1 May 2022

VOLUME 10 – NUMBER 450

Caleb with his new companion, Elder Jones

Caleb

This week was my first week in my new area! On Tuesday, I traveled to my new area. At one point there were three missionaries, six suitcases, and a few bags crammed into an pretty small car. One of the elders had to sit on my lap and we tied one of the suitcases to the roof! That was fun.

Then they dropped me off at a train station, where I had to wait for two and a half hours for the train to come. Then I boarded it with all my stuff. It was a little weird being solo, but it was good.

I live in a house with six elders. We're all gringos, so it's super different from my last six weeks or so, when I had a Spanish-speaking companion, but it's pretty fun.

My companion’s name is Elder Jones. His hobbies are Dungeons & Dragons, sword fighting, and he loves Star Trek. He’s pretty great. Maybe that paints a little bit of a picture of who he is. And he's from Herriman, Utah.

Caleb with a group of missionaries

Most of all, our ward—named Lagunillas—is pretty amazing. The members are super involved with missionary work. From what I've seen and heard from the sister missionaries who share the ward with us, they're all just super awesome!

I think we'll be able to help a lot of people in this next transfer come unto Christ, and taste of the joy and love that he has! I hope we'll be able to get a lot done. I'm excited.

Also, I finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish for the first time! My Spanish is pretty solid, but nevertheless, I still have a lot to learn. I've had couple people say my Spanish is pretty good, and that's been great!

Really, we're just trying to get to know everyone, between friends that we're teaching, and ward members, but things are pretty great!

Caleb at lunch appointment

Vanessa

Me, London, Mom, Alex, and Gloria went to a play called The Light in the Piazza. It was mainly about a love story that happens in Italy, and it had some funny parts.

We also got some treats that were really good. It was great that we got to watch the play with London. I think my favorite play at Hale Center theater would be Strictly Ballroom. I really like the movie and the play. I was glad I went to that one.

Girls making Monday-night pizza

Veidi

For my young women’s activity, we played a board game called Werewolf, Twister, and one kinda like Apples to Apples, but it has a picture, and you have to pick which card would be good for the picture. I really liked it. Sister Hutton was laughing so hard!

Yarima

I’ve been working a lot this last month, so things have been pretty busy. It was fun to have Yaretzie and Itzel over for a night. We went to go play volleyball on Friday. Also, Saturday Selvin had a soccer game, so we went to that, and it was fun.

Selvin’s soccer game

Gloria

I have finally finished school for the year, and most of my grades are A's and B's, so I have been reading the drivers handbook most of the time this week, so I can get my learner’s permit. I finished reading it after a few days.

I also got a new fish. It is another betta, and I have now had it longer than the first one. His name is Eddie Junior. Dad helped move the fish tank up into my room.

Ashton came over, and Kai and I went with him so he could get a new backpack in Jordan Landing. We also worked at a Real Salt Lake game, and it was a lot better, because there are now two lines instead of just one big one. It went a lot faster.

Nate launching rockets with children

Natalie

Recently, we’ve been teaching the kids how to build things by following instructions. As part of that, this week we built model rockets with the boys to fly at the park. Mac has a fascination with outer-space and has pictures of all the planets with their chemical makeup on his wall. He loves anything that has to do with the cosmos.

We bought a few rockets that the kids and to glue together and then went and launched them off at the park. Mac and Brigham had a blast. They loved every second of it.

Nate launching rockets with children

Ashton

Spring has already been so nice! I took Spring cleaning to the max, so my apartment is super-clean, no school, the weather is getting warmer...it has been awesome!

This week, Dallas, one of Braden's old co-workers, who still works at the MTC, invited me to play basketball on Tuesday's and Thursday's, so, I go with Joe Stepan, my old companion when I was serving in Mesa, and it is a super nice way to start the day.

Joe asked if I wanted to go on the other days just to the courts on campus, and I readily agreed! So now, I am getting up earlier, actually eating breakfast, and starting the spring strong.

