3 July 2022
VOLUME 10 – NUMBER 459
Yarima and Selvin’s engagement photo
Yarima
A couple weeks ago, I went back to Wisconsin for the sixth time with Selvin, Aura, Jennifer and their kids. We went to go spend Father’s Day with my dad, Dennis, and also went to go visit Selvin‘s dad.
They had a big barbecue on the farm to celebrate. They cooked the old-fashioned way, where they dig a hole in the ground to cook the sheep with burning wood. It turned out very good! The food was great, dancing was fun, and I very much enjoyed a surprise.
BBQ on the farm in Wisconsin
Selvin had put together a special moment for us, where he said some very kind and beautiful words and asked me to marry him. He did it at the very same place I met him over a year ago.
I didn’t care that we were on a dairy farm with smelly cows and smelly cats everywhere. I was happy that we were surrounded by people who love and support us. I’m so happy for us and happy that we can continue to grow and learn together.
Overall, the trip was great, and I am happy that we were able to go back and have such a great time with our dad and with Selvin’s family as well.
Endia and Cougar’s engagement photo
Endia
Cougar came down to Utah for the weekend. Saturday morning, we went on a hike up to a place called Lake Mary.
The lake was so beautiful with a giant hill of granite surrounding the water, and some small granite islands out in the lake. There were pine trees and wildflowers. While we were there, Cougar proposed, so we are now engaged! I am so happy and so excited!
Misha, Mable, Max in back of Luna
Vanessa
Mom took us all to Nickel-Mania and had 200 coins to spend.
I really liked Guitar Hero. It is really fun. Me and Gloria did it together and we both did pretty good. Everyone also really liked doing this game where you shoot at the pile of coins and see if a card or coins would fall. We stayed at Nickel-Mania for about three hours, and it was really fun.
Gloria and I decided to combine our coins—about 1,000 total. . We got invisible ink and I put some on Christian and he had no idea! He had a really nice shirt on, so he was a little frustrated, but when I told him it was invisible ink, he was relieved.
Caleb by a waterfall
Caleb
Just today we found a really cool guy while waiting for a bus to Melipeuco. We were going to do a tiny hike. We talked a bit on the 40-minute bus ride. He's from Haiti, and he knows, or is learning five languages—Spanish, Creolle, French, English, and Portuguese..and he wants to learn two more! He's a nice guy. He ”falls on me good” (weird direct translation). He also is super religious. His business is selling little travel snacks.
He also really loves the origin of languages, which we he talked about in our conversation in broken English. We mentioned that we had scriptures of a group of people that God saved from the change of languages. We hope to talk to him more.
Our new presidente and his wife arrived last week, and we had a multizona. Because they just started their mission, it reminded me of starting mine. Just the feeling of being dropped like an egg and just trying to pull yourself together again, and then start to learn and grow on top of that. But they're already super amazing! I'm also kind of excited to see the mission grow and develop.
Dad at reception with childhood friends
Working continues to be amazing! We found 12 people, and one more this new week with our new friend on the bus! We also found a few menos-activos on accident, well not on accident. Sadly, no one attended the church out of our people.
We had a super activity as a rama (branch). We played charades of stories from the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the last dispensation! It was super funny. We watched the members acting out and being creative and funny.
Because we wrote all the acts, we couldn't really play, but the night ended with me and Elder Jones as public entertainment doing acts that the branch president gave us, while everyone else watched, laughed, and guessed. One of them included Potiphar’s wife and Joseph of Egypt!
There's a little from this week! Love you guys! Make good choices and have an awesome summer! Happy 4th of July!
After the Muddy Dash
London
What an eventful weekend! Endia, Ashton, and I did the muddy dash with some friends this year. It wasn't nearly as fun as the last one we did, but we definitely made it worth it.
We were wrestling each other in the little mud that there was, and we got so dirty! I mean there was not a clean spot on our bodies, which was awesome! There's something so fun about being able to get as dirty as I want and not caring at all.
For the holiday weekend, I decided to go home for a few days. On Saturday we played in the pool, which was so refreshing after the muddy dash. I also can't believe that the river trip is coming up so soon! Helping to build another raft was bringing back all the memories from my teenage years.
I love talking about past trips and reminiscing about the old “black banana” rafts. These new rafts are much better, for so many reasons. I just can't wait to get back on the water after a couple years!
Family building a new raft
Troy
On Saturday we did a river trip prep, and it was very busy. We had a family council, and we made a long list of things to do for the day. I also went in the pool to clean it for about 30 minutes. Fudgy (robot pool vacuum) was in the pool with me.
Then we had to go through, and we made sure there were all of the things that we needed. At the end of the day, we didn't get everything done, but we got a lot of things done.
Children testing new raft tubes
Isaac
For summer school I am taking three classes. My favorite one is...all of them! I have photography, guitar, and yoga. I chose easy classes so that I wasn't working too hard in the summer, but I still wanted to get some more credit.
I am really enjoying summer school and honestly, I am somewhat looking forward to school starting up. The class that I am really looking forward to this year is ASL. I will be taking ASL 2, and it will be so fun.
