23 July 2023
VOLUME 11 – NUMBER 513
Caleb and Elder King
Sunday was cool. We got two less active ladies to come back, and they're both motivated and excited about staying. One is 93 years old!
Something I didn't expect to do as a missionary was literally be a detective and hunt down less active members.
We have these lists of people who basically have stopped coming to church, and the addresses and phone numbers are all outdated in the records, so we literally ask members or old neighbors about these people and follow the leads. It's sometimes a slow process but it's great when you find them and then start helping!
Time is going by fast. Today marks three months til I go home. I love serving as a missionary so much! The work is so amazing!
Caleb, Elder King, and Shaiel visiting
I took some pictures of my shoes because I got new ones to replace my originals. I was slightly emotionally attached to them, and when we went to the nearest garbage to toss them, a lady said to me, “Wait! Why don't you put them in this box to throw them away?"
She walked up to us with the box, I put them in it, and then suddenly she just turned around and walked away. I heard her say with a little laugh, "Ha ha! Now I got some new shoes!" So they technically got robbed from me, but I’m guessing she needed them more than I, and that’s better than just throwing them away.
Retiring Caleb’s original missionary shoes
In an email to Caleb this last week, as I was thinking about how soon he will be coming home, I shared the following:
“I will always be grateful that I ran as fast as I could up til the last mile! I’ll never forget the last door we knocked on late in the evening on Wednesday, August 5, 1992. No one was home. I looked at my watch, and then Elder Parrish and I decided it was time to go back to the apartment. My mission was over.
”Caleb, I know you will do this anyway, but I want to invite you to serve to the last day. Walk onto that plane with your head held high. Return home with honor—not because you were a perfect missionary, but because you gave it your all. You left it all on the court.
”Here is the picture that you will find on the last page of my missionary journal:
It’s kind of funny, because I had copied Mom on the email I sent to Caleb, and when I asked if she had read it, she smiled and said, “You mean the same email you have sent to all your missionary children as they were getting ready to come home?”
I laughed and realized that my missionary children probably recognize some version of this same email!
Mom at Utah Foster Care event
This week there were no dog trainings scheduled, and since I usually help Mom with a lot of her training activities, it was nice to have a little break from the dogs.
I went with Mom to help set up a bear adoption with stuffed animals that were donated to Utah Foster Care. it was hard to set up. At first there were not many people, but then a lot of people started to come and it was way more easier.
A lot of people adopted stuffed animals, and they got to decide how much to pay for them. All the money went to Utah Foster Care. I ended up getting one big dog that is a golden retriever. His name is Rocky.
Later we helped at a chalk art festival, and seeing all the different art the people made was pretty cool. We also got to test drive the Rivian. It was so nice.
Charlie playing with Rocky
My mom, sister Liv, and I took Ellie and Charlie to a splash pad. My girls have never gone before, so I was interested in how they were going to react to water shooting out of the ground.
The water was kind of cold, so Ellie was a little hesitant at first. I dipped Charlie’s toes into some water and she actually loved it! She sat down right into a small pool of water and started to splash around.
Ellie saw Charlie and decided the cold water wasn’t too bad. It was fun to watch them play in the water and have fun. Now they are both little water bugs!
Early morning ward youth temple trip
We had a ward temple trip this week. It was super cool. I got to baptize someone in Spanish, and that was an amazing experience. I really enjoy ward temple trips because I can feel the spirit tremendously.
We also had to go and help Mom clean up a thing called “Chalk the Block” and I’ll tell you. Some of the art was absolutely amazing.
Example of chalk art
This week I went to the temple with Elizabeth, Aiden, and Riley. After the temple we went to McDonald's for breakfast. Later in the day, some of us went to summer seminary, and I liked the class we were in.
On Friday I got to hangout with Elizabeth, Aiden, and Riley. We went to Elizabeth's house and watched a movie outside called Lemonade Mouth. We also jumped on the trampoline.
On Saturday we went to go test drive a Rivan and I loved it! Later that night we went to a chalk art festival where Mom's work had a booth. We helped clean things up.
Family test-driving Rivian R1S
This week the family got to ride in a Rivian—well not everyone. Kai and I volunteered to stay home with Troy, Joanna, and Quinn. We didn't do much while we were at the house, and it was actually kind of boring, until we decided we wanted to play hide and seek.
To be honest, it was pretty fun. We played a couple of rounds, and one time Quinn was it, and I even though I was hiding in plain site, he couldn't find me.
When the others got back from the test drive, we had a discussion on whether or not the Rivian R1S was as good as we imagined it would be, and whether or not we should still buy it. There were mixed feelings, but I want it, and I haven't even ridden in it.
Family cleaning up at chalk art festival
We helped Mom's work clean up a chalk festival. The art there was pretty good, there were some drawings that I couldn't replicate if my life depended on it.