Ashton roasting marshmallows

Another big event this week was getting Braden's old scooter back down here to Provo. The scooter can't go on the interstate or highways, since legally it can't go above 55 mph. That meant that I had to follow Mom and Dad along the backroad way from West Jordan to Provo, which is normally a 45- to 50-minute drive. However, this trip took two hours!

I was a little nervous, because I had just started to drive the scooter that day, but it was good to have that experience going all that way. It did get super cold when the sun went down though! It will be super nice to have that around as an option beyond having to use the bus and shuttle, or having to borrow London’s or Endia’s cars all the time!

Roasting marshmallows

London

Since it has been getting warmer, I decided last minute that it would be fun to go up the canyon for a campfire and s'mores. Endia and Ashton joined my roommates and I, and it ended up being a lot of fun! I love the smell of campfire and being in the mountains, and it got me really excited for summertime and going camping!

After we had finished up, we were getting some water from the stream to put out the fire, but I guess someone else wanted to use it, so we didn't need the water we had just collected. Ashton made some comment and then started booking it away from Endia, who started chasing him with her water bottle.

I had filled up the empty plastic bag that the Starbursts came in, and I couldn't resist going after Endia. I dumped the whole thing on her, and then she got me with what was left from her water bottle. It definitely felt like the perfect summer evening!

London roasting marshmallows

Christian

Since the school semester is almost over, I am trying to make sure that I finish all my classes on time. Right now, I just need to do language arts and U.S. history. I've finished four classes and in my other classes I have a few things to do. I am excited for summer to start, because summer is always the best.

Joanna

A funny story from a couple months ago: Joanna and Quinn were riding in the back-back of the Tesla. Suddenly Joanna cried out, “Dad! Quinn just bit me on my mustache!” We all laughed hard, wondering how that could have even happened!

Monte’s school art project

Monte

For school, I had to draw with a grid for my drawing class. I was kind of worried about doing it, because I had tried to do a grid drawing before, and the first time I did that, it didn’t turn out right. But this time, I think it turned out amazing.

Troy

I am finished with social studies, math and ELA, and all I have is science. I love science because I am learning about light energy, and it is easy. I am trying to get done as fast as I can, because there are only nine days of school left.

I also like playing basketball. Kai is my teacher at basketball, and Christian is Veidi’s. When we are done training, we will compete against each other and see who is better at basketball.

Kai

I finished school this week. I am so excited because I now have so much free time. Recently it's been raining, which is good, because of the drought we are in, but I haven't been able to go outside much to play basketball, but I am still grateful that it is raining.

I hope everyone else finishes school soon, because there isn't much to do by myself. I am so excited for summer!

Children playing at the church

Isaac

I wanted to go to a Hale Center Theater class three nights a week, for three weeks, down in Orem. Mom didn't know how to get me down there, but Endia she said I could stay at her house for the days that I needed to go. Thank you, Endia for letting me stay with you, and thank you, Mom and Dad for letting me go!

I was super excited and kind of nervous for the class. Once I got to the class it wasn't bad at all. There were some people that were a little shy, but they all still participated and listened. I can't wait for the next class!

I also played volleyball with Endia, Ashton, London and a lot of other people and it was really fun, and we watched the first Lord of the Rings, so I started reading them a couple of days ago. It is really cool to see what happens in the books and how close it is to the movies.

Isaac swimming at Endia’s place

Endia

Isaac came up to stay with me this week while he is doing his acting class in Orem. He stayed Tuesday and Wednesday night. He came to volleyball on Tuesday night and killed it! He was playing with a bunch of adults and was one of the better players, and it was so fun!

We also went swimming together, made some delicious dinner, played Settlers of Catan and went to the library.

I ended up playing volleyball on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday this week! I was running on very little sleep, which was hard, but totally worth it.

Going up to a park on Saturday night was the best way to end the week. We had so much fun building a fire, and eating s’mores with Reeses and more sugary things. The best part of the evening was going down to the river to get some water to put out the coals and then getting the right side of my face drenched by London and a bag full of water! What a night!

Misha and Mable