2 January 2022
VOLUME 10 – NUMBER 433
London and Gloria playing the piano
Here is a poem I wrote for Christmas
Christmas, the birth of Christ, is the beginning of His story. A starry night, a baby boy, held in his mother’s arms. It is the song in every home. We remember that sacred night, but the true joy of that child, which enters every heart, comes from seeking out His ending.
That baby born of prophecy, learns to teach His endless love. His touch heals wounds and broken lives. His words shake the fabric of time. This story then takes him to a cross, as he carries us in his hands. That sacrifice of blood and soul were his ransom for every child.
The miracle that He lived again, gave his life new birth. Christ lives, and now I have entered his story. He teaches his love and I strive always to learn. I have been forgiven and freed. His touch saves me every day. He has held me and healed me. Christ brings me His joy.
This is the end that I sing of and praise as I remember that precious night. Christ as a child, humble and pure, starting the story that is changing my life.
Watching movie in new Bunkhouse Theater
So, COVID tests and quarantine has been the story of the week for sure! Veidi and I got tested last week and they came back negative, and several others in the family got tested this week. A group of us was on the way to go help London clean an Air B&B (as a favor to a friend), but we decided to get tested first.
When we showed up, it took probably about an hour for us to get to the front of the line. We were headed towards Provo when we got the results. London believed me when I said that her results were negative. However, about five minutes later, when I told her that Gloria came back positive, she had me show Veidi and Isaac before she believed that I wasn't lying. And that was just the first of many positive tests.
Ultimately that was the start of a crazy, but really fun week! We've been watching lots of movies, playing games, and resting, which is super nice in many ways to have that. It is a blessing that this came right before school started, and not right during the first week.
Selena and Alex making crunchy quesadillas
Selena
This week lots of people are sick and I think eight of us have tested positive for COVID! Mom, Dad, Christian, Monte, Alex, and I don't have it. Everyone else has been quarantined down in the basement so Christian and I moved back upstairs for a bit.
Alex, Dad and I watched Blue Bloods and had ice cream on New Year’s Eve. Alex and I did lots of puzzles together and listened to music. We also made quesadilla crunch wraps for everyone, and Dad took their food down the basement for them!
Alex and I also watched School of Chocolate on Netflix, we really like it, it's about these really good pastry chefs that come in and get taught by the man of chocolate. His name is Amaury Guichon. He's a master with chocolate. You should watch it!
Also, this week Alex, Jo, Quinn and I made a snowman that Joanna says is Olf. Misha kept trying to eat the nose so we had to put him on the table outside. Also Monte,Christian, Alex and I played Throw Throw Burrito. But yes this week has been crazy. And work was ok, I worked with Terrell (the manager, I work with him everyday) but Emma was out of town this week so I missed her!
Ellie and Brooke in Florida
I finally got a new apartment! I have looked at so many listings and viewed several different apartments, and I came really close to signing a contract, but I was feeling kind of nervous about it. I decided to look one more time on the Facebook page where everyone lists their contracts for sale. It was pretty cool because a new room was posted, and it looks pretty nice and is way more affordable than any other private room I have seen.
On top of that, the contract was also a month to month contract, so I will have the option of going on the internship abroad this summer. Even though I have been in quarantine, I feel so relieved to not be homeless anymore, and I'm excited to have new roommates and a new ward and classes.
I've realized that I really like change. I look forward to new experiences and meeting new people and the novelty of living somewhere new is exciting. I am really going to miss the ward I'm in, and I'm sad that I have to be released from my calling.
I have felt God pushing me to be so much more through this calling, and I have seen so many small miracles happen as God works through me. It has reminded me of when I was a missionary, and I hope to keep the spirit of service with me as I move into a new ward.
London, Alex, Veidi’s snow slide
Christian
Utah Jazz played against the Timberwolves on New years Eve. Mom, Monte and I went to work there. Vanessa and Gloria couldn't because they had COVID, along with a few other people in the family. It was a nice game and the Jazz won. We are also good at the courtside club which is where we work.
This past semester my grades went down after I started working, so I had to quit my job at Riley’s. Mom and Dad said that I can still work Jazz games if I can get my grades back up.
Aura and the girls at Rio Tinto stadium
This week was about to be a new year. Me, Vanessa, Isaac, Veidi, Endia, London, Kai, Ashton and Gloria were all sick. Endia, Vanessa, Kai and Gloria all tested positive for COVID so Mom and Dad said all of the sick people probably have it.
So all of the quantined people had New Year’s Eve in the basement. We watched Mall Cop, which is our New Year’s Eve tradition. For dinner, we had sliders with barbecue sauce. Mom or Dad had to bring all our food down to us, and we couldn’t go upstairs at all for the whole week.
I started a book series called Fablehaven, and I am on the first book and it is great. It is a 10-book series and Isaac is also on the last book of Dragon Watch which is like Fablehaven.
