2 August 2026
VOLUME 14 – NUMBER 650
Yaretzie and Isaac on family river trip
Troy
These past couple of weeks have been awesome! I went on my first river trip, and it was so much fun. The preparation was a little stressful, but it was definitely worth it. Being on the river was a completely new experience for me, and I really enjoyed it.
On the first day, I had Jen as my skipper, and it was so fun. She taught me how to read a river and how to pack my stuff on the raft. We also did rapid training, where I learned what to do if I fell into a rapid. It was so cold, but it was also so much fun at the same time.
On the second day, I had Caleb as my skipper, and we had a lot of fun. We went through Red Creek, and it was so exciting. We also had a couple of water fights, which were really fun because we always made a plan to attack before the actual water fight.
Family river trip
On the third day, Isaac was my skipper, and it was really fun. We tied up to other people's rafts and played word games together. It was a great time!
We also went cliff jumping on the last day, and at first, I was a little scared. Once I jumped for the first time, though, it was easy for the rest of the time.
I am so glad that I was able to go on the river trip this year. It was such a different experience from anything I've done before, but it was also really awesome. I definitely hope I can go again in the future!
Packing up at Swallow Canyon
The week after the river trip, I went on a backpacking trip with the new stake teachers. We went to the Uintas and backpacked seven and a half miles to Kermsuh Lake. I had never been backpacking before, so Dad helped me figure out what to pack.
The hike up was pretty easy for the first five or six miles. The last one or two miles were steeper, so it was a little harder. Thankfully, we didn't have any rain or storms during the whole trip. The weather was pretty nice and wasn't too hot.
When we got to our campsite, it was very relieving. I was also very glad that I didn't get any blisters or injuries on the way up.
Cow Pie camp
For dinner, I brought a chicken pot pie freeze-dried meal, and it was delicious and much better than I thought it would be. Sleeping that night was nice, too. I slept very well and wasn't sore the next morning, which was great.
For breakfast, I had cinnamon-spice oatmeal. I thought I wouldn't like it, but it is now probably my second-favorite oatmeal packet. The hike down was so easy. I had been in the fast group the whole trip, so we had to make a lot of stops to wait for the people in the back to catch up.
I was so relieved once we got to the bottom of the hike and could get into the air-conditioned cars. The trip was so much fun, and I am thankful that I was able to go on a backpacking trip. It was a great experience, and I hope I get to do it again!
Family river trip
Kai
This river trip was exciting because I was on a single raft for the first time. Singles are super fun to be on, and I really enjoyed it. I was nervous, however, about going down Red Creek alone. I did a great job, though!
I'm finally getting the hang of things at work. I'm adjusting to the hours, but I realized I can wear earbuds when I'm not dealing with customers. If I'm in the cooler in the back restocking for 20 minutes, I can listen to my book.
If I'm bagging ice in the kitchen, I can also listen to my book. This has helped pass the time a lot and has made the job much more exciting. I'm glad I've found a way to make the long hours more enjoyable.
Kai on single raft
Veidi
We were getting ready to go on the river trip, and I was really excited. On the first day, Natalie was my skipper, and it was so fun to be on a raft with her. Sometimes I paddled too hard, so she came up with some things that would help me know how hard or how softly to paddle.
She told me to use the levels “hard,” “medium-hard,” and “soft-medium.” This really helped me because I would pay attention to what she said and follow her instructions. Once we got to the first bathroom break, we saw a rabbit, and it was super cute. We also saw a huge cockroach in the bathroom, which freaked me out!
We did rapid training after the bathroom break. It was super fun, but it was also really cold. When we got to camp, we got everything set up. Then we changed into our pajamas, ate dinner, and eventually went to bed
Veidi and Natalie on river trip
On the second day, my skipper was Isaac. We got our raft ready to go, took down the tent, and packed everything up. Once we were all ready, we went down the first little rapid after leaving the campsite.
After a little while, we got to Red Creek, so we had to pull over before going down. I went down with Jen because Ashton wanted to go down with Isaac. When Jen and I went, everything was pretty smooth until a rock came out of nowhere and got us!
After Red Creek, I got back on Isaac’s raft. We waited until Dad came, and then we continued to the next campsite. We had a few water fights along the way until we got to Cow Pie. Once we arrived, we got everything set up.
Bath time at Cow Pie
Then all the girls went to take a river bath. It was my first time ever taking one, and it was nice because I felt refreshed afterward. Then we had dinner and got into the tent to set up our beds. Once we were ready, we played some games, and I eventually fell asleep.
On the last day, Caleb was my skipper. That day was also cliff jumping! I was excited to do it, but I was nervous because I felt like I wouldn't jump far enough and would scrape myself on the rocks. Thankfully, I didn't, and it was super fun!
After cliff jumping, we did the Silent Mile. I really like the Silent Mile because it helps me hear things that I don't normally notice when I'm being loud. After the silent mile, I saw my long-lost friend, Lion Rock. It's a rock that looks like a lion at the very top of the canyon.
Cliff jumping
I told Caleb about Lion Rock, and he came up with a story and a voice for him. It was pretty funny! We also got into a huge water fight. Then we unloaded and packed up our raft before getting into the van to go home. We had McDonald's on the way, and it was delicious!
