10 July 2022
VOLUME 10 – NUMBER 460
Vanessa, Isaac, Gloria playing
London
The Fourth of July ended up being a lot of fun! I had planned a few fun activities that I could do with the kids. I love going home and having so many people who want to just have fun! Sometimes adults can be a little boring, so I appreciate the carefree attitude that the kids have most of the time.
Mom and Dad suggested we also invite the Zimmermans, Vissers, and the Ashtons, which made for a really fun group! We partied in the pool, and then I planned some games for us to do up at the park.
Playing duck-duck-goose at park
Between Shaving Cream Twister, Duck-Duck-Goose with a sponge, and water balloons, I was pretty much in heaven! It always takes a bit of time to get fun activities planned and prepared, but I think it is so worth it!
I sometimes forget that God gives us all different talents, and I think that creating fun activities for others to enjoy is one of mine. I love seeing people have a fun time, eating good food, and especially laughing together!
Fourth of July party
Christian
On the fourth of July we went to the ward breakfast. There was a lot of good food, and it was fun. After the breakfast we had a swim party with the Zimmerman's, Ashton’s, and Visser’s. London and Ashton also were here for the Fourth of July.
London showed us a fun activity, which was Twister but with shaving cream. It was really messy and fun. We also had a water fight afterwards, which was really fun. When we came back, we had a swim party with everyone that came. It was a really fun night.
Playing nine-square at breakfast
Veidi
This week we had a Fourth of July Breakfast at High Bluff Park with the ward. We did nine square, some of the other kids did football, and after we had a party.
The Zimmerman’s, the Ashton's, and the Visser’s came over and we had a pool party and did lots of other water activities like Duck-Duck-Goose with a sponge. They also did Twister, and had a water balloon fight. I really liked it.
Gloria working on her new raft
Gloria
This week I had a good week because I have been able to hang out with friends most of the week. Christian, Monte, and I went to Aiden’s house after summer seminary. I had a really fun time playing on the VR and playing Five Nights of Freddy.
After that we talked for a while and had Dominos for dinner. An hour later we walked to our activity at the church. It was a combined activity, and we learned first aid. My favorite part was CPR. On Sunday the young women sang a song in church that we learned at girls camp. They chose me to lead the song.
Fourth of July breakfast
This week Ashton came over to help with river trip things, and it was a lot of hard work. Afterwards, me, Troy, Kai, and Isaac went night swimming, and it was cold, but then I got used to it.
We also trained the Milch’s dogs Gunther and Libby, and Libby slept with me. At first it was hard, because she would not stay still, but the second night she slept on my bed. She just stayed on one spot and fell asleep.
They are really hyper and crazy, and they jump on people, but Mom is trying to train them so they are more calm and not so crazy. She said they are going to need to go on lots of walks.
Brooke and Ellie swimming
Isaac
This week was the Fourth of July and we had a lot of fun. We had the Zimmerman’s over, and the Vissers, and the Ashtons. We had a party, and we did games at the park, like Spikeball, Duck-Duck-Goose, Shaving Cream Twister, and swimming.
We also had burgers and yummy elk steaks, and root beer floats. Then after dinner and everything else, we played with glow sticks and sparkles out in the front yard.
Then the Zimmerman’s had to leave because Sophie was going to a camp early in the morning. Then we picked up Ashton from Frontrunner. Then we all played video games at midnight for Monte's Birthday.
Ellie
Jen
The boys and I (and Medusa) are home. We spent about one month and a half in Utah. Aura and the girls were nice to let us stay with them for that time. We are so happy to be home. We missed Ian and Huncho so much.
Itzel was out here in California with her dad, so there were days she came over to hang out with the boys and swim. We also went to Six Flags before she went back home.
With Hawaii Hills in Yellowstone
Endia
On the morning of the Fourth of July, I woke up early to go for a hike with Cougar and a couple of his brothers to hike the Y!
The switchbacks are always a bit of a challenge, but the view of the valley at the end was so beautiful, and we did it early enough to skip the big crowd of people coming up as we headed down. There were also so many fireworks all over the valley that night and some of them were very impressive.
Isaac and Vanessa at Yellowstone
On Friday a group of us headed up to Yellowstone to visit with the “Hawaii Hills!” We picked up Cougar from Rexburg on our way up. We spent some time out at the lake and had so much fun kayaking, jumping off the boardwalk, and doing some peaceful yoga next to a beautiful mountain lake!
We also went on a small hike where we saw some beautiful wildflowers and went up to an amazing view of the lake and landscape.
It was so fun to play games and talk with Keric and Rebecca. Max was also a great guide of the area and we had so much fun with him!
Visiting Hawaii Hills in Yellowstone
Caleb
This week was pretty great. We've had a lot of success in finding people. In the last three weeks or so we've found more than 30 people, either through knocking doors, calling people that have been taught before, talking to people that we were already visiting and teaching, talking to people on the bus.