Monte showing Grandpa VR goggles
Monte
Last Sunday we went to Malad to visit Grandpa Arnold and Grandma Arlene. We brought the Oculus and connected it to his PC so he could experience his flight simulator thorough VR. We had some trouble setting it up, but we finally got there, and I think Grandpa had a blast! I know I had a good time.
Only a few more days till I turn 16! I am so excited, but nervous at the same time. It's weird to think that from the time when I was 14 to when I turn 16 will be the same amount of time from 16 to adulthood. I don't feel ready to be an adult, but that just means I have to enjoy these two years while they last.
Children at Grandparents Hill house
Gloria
Last week Monte, Isaac, Bridger Zimmerman, and I all went to Lagoon. It was my first time ever going and it was really fun hanging out with them. The first ride I went to was really fun going upside down and being in the air.
Later in the day it started to rain when we were in line for Rattlesnake Rapids, so we left the line and went under a table with an umbrella until it stopped raining.
We went on Rattlesnake Rapids over and over until we were all soaked! We left the park at around 10:30pm and got a ride with Addy and Sophie Zimmerman. We got some ice cream from McDonald's.
Children in pool testing new raft tubes
This week I went again with Kade Rosenlof, Aiden Viehweger, Bridger, Sophie, Crew Horner, Austin Duncan, Monte, and Isaac. The fun part was going on Rattlesnake Rapids again and seeing their reaction when they got wet.
Sophie and I got the most wet on the waterfall. Then we rode the bigger rides. I have been good at talking to others and getting out of my comfort zone. I have also been doing crazy rides, and buying five dollar water from the vending machine!
I have also been doing summer school to get ahead. I am only taking two electives and they are really easy to get ahead. My goal is to get finished before the deadline.
Grandpa using VR with flight simulator
Veidi
I went to Oakcrest and at first, I was really excited and nervous. Me and Bella Rosenlof were bunk mates. The buses were really nice. When we got there, we went to the amphitheater and the counselors were performing for us.
There were lots of repeat-after-me songs. One of my favorite songs was Tarzan. It was really funny when they mixed up some of the Disney songs into the music that they were doing.
We got put with our counselors, and I was in Kristin's group. We did lots of fun activities like zipline, archery, giant swing, a hike, Whisper Grove, solo time, foam slide, slingshots, gun range, gospel class, indexing, and an obstacle course.
I really liked the giant swing because they pulled you to the top, and then when they said go, you would have to let go. At the beginning it was really scary, and I held on to the rope so tight.
Visit to Grandparents Hill house
We did a flag ceremony every day, and scripture study every morning. At night we did 15 minutes of silent time where we would read our scriptures or write down our thoughts.
I really liked solo time because It was like Joseph Smith—how he prayed—so we had to go and find a spot to pray and ponder the scriptures. We had to be alone so none of our friends were near. I felt the spirit really strong, and I felt comfort and peace.
Some of the girls stayed up all night for Thursday, because we left on Friday. It and it was really funny seeing them sleepy and they were really funny when they talked.
President and Sister Grappendorf, and Bishop and Sister Horner came up, and we talked to them about our week. I felt happy because I needed someone that I knew to see. Then it started raining and Bishop gave me and Bella his jacket. It was really nice to see them.
I am so glad that I went to Oakcrest, even though it was hard. Then Mom came and picked me up and I was so happy. She also brought Misha and Mable. I was really happy to see them.
Children at Grandparents Hill house
Alex
Last week, me, Christian and Vanessa went to the Fair with our family. There were little trucks that were just selling food. Some of us went to the roller coasters. I did not! But there were other fun games. I'm really glad we went. It was such a fun time!
Also, last Saturday we were preparing for the River Trip. We did a lot of work that day. Also, Ashton came over to help. I'm glad he came because there were a lot of heavy things! Then on Sunday we went to Malad. We had such a fun time. We got to eat Grandma's yummy food! We played on the swing set.
Me, Kai, Christain, Vanessa, Troy, Quinn and Joanna went to the Falcon Ridge playground with Mom. Mom bought sherbet Ice cream before we left. We had a fun time playing on the swing sets and all, and then we went home and had ice cream!
Monte and Grandpa Arnold
Kai
While Monte, Isaac, and Gloria went to the Lagoon, the rest of us made some of Dad’s cookies and watched some Ultimate Beast-Masters.
After a little while, Mom left with Joanna for an appointment to see if Joanna could open up a medicine bottle. They paid Joanna $50 so Mom went to the store on her way home to get some stuff for BLT’s and French Toast! After we ate, we wrote some Newsletter articles for Dad. Once we were done with that, we left to the park to go play. I had a great time!
Last Sunday we went to Malad to visit Grandma and Grandpa. They gave us lunch, which was sooo good! We ate some breaded chicken! After lunch we played games. We also stayed for some dinner, where the dessert showed up—so good!
For our combined activity this week, we went to Copperton Park. The activity was to learn a new sport, but I already knew all the sports that were there. Even though I had done the sports before, I still had a great time playing with my friends.
Remi, Misha, Medusa, Mable