagalog has been so much fun! From day one, our instructor has only taught us by speaking Tagalog (with a little English for translation). It is crazy how when there is urgency, and you honestly know nothing, how much you pray and rely on the Spirit. I pray for the gift of tongues every day, and then work as hard as I can to memorize phrases that I can use. It definitely is difficult. I can see why people say that their mission is the hardest thing they have ever done. It is a struggle to keep focused and continue working, but I feel like I've done my very best. I don't understand why there are many disobedient missionaries. Not so much in my district at all yet, but in our apartment building, you see disobedience everywhere. For now at least, I'm extremely blessed to have an obedient companion and an obedient district. I feel like I have been blessed for doing everything I can to be exactly obedient. Members in my district comment on how quickly I seem to memorize things. I know Heavenly Father is blessing me because of how I strive to act. My goal is to remain just as obedient when I leave the MTC, as when I got here. In two weeks, my district will be moving to the new West Campus of the MTC. My mailing address will change, but when that happens, I will let you know. Also, our estimated departure date for the Philippines is October 21. We have about seven weeks of training before we leave. Things are going great! I love learning and feeling the spirit everyday, and I can't wait until I am better at speaking. I miss you all and hope to hear from you soon!

Endia Age 16 / 11th grade @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

The last few weeks have been very eventful for me. Just recently I have started playing volleyball at JL Sorensen Recreation Center. I am very excited, I've already had my first practice, but I will be at the homecoming dance for my first game. I have been getting ready for homecoming lately and am really excited for Saturday. I was asked by Kyle Thornock.

I also talked to Dunford Bakers about job opportunities, got in for an interview, and now I start work on Wednesday! I am excited and nervous about that at the same time. I have been training for the half marathon and I'm on track. It is starting to seem possible. I have a very overloaded schedule and am still trying to settle in to home school, so I will see how well things go with the added activities. A lot has been going on with me lately and it all came on so fast I am still trying to adjust, so we'll see how things go.

Jen Age 16 / 11th grade @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

The past couple of weeks, I've been busy with school. This is my second year at Utah Virtual Academy (at home). Now that all of us girls have our own rooms, Mom and Dad got London and I day beds, and we spent last weekend putting them together, with only a little help from Mom! I also got my hair cut. The girls and I have also been test dummies for sister Whitaker (a stake young women's leader). She is practicing on how to put fake eyelashes on people. I think that was the most fun things I've done these past few weeks.

Jen on her new day bed doing schoolwork

London Age 15 / 10th grade @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

Lately, I have mostly just been working on school. I LOVE the new system for homeschooling, and I am glad we are doing it. It has been a little hard not having the whole social aspect, but mom and dad have made some awesome plans for what we can do with that. I have also been able to get that aspect by attending seminary every other day. I am enjoying that class and I like my teacher, Brother Olsen.



Being schooled from home has made my schedule so much more flexible, and there are already people in the ward who want us to babysit for them during the day. I like that because I NEED MONEY! It has been such a great chance to work in school, and have most of the day to do what I want. I am loving math right now, and I feel like I am really understanding all of the things that we are learning. I have been doing some more stuff with dance, and I am super exited to get all the dance clothes we just ordered. It was sad to see Braden go when we dropped him off at the MTC, and I miss having Yarima around. Sister Whitaker wanted to practice doing eyelash extensions on some of the girls, so I went over and had mine done yesterday. They are super-long and they remind me of spider legs since they are not on all of my eyelashes!

Natalie Age 15 / 10th grade @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

Things have been very different without Braden and Yarima at home. I love you guys so much and wish the best for you guys. I FINALLY moved into Braden’s room. It’s great being in his room because I can think back as to why I got my own room and then I remember Braden is out doing God’s work and I’m just taking care of it while he’s gone.

Natalie working on schoolwork in her new room

The day after Braden left Endia and I had the opportunity to hike Ensign Peak for earning our medallions and Honor Bees. We were able to go with a few girls from our stake. We are training for the Snow Canyon half marathon in St. George and it has been fun. This week we are at five miles. It has really paid off since I started playing fall soccer because it is only me and two other boys that actually run on my team when we have to do laps. I am on a travel league so we play at different rec centers. We won our first game.