Then, on Sunday, I had to give a talk at church. I really didn't want to, and Mom said that I didn't have to if I didn't want to. I was so scared to speak in front of everyone in the ward because we had only been there for a little over a month.
Once I relaxed a bit, though, I decided that I should do it. I gave the talk, and even though it was scary, I was so relieved afterward. I'm glad I decided to go through with it!
Family team at kickball tournament
Isaac
This week was all about preparing for the river trip and eventually going on the trip itself. Many of us also had the annual kickball tournament in American Fork. Sadly, we didn't win any games, but in the last game, we got somewhat close to winning. Nonetheless, it was a ton of fun.
Leading up to the river trip, everything was going pretty smoothly until the last two days before the actual trip. We realized that we probably needed a new tent since the last one we used had gotten pretty beat up in last year's windstorm.
We also discovered that we had two tubes with holes in them, the car battery for the truck rental died, and there were many other things that went wrong. Eventually, though, it all worked out, and we safely made it to Flaming Gorge Dam and got everything unloaded.
Packing meals for river trip
Like always, the river was so much fun. The water was super cold, but it was very refreshing, and I honestly didn't really mind the cold. The water levels were really high this year, so the rapids were easy to get through while still being a lot of fun.
We got to the campsite the first night, set up our new tent, and ate dinner. Some people played games, but I was surprisingly pretty tired, so I just went to bed. The next morning, we got to sleep in because we didn't want to arrive at the next campsite too early since there aren't very many trees to give us shade.
Ashton and Isaac on right side of Red Creek
Red Creek Rapid was on the second day. Since the water levels were really high and a couple of us were feeling adventurous, we decided to go down the right side of the rapid, which had only been done once before by Ashton and London. This time, Ashton and I went down together on the right side, as did London and Keaton. Dad went last on the right side as well.
We got to the final campsite, set up, and then I got bitten by a lot of mosquitoes. I was so itchy! I stayed up somewhat late with Yaretzie, London, and Keaton playing Contact, a really fun game where you're essentially trying to guess the word that someone is thinking of.
Bath time at Stone Fly
The next day, we got up, got ready, and headed out onto the river. We got to the cliff-jumping spot, which was really fun. I jumped about five or six times, and it felt so nice to get in the water.
Then we did a silent mile, and afterward, there was a huge water fight right at the end. We eventually made it to the boat ramp, disassembled the rafts, and put them back into the trailer. Then we headed out.
I had so much fun, and I'm kind of sad that it'll be at least two more years before I get to go on the next river trip. I already can't wait for the next one!
Selvin and Caleb on river trip
Brooke
Back in 2024, I was tired of people asking me what my hobbies were because I didn't really have any. I started brainstorming things I might enjoy and remembered watching my dad make candles when I was little. I figured I'd give it a try!
As I experimented and learned, I found myself getting excited and fulfilled by creating something with my own hands. The more confident I became in the candles I was making, the more I started gifting them to friends and family.
It was so rewarding to see people enjoying something I had created myself. Braden and I eventually started talking about selling them one day since candle making can get pretty pricey.
Brooke making candles
When I started thinking of a name, I knew I wanted it to reflect what matters most to me: my family and my faith. I played around with names using "Hill" or "Rush" (my maiden name), and then Matthew 5:14–16 came to mind. Just like that, “Light on a Hill was born.
A year went by, and friends and family kept asking when I was finally going to start selling them. I was hesitant because I kept wondering, "Would anyone actually spend money on something I made?" With a lot of encouragement from Braden and my family, though, I decided to take the leap.
I started building inventory, and Braden jumped in to help with product photos, the website, and pretty much everything besides actually making the candles, haha. It was so much fun getting to work on something together and be excited about it together. We set our launch date for Saturday, July 25.
Brooke with her candles on launch day
When launch day finally came, I was overwhelmed by all the love and support. Whether you followed my candle page at https://loahcandleco.square.site, shared it with a friend, left encouraging words, bought a candle, or cheered me on in any way, thank you. It truly means so much to me.
And to Braden—thank you for constantly pushing me outside my comfort zone, being my biggest hype man, and working so hard behind the scenes to help make this possible. I couldn't have done it without you!
Quinn and Veidi reading in the back yard
Quinn
Hi! It was the week of the river trip. Mac, Gloria, Joanna, and I had a lot of fun. When we were done, Gloria and I edited the videos. We had the three youngest kids and Mac with us.
The night they came back from the river trip, we had to put everything away. Then we watched some of the river trip videos together. After that, we went to bed.
Gloria with Hill and Smith kiddos
Joanna
Quinn, McKay, and I made a movie while the older kids were on a river trip. A few minutes after everybody left, Natalie came over, and we ate breakfast burritos. Then we dropped off the three youngest kids and Mac.
When Mac and I were playing, we wanted to make a movie. We asked Gloria if she could film the video for us so that we could make the movie, and she said yes. Once we were all done with the movie, Gloria and Quinn edited it.
