3 September 2023
VOLUME 11 – NUMBER 519
Quinn’s baptism
I got baptized! Monte baptized me, and Dad gave me the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now I can learn more of Jesus.
Then we went home and had some treats, and we had pizza for lunch. Then we played games with Aunt Wendy. Then we helped Dad put away his tool boxes downstairs, after he fixed the hole in the ceiling.
Quinn’s baptism
Quinn got baptized on Saturday, and he was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by Dad. Monte is the one that baptized him.
Almost everyone was there, and after the baptism we had a big party. We had Crumble Cookies that Ashton brought from his work, and we had pizza for lunch. Dad even got deep dish pizza, which was so good!
Then we played a game that Aunt Wendy brought over that was kind of like Family Feud, and it was very fun! We also played a game called Werewolf and that was also very very fun!
Then everyone started leaving, and Ashton took the Tesla because he was Riley and Gloria's chauffeur. I had a blast that day!
Playing games after Quinn’s baptism
This week me, Mom, and Isaac watched the Twilight saga movies. I really like the movies and some of the other kids don’t, so we decided we would just watch them and they could watch something else.
On Saturday, Shinel from our ward had her quince, and me, Mom, and Isaac went to that. We did not stay for the whole thing because I was feeling sick. We stopped at the church parking lot and finished Breaking Dawn Part 1.
Then we went home and I was still not better, so I went to bed. Quinn also had his baptism and I am really proud of him.
Sickies (Joanna and Monte)
This week wasn't very eventful, unless you count me being sick, for like nine days. It was pretty miserable. I got sick last week on Wednesday night after our activity, and was running a fever, and had a sore throat, etc.
It wasn't COVID, because we tested for it later on in the week, but it was just a really big sickness. Thankfully, I got all my classes ahead, so I didn't have to do much school the whole time I was sick.
While I was sick, I re-watched the Twilight saga, with Veidi and Mom. It was about the time that we were on the last two when I started feeling better. When I was sick, Kai, Monte, Joanna, and I were just in the living room all day watching a show, or sleeping.
It was a pretty fun week though, because we got Gatorade, and a little treats, and we got to watch a lot of shows. The hard part was just sitting around doing nothing all day though. Overall it was an okay week.
Sick Isaac
Dad started fixing the ceiling on Friday. On Saturday we had Quinn’s baptism. I stood as a witness with Riley, and I led the music.
After the baptism we went home and played a few games with Aunt Wendy and Katarina. We played Family Feud and Werewolf. Werewolf is basically Mafia, but with cards. There are a few different people to play with, but other than that, is the same.
On Sunday we had chicken croissants for dinner, and later I had some chocolate milk. We also played Among Us with Braden and Brooke at about six o’clock. We played over FaceTime because they are back in North Carolina.
It’s so fun playing Among Us. It can be hard, but funny at the same time. I had a pretty fun week this week after I stopped being sick!
Sickies (Monte, Isaac, and Kai)
School has been really good so far this year. Some of my classes are fun, but most are not— like math.
Riley and I were able to hangout at his house and we watched Here Comes the Boom because I quote it a lot. I did have to look away during the throwing up applesauce part! We have also been planing for Homecoming this Saturday.
Work has been good and bad at times because sometimes there are like four of us who go in and sometimes have to do other routes.
On Friday, our internet went out, so I went to Lowe's with Dad to get stuff to repair the ceiling. After Lowe's, Dad drove a different way home, and we went to the Usana Amphitheater parking lot, because it was really big, and empty. Dad told me that I was going to learn to drive the Tesla, and I has nervous and excited to drive it.
I drove it around for about an hour, and while I was driving a security truck came up to us. Dad explained that I was learning to drive, and then they were okay. They probably thought I was racing in the parking lot.
Gloria driving Tesla in empty parking lot
Saturday came, and for Riley's and my Homecoming day date, we went to Quinn's baptism. After the baptism, we headed out for the date. Ashton was our chauffeur and Monte was our photographer.
We went to Nickel Mania and we had a challenge between Riley and I and Ashton and Monte to get the most tickets. After Nickel Mania, we went to the puppy store. Then we went back home and started to get ready.
After we got ready we went to take pictures and then to dinner. After dinner we went to the dance. It was actually more fun this time for me. We had to leave the dance a little early so Riley could get home on time to leave on a camping trip with his family. Thank you, Ashton and Monte for being there. It was really fun.
Riley and Gloria homecoming picture
I also got to be Riley and Gloria's personal photographer for their Homecoming day date. To start off they went to Nickle Mania. Ashton, who was their chauffeur, joined me, and we had a friendly competition on which team could get the most tickets.
They barely won. They both collectively got more, while on our team, I did all the heavy lifting with 1330 tickets on my card. Ashton only had around 500, but they won fair and square. I did have the most out of everyone though, so I'm still the best in that area.
Riley and Gloria homecoming picture
After we were done, we were off to the next endeavor, which was just going to the puppy store in Jordan Landing. I took a few pictures of them with the puppies, and then joined Ashton outside in the Tesla, where we chose music for my Homecoming date, two weeks away.
When they finished, we drove over to Olive Garden, which was way too full, so instead we ate at Raising Cane's. I ordered some take out chicken, and took some out to Ashton, and we ate in the car and watched some football highlights.
When they finished eating, we went down to Daybreak, where the real photos began. I really enjoyed taking photos, and I believe I have found a new passion!