Today in seminary we talked about how hard it was for Lehi’s family to go into the wilderness and leave all their possessions and valued stuff behind. The reason I think of this is because I know that it was hard for Yarima and Braden to leave but if they go and do what the Lord wants them to do, then he will be pleased just like he was with Lehi’s family. Good luck Rima and Braden! Love you guys!

Dennis Age 12 / 7th grade @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

Hey! Natalie embarrassed me by telling Brother Hansen, the First Counselor in the bishopric, that I like his daughter Emma. I ran out of the church and hid in the truck! Also, Mom has been giving me piano lessons and they have been coming out good. Other than that I’ve been good except for school. I still need to work on that. I haven’t done anything fun this week because of school and because of chores. I'm having a rough week and it keeps getting worse. I try to keep a good attitude but it doesn’t work out so well.

Ashton Age 12 / 7th grade @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

This week we ran five miles training for the half marathon. We also have moved rooms around for the girls. Gabe is just being as usual and still wanders around a lot, but he does make more noises now. We went to Natalie’s soccer game this week and she won. Nothing super big has gone on this week or since you left. So there’s not a whole lot to talk about. We did go to the temple and have had scripture study every day. School is going great I’m ahead in a few subjects. Bye.

Caleb Age 9 / 4th grade @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

Hi how are you doing? Are you okay? I’m joking! I don’t care about you! I want to tell you how I’m doing. Do I have permission? Thank you! Now let me tell you what I did. I ran 5 miles and Dennis taught me how to make bread, since being the bread-maker is my new job. I am going to buy a Hot Wheels car as soon as I can get to Walmart. I'm behind in school, and I got a red week, but I'm doing better each week.



Monte Age 7 / 2nd grade @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

I really like K-12 (Utah Virtual Academy), especially math equations and literature. Daddy put my spelling words on an iPod, so I could practice them like flash cards. I'm saving up money for a toy car.

The Boys in the schoolroom (Dad's magnet board tracking system in background)

Isaac Age 5 / Kindergarten @ Utah Virtual Academy [email protected], 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

I don't like school that much, because it takes a long time for school to get done. I miss you Yarima and Braden!

Kai Age 3 @ Home 801-840-1336 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

Yesterday I went to Walmart in the truck with Daddy and Ashton, and Ashton bought me a new Hot Wheels car! It's gold. Look!

Kai playing with his new Hot Wheels car

Mom / Jenny Age 39 / Mom, teacher, doctor, cab driver, therapist [email protected], 801-417-3004 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

I have been busy! It is a good kind of busy because most of my time is spent with family. We get up at 6:30 to exercise. Breakfast is at 7:30, scripture study at 8:30, and school, which fills up most of my day, starts at 9:00. We also eat together as a family. I teach 12 piano students–21 if you count my own children. I also watch my little nephew Gabe five days a week. Finally, I got a new truck! Yes, the truck is mine, but sometimes I let Arkin drive it!

Mom's 2005 Nissan Titan

Dad / Arkin Age 42 / Lumin Publishing, BYU, US Army Reserve [email protected], 801-417-3005 6015 W Oakshade Ln, West Jordan, UT 84081

During the three months of summer, I spent 44 days on the road! I flew to California in May (company trip), North Carolina in June (Army chaplain training), Alabama in July (final exam for graduate school), and Nevada in August (Army weekend drill). I rafted 70 miles down the Green River...twice, served with Jenny on the cooking committee at youth conference, and we spent 10 days on a family RV trip. During all this, I finished up my Master of Divinity degree with a full credit load. We ended the summer by dropping off Yarima at college and Braden at the MTC. As part-time professor at BYU, I have been given a second business communication course. I have also helped Jenny set up school for nine children, including the computers, desks, closet re-builds, and magnet boards that help things flow more smoothly. And despite the craziness, Jenny and I are very happy with how life is treating us. We love our family, are very proud of our two oldest children who have just left the nest, and things have never been better with our other children, who are also progressing so well.

2013-09-22 swirlyconefamily newsletter

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