It took us two days to finish the movie. We had a lot of fun making it together. It was really fun to see the finished movie after all our hard work.
Playing a game
Cougar
It has been some time since I last submitted a newsletter article, and there has been a lot that has happened. The first thing I'll say is that Endia and I are expecting a new addition to the family on March 19. Endia is pregnant again! There are a lot of emotions surrounding this, but I feel mostly excited and grateful to be a father and husband.
For quite a while now, I've been doing the stay-at-home dad thing while Endia returned to work full-time. It has been so much fun. I love being with my kids, and the opportunity to spend so much time together has been a true delight. I feel incredibly grateful for the time I've been able to spend with them.
Cougar with Owen and Emmett
One thing I want to say is how incredibly proud I am of Endia. Pregnancy is not easy for her. It is very exhausting physically and mentally, yet she has decided to walk down that road again to bring more children into our family. She has a truly loving and generous heart.
Seeing Endia face another pregnancy with courage, determination, and selflessness continues to amaze me and gives me a great appreciation for her and for all mothers. I love and admire Endia not just for what she does, but for who she is. I feel incredibly blessed to have her as my wife and the mother of our children.
Endia and Emmett
As we have more changes in our lives, we feel that it would be best for our roles to change again. Endia has finished her time working at DCFS, and I have been applying for jobs and completing interviews so that I can go back to work while she takes on the role of stay-at-home parent. All of these changes are going to keep me very busy.
I have also started working toward my Master of Social Work degree through Boise State University's online program. A large part of this schooling involves completing two long-term internships. I have accepted a position at the Multicultural Counseling Center in West Jordan, Utah, and that will start in about three weeks.
In addition to my internship, I have tentatively accepted a full-time position as a Mental Health Technician at Salt Lake Behavioral Health and expect to start September 1. I will primarily be working the overnight shift, helping people experiencing mental health crises as they stabilize.
Emmett and Owen
So, between being a father and husband, working full-time, completing my graduate coursework, and spending time at my internship each week, it is evident that I will be busy during this next stage of life. I anticipate lots of long days and late nights, but I am excited for the growth that this will bring for me and my family.
Endia and I seem to always be going through some kind of transition stage. There are a lot of unknowns and, I'm sure, unforeseen challenges, but I feel blessed.
The Lord has always provided opportunities for our family to grow, learn, and be joyful. I have faith that He will continue to do so. I hope to share some stories of the miracles and blessings we see during this next chapter of our lives.
Ashton with friends
Ashton
Kickball, river trips, canyoneering, an SLC reunion, The Odyssey, and Spider-Man! The past two weeks have totally thrown off my routine of going to bed at 10:30 PM and waking up at 6:30 AM!
We had the annual Chicharrones kickball tournament, and we regressed a little bit this year with zero wins to our name. The next morning was the river trip, and it was one of the more memorable ones I've been on recently! It was so nice to be unplugged for a few days.
This past week, some friends and I went up to a little party in SLC to see one of our old co-workers, who now works at the Church Office Building and is living in Salt Lake. We ended up being there until about 1:40 AM, and I had work at 7:45 the next morning. Needless to say, I was running on very little sleep!
Selvin helping others across current
Later that evening, I left to go canyoneering with London, Keaton, and Isaac. After getting home that evening, Caleb and I went with one of my roommates to see the new Spider-Man movie. It was an 11:35 PM showing, so I didn't get home until 2:30 AM, and I had a 7:30 AM meeting on Sunday. All I have to say is that it is SO nice not to have school to worry about in the back of my mind while pulling all of these late nights.
Some of the boys and I also went to watch The Odyssey this week, and it was incredible. It was one of those movies that I couldn't stop thinking about after seeing it. I loved the messaging, along with some of the deeper themes and adaptations.
I won't spoil anything here for anyone who hasn't seen it, but it was definitely worth watching!
Resting on sandbar on river trip
Monte
First week of the transfer! Holy cow, Urbi is so different. My brain has been on overload this entire week just adjusting to all the differences. The people here are so open to talking compared to the more guarded nature of José María Morelos.
Elder Delaney is pretty awesome. We've had some very good talks about doctrine. He's definitely very different from any of my other companions, and to be honest, he reminds me a bit of Caleb. He's so cool, and I can't wait to see what these next six weeks together bring.
I'm slowly starting to get to know the members here and the people who are progressing toward baptism, so that's been fun. We also share a ward with two other elders, and it's nice to have that again.
Monte and Elder Delaney
I also hit 14 months on the mission, and on that day, my mission president gave me permission to get on a call to see my friend Aaron Barco open his mission call! He's going to Ecuador! I'm so excited for him, and I know that he's going to do amazing things while he serves.
Aaron is like a little brother to me, and seeing him grow up and start getting ready to go on his mission is something really special to me. It's crazy to think about how quickly time has gone. I'm so excited to see what the future holds for him!
Also, our friend Agustín just got baptized! He was so excited for his baptism and even brought his family over. It was so great! Our other friends who have baptismal dates came to the baptism to see for themselves, which made me very happy. We are making many plans to start harvesting this area. The field here really is white and ready to harvest.
Selvin resting on sandbar on river trip