We’ve had some good references from members, but we need to figure out how to help our people come to church. It's a struggle across the whole mission.
It's getting better, but we'll figure it out, and if we follow the spirit, we're working with who we've got to be working with, and if it's time, the Holy Ghost will lead us to people that have the faith to act and come!
Caleb in the country
I hope and feel like out of the 30 more or less that we've come upon, a couple of them are pretty elect. The truth is I hope all of them are, ha ha!
It rained a lot this week, and I got wet. The rain suit I bought helps, but it can only hold of the rain for so long.
Oh yeah and about the title. Just earlier this week we were out knocking door to door. It was dark outside, and this nice lady let us in. She was super excited to get to know us. She told us she didn't really have time for is to "share a message" but wanted to get to know us!
After shaving cream Twister
She let us in, we started talking, and she told us she had family who were "mormones." Her niece served a mission. We talked for a while about about that. Then she brought up the temple in Concepción.
We started sharing about why we have temples, and got a great lesson taught on the restauration! It was super great because she also gave us hot Milo (it's kind of like hot chocolate but less sweet) and some cookies.
Children organizing for river trip
We shared a lot, and she was nice, but it's the best when you see the dots connect together in people's eyes, when things make sense. Also, my companion gave me the idea for this article’s title—Milo, cookies, and the Holy Ghost!
Then another night when we were out walking, we walked down this street and a dog gang tried to jump us. We scared them off with an umbrella and a couple imaginary rocks. Ha ha!
Gloria and Monte working on rafts
Monte
Happy Fourth of July—an amazing day to celebrate our freedom, and our country! I’d like to thank all of the soldiers from the past and present who make our free lives possible.
I would also like to thank the one person responsible for it all, our Heavenly Father, and his son, our Savior Jesus Christ. God has a major part in our country and lives.
The motto of our country is “In God we Trust,” which brings me to the next topic. Our youth theme is, “Trust in the Lord.” If we trust in the Lord and have faith in him all things are possible through Christ.
Monte’s birthday celebration
Finally, my time has come! The big one six. The age every teen waits for. I have to say being sixteen has been a total blast. I will say that the fact that I can talk about going on dates is so mind boggling.
My birthday was pretty sweet. Ashton came over the night before and we partied all night. We played video games downstairs, and had a blast.
Braden and Ellie swimming
On the morning of my birthday, I went to work and had a great time cleaning up the school field from Fourth of July parties. I was half asleep and ready to lie down on any soft patch of grass I could. I talked to my friends about dates, and driving. I got home and took a nice nap.
To make a long story short, I also got to kick down Mom’s door after she spent hours trying to get the lock open! We also watched the movie Bad Guys, ate pizza, and had cake and ice cream. Thank you everyone who helped me have an amazing sixteenth birthday.
Ellie and Brooke in library
Braden
Summer weather is really upon us here in North Carolina. We’ve had average temperatures in the high 80’s to low 90’s with at least 60% humidity every day. This week on an especially hot day, we decided to take Ellie to our apartment complex pool.
Ellie usually isn’t the biggest fan of baths or getting in lots of water, but this week she kept asking to go into the water instead of just playing in the shallow end. It’s fun for Brooke and I to see Ellie having so much fun and to make these family memories together in simple ways.
Ellie has also loved going to the library recently. We are getting to the point where we want to start potty training her, which might be why she is drawn to potty training books at the library. If it’s not one of those, Ellie loves looking at any book that she can get her hands on.
Dad with old bishopric at ward reunion
Mom / Jenny
Wow! These past few weeks have been a bit full. I’ve had several people ask me to help with their dogs and over the last few weeks. I have had Moomoo, Hazel, Remi, Misha, Mable, Max, Gunther, Libby, Sam, Medusa, and Juneau.
We also house guests for a couple of weeks—Braden, Brooke, and Ellie stayed with us, and I tried to make sure that it didn’t feel like we had the plethora of dogs that we actually had. You’ll have to ask Braden and Brooke if I was successful!
Medusa went home last week. She stayed with us for a couple months while Jen and her family are visiting from California. I feel a little sad to know that I won’t see her for a while!
Children swimming
Alex
This week we went on a campout. I was in the tent with Austin, Ben, Suva, and Crew. We had a really fun time with each other because we stayed up for a long time and had a pillow fight. Also, we did a prank on the deacons (Kai and his friends).
Kai
I love the Fourth of July! First, we went to the ward breakfast, which tasted really great. After that we played some games at the park and then went home, cleaned up the house and got in the pool with some friends.
After that we invited our cousins. We also went to the park to play some water games. My favorite water game was the water balloon wars. Then we went back home and had hot dogs and hamburgers!
Fourth of July party