For the clean up, we just picked up some trash on the ground. It was pretty easy, and we were only there for about 20 minutes before they told us there wasn't anything left to work on.
Ashton was with us, so those of us in the Tesla had to take him home (me, Isaac, and Veidi). Once we dropped him off, Isaac wanted to watch a show, so he used Mom's phone to do so.
I wasn't really in the mood for watching a show, so I tried to read, but the movie was too loud. I then decided that I should just take a nap while they watched.
Family playing games
Braden and Brook came over and we played some awesome games like This is a Spoon. Dad said this was one of Grandma Arlene’s favorite games. I can't explain it because it is so complicated.
Then we played the alphabet game, and Zoom, and new game that Braden showed us. It is very fun. Then we finished a with a game of Aquire.
Sleeping while famiy plays games
Another eventful week! I am glad I've been able to do a lot of summer activities recently, since I don't want to regret not doing them when it gets cold again.
On Monday we had FHE at a member of our Bishopric's house. We did 9 square, pool games, and they had a fire pit right by the river for s'mores. I haven't been the best at going to FHE, but this was such a fun activity.
Tuesday, Brooke recommended that some of us older kids go to Good Move Cafe in Provo. Braden and Brooke had a date there back in the day, as did I, although the results were markedly different between their relationship and the date I went on—ha ha! We played Avalon, Codenames, and Exploding Kittens! It was a really fun evening.
Visit to Good Move Cafe
Wednesday was the kickball tournament with some of the other older kids. We did not win a game, but we sure gave a couple teams a run for their money, and many, many, many runs around the bases!
It was a really fun night and we sure did have some good memories there. Next year is going to be our year! Let's go Chicharonnes!
Friday night I went on another blind date. This time it was with the cousin of someone I used to work with. We went on a little scavenger hunt around Provo and then to this really good Indian food place called India Palace.
Dad and Mom came and picked me up from Endia and Cougar's house later that night, so I could come up home and help Dad get set up on some software I have trained on called Monday.com. He is thinking about using it for Mom's dog business.
I spent the rest of the day at home. We played a lot of games, and got to test drive a Rivian!
Chicharones at kickball tournament
Rima invited me to be a part of the kickball team she was putting together, and it ended up being so much fun! None of us had played kickball in a long time and and we didn't really know all the rules, but I think that made it even more enjoyable.
Some of the other people that we played against were pretty intense, so it was interesting trying to play with them, but we honestly just made it a good time any way. Go Chicharrones!!
I also had my stake campout this week, which I was super looking forward to. I somehow haven't been camping yet this summer, and I was feeling the itch to sleep in the mountains in a tent.
Well...they ended up doing it on a Thursday night, so most people couldn't spend the night because of work the next morning. But they had a nice dinner planned and they had a decent turnout, still practically no one compared with the numbers we have in our stake.
Anyway, it turns out the dinner was the only thing they had planned. No activities, no fireside, no breakfast. Basically everyone left after dinner, and there were only seven of us who ended up camping. Seven people out of an entire YSA stake.
Yup! I'm glad I stayed to camp, but it ended up feeling like we were just sleeping on a field at a park. But hey! At least I got to sleep in a tent!
Mom/Grandma playing with the children
This week Cougar got to be home an extra day! He got called in to do jury duty, so he had to get work off, and then they excused him, so I got him for the day.
He came to the rec center with London and me to help teach us swimming techniques. We have started swimming to exercise, and realized how much help we need.
It was fun, and we had enough tips and ideas to help us get going and get better. It is also nice to be able to cool off on the boiling-hot days.
Family cleaning up at chalk art festival
Wouldn’t life be so much easier without money problems? So our dryer has been struggling for a while. Even though it’s nine years old and has been overworked for sure (up to 17 family members living in the same house at times), Arkin and I tried to squeeze a little more out of it, but the day after the dryer repairman stopped by, the washing machine died as well.
After I did a little more research, Consumer Reports recommends that with appliances as old as our washer and dryer, we should definately replace instead of repair. So we bit the bullet and replaced both of them. Ugg!
Mom with new washer and dryer
We were also invited to test drive a Rivian R1S this week, since Arkin reserved one a couple years ago and we are due to have one delivered in November.
After some family discussion, Arkin and I explained that because our reservation price is $20,000 lower than what they are worth right now, no matter how much we like it, our best option will probably be to sell our Rivian (once it comes in November), and use the $20,000 to help us financially.
Arkin and Gloria both really like the Rivian R1S, and have watched multiple review videos over the past year or so, and several of the other children really like the idea of owning a Rivian, but in the end, we might have to sacrifice “The Dream” as Arkin calls it, and take the more practical road. Isn’t money fun sometimes?
Mable in glasses