Riley and Gloria homecoming picture
I did both the spring and summer semesters at BYU, so this week and the last have been my mini summer break.
London and Endia have been swimming pretty regularly and I got to join them this week a few times. For those who don’t know, I’m pretty much a fish. I grew up swimming five to six times a week on swim teams. Swimming at the pool brings back lots of good memories, and makes me happy.
Quinn’s baptism this week was the highlight for sure. We heard lots of powerful testimonies and Quinn seemed so happy. We’re proud of you Quinn, and love that you choose to follow Christ. The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of God’s great blessings for His children.
Playing games after Quinn’s baptism
This week Ellie started to get sick, so we took her into the doctor and found out she has strep throat. It was sad to see her so zapped of energy and not her normal happy self.
For most of the week, she would wake up, eat some breakfast, then tell me she was ready for a nap. She would take two- to three-hour naps, and then by 7:00pm she would tell me she was ready for bed. I think all that sleep helped her little body to heal.
Towards the end of the week, with the help of some antibiotics, Ellie was feeling a lot better. I was wanting to get us all out of the house after spending all week indoors, so we went to my friend's u-pick flower farm!
There are rows and rows of vibrant flowers and we got to pick a bouquet. It was fun to spend some time together outside and bring home a beautiful fresh bouquet!
Ellie at the flower farm
This was a crazy week! We had an event at the MTC for all part-time employees, and it took a lot of preparation. It was a great turnout with almost 700 people, and the J Dawg hot dogs and Crumbl cookies were so good!
That was on Tuesday, and on Wednesday I got together with some old missionaries from my mission. That was great, but I did break my finger, so that added some complexity to the rest of the week!
Friday I finally ended the procrastination bug to get contacts, and I went to my eye appointment. Kind of funny, because Endia and I went to the same place and we must have just missed each other, since her appointment was right after mine but we didn’t see each other.
Saturday was Quinn’s baptism, which was such a special highlight, especially hearing everyone’s testimony and seeing Quinn so excited!
After that, I got to chaperone Gloria and Riley for their Homecoming date and dance. We went to Nickle Mania, and me and my date (Monte…?) competed against them to see who could get more tickets, and we were not victorious!
It was really fun, and being with Gloria and Riley for the rest of the day was a blast!
Dinner at the Not Sick Club
What an eventful week! For the first several days, our house was a sick ward, with sickies lying all over the place. Monte, Isaac, Kai, and Joanna were sick for most of the week.
Because they were taking up all the main living room space, and it was hard for us non-sickies to find a place to eat or watch TV, I decided to hold a secret meeting in the basement for those of us that were not sick. We held one meeting of the “Not Sick Club” and enjoyed a delicious dinner while we watched an episode of an oldy-but-goody TV show called The Pretender.
Since I was coming to the end of my summer break (the time between the river trip and my first day of classes at BYU), I knew I had to finally buckle down and finish patching the hole in the ceiling created by the great Joanna flood. That involved putting up a plastic tent so I could sand down all the drywall surfaces that needed to be re-mudded and taped.
Dad sanding ceiling in construction tent
I worked all day on Friday, until I had to stop to help Mom by volunteering with at the Utah Foster Care booth that she was manning at the Latino Festival in Provo, but I got up early in the morning and raced against time to complete the work by the time we had to leave for Quinn’s baptism.
I prayed for a miracle (I didn’t know how I would get it all done on time), and my prayer was answered! I just barely finished before the baptism. It would have been a disaster for the after-baptism get-together with my huge construction tent right in the middle of the living room. I’m grateful we got cleaned up just in time!
It was so wonderful to see how excited Quinn was for his baptism. When Gloria and Veidi got baptized almost four years ago, I remember Quinn asking us if he could get baptized too. We told him he would have to wait four years. It’s crazy how fast those four years have flown, but Quinn finally has his four-year-wish fulfilled!
Now, if Quinn asks me about when he can receive the Aaronic priesthood, I’ll have to tell him…”Four more years, Quinn. Four more years!”
Caleb and mission roommates eating
To be honest, when I got to Chile 22 months ago, my mission did not have a good culture. There was a lot of disobedience and unhappiness. But a little more than a year ago when President and Sister Jorgensen got here, things began to change.
Actually, it was amazing what they did, because the problem ran really deep. Literally, the first thing they said and taught and invited and pleaded us to do was study the Doctrine of Christ.
If we don't master the Doctrine of Christ, we can get very off track and be very deceived. I'm super grateful that President and Sister Jorgensen are such great disciples of Christ. Because of their humility and faith they are so inspired.
My mission is so happy, and I'm so happy for what I have been able to learn and become thanks to the Doctrine of Christ. It is the foundation on which we need to build our lives, our families, and hopefully our society.
Caleb and Elder Urquiza on a visit
It would have been much more of a sad experience not serving my mission in the environment that I now enjoy, thanks to what they did. 3 Nephi 11:39-41 says:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
“And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.
“Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth."
I hope none of us forget how blessed we are to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's crazy we have it. Christ is literally the son of God and he literally guides us. We have a prophet.
This week I went to leadership council again, a cool guy accepted a baptismal date for the 30th, and we did some fun edifying family home evenings with some families here. Also, my leg is getting better, and we ate some Chilean empanadas because we're coming up on their independence day! I love you guys!
Caleb eating with mission roommates