Quarantined children in the basement
This week I have been spending more time talking to older siblings and it has been fun having them over at the house. On Tuesday I got sick. I stayed in my bed and rested for a couple of days. Then on Thursday, London, Ashton, Isaac, Veidi and I went to help London clean a house over at Provo. Before we headed over to Provo, London, and I went to get tested for COVID, and while they were doing the test I got a bloody nose, but the lady who did me was nice about it.
We had to wait five minutes for my nose to calm down. After about 10 minutes, London’s results came back negative and mine came back positive. Later we found out that Vanessa and Kai also got positive.
A couple days later Endia got tested again with a longer test that takes a day to come back, and she tested positive this time, so Mom and Dad thought that London and the other sick people probably had the new type of COVID that doesn’t show up as well on the quick tests.
When we came back home we all had to wear masks and stay six feet apart. Later that night after dinner Mom and Dad and Endia and London decided to have the sick people all stay in the basement and wear a mask. That way we would have our own bathroom, and could stay away from anyone not sick. So for the week after Christmas we were split up into two groups!
Caleb watching New Year’s Eve fireworks
Hi everyone! Another amazing week! A lot of work, but not really a lot of success, which is really hard because a lot of people in Chile are usually really receptive to the gospel. But the people here are amazing!
And I'm literally seeing miraculous things every day. Simply seeing the members here and seeing their happiness and light just adds to my testimony that this church is the true church and gospel of Jesus Christ!
Each of us at times don't remember how blessed we are to have this light in our lives. So, I invite you to think about this light that you have in your life, and find a way to show more gratitude for it.
New Year’s was awesome and fun! I don't know if I wrote about it in my last letter or not, but we watched the Best Two Years (movie about missionaries) until midnight then went to the top of our building and watched fireworks! We also had a lot of goodies and snacks. It was a lot of fun!
My Spanish is coming along! I'm not that great yet, but I can feel my ability growing and growing. Just remember to keep trying at your goals, whether spiritual or physical. Keep trying and it will come.
Elders Hill and Wray with a stray dog
Vanessa
Me, Kai, and Endia went to get tested and it turned out that me and Kai tested positive. Now we have to be in the Bunkhouse with everybody else whose is sick. Endia and Gloria tested positive as well. But it is fun being down here and playing games with everyone else.
We also watched Pride and Prejudice the LDS version, and I actually like that one. It is always fun to try something new. But for the most part I have been feeling better.
Braden, Brooke, and Ellie in Florida
Happy New Year! Not! Okay, I admit it, it was pretty fun to celebrate New Year’s in Quarantine. Sorry, you probably don't know why. Let me take you back to Thursday. A lot of us started feeling sick, so Dad asked everyone that was feeling sick to get tested for COVID.
London also asked anyone who wanted to go with her to clean a Vrbo (like AirBnB) house. Gloria, Veidi, Ashton, and I all chose to help her. On our way there, we went to a COVID testing site to get tested.
We were in the line for almost an hour. By the time we were done there were about thirty-five cars behind us. Then we started driving to the Vrbo house in Provo and we got the tests back! London tested negative, and Gloria tested... Positive!
When we got back from cleaning the house Mom had all of the sick people quarantined down stairs. Kai, Gloria, and Vanessa were the ones that came back positive. The people that tested positive slept in the cottage and the other people that were just sick slept in the Bunkhouse.
The day after on Friday, New Year’s Eve, I started feeling sick and so I came downstairs to the bunkhouse. On Thursday Endia took another test to see if she had COVID and it tested positive so Mom and Dad basically said that whoever started feeling sick probably had COVID and they needed to be quarantined.
Which Brings me back to “New Year’s in Quarantine.” It was really fun. We watched Mall Cop and Fantastic Beasts and then went to bed. Thank you, Mom and Dad for letting us have one of the best quarantine New Year’s Ever!
Ellie and Braden on beach in Florida
Me, Gloria, Ashton, and Issac all went to help London with cleaning a house and it took us a while because we had to wait for the laundry to be done. It was taking a while so we took it home to dry.
I got to quarantine in the new Bunkhouse Theater. It is really fun, because I am with London, Kai, Ashton, Troy, Gloria, Endia, Vanessa, and Isaac. New Year’s was different this year because we were split up. This year we only watched Mall Cop because we were too tired to watch Kangaroo Jack, but they watched Kangaroo Jack upstairs in Mom and Dad’s room.
Ellie in swimming pool
Yes, I am one of the COVID quarantine people, along with London, Endia, Isaac, Troy, Veidi, Vanessa, and Ashton. Being quarantined has been a roller coaster. It has its ups and downs.
We get the Nintendo Switch, but we feel sick all the time. We get movies, but no any sunlight. We get the new theater that is down here, but it stinks (lots of sick bodies that are too tired to shower). We don't have to interact with people, but we don't get to interact with people. We get to eat in the theater, but we don't get to eat as a family. That's what I mean by ups and downs.
Alex with candy sushi kit from Lupe