26 April 2026
VOLUME 14 – NUMBER 643
Cougar and Ashton’s BYU graduation
Ashton
We had a poker night, and things aren't looking too good for me in the standings right now! I have lost a lot of money the past few times we've played—well, really anytime we play—so I hope to at least end the next few times on a higher note. We started doing a monthly thing together, and it's one of the highlights of the month for me, getting together with some of the boys to do that.
Classes are officially over, and it couldn't have come at a better time! The Mammoth are in the playoffs, so me and my roommates have been following them closely over the past week. Farr has a limited-edition ice cream they sell here in Utah themed with the Mammoth, so we've had a couple watch parties with the ice cream, and it's been awesome.
Family at BYU graduation
Then, to cap off the experience, on Saturday, me and my roommate went downtown to the first-ever Stanley Cup playoff game in Utah, and it was electric! It was so amazing! And we won! One of the sporting events I've been to that I definitely won't forget.
I am officially graduated! The graduation itself was pretty cool to go through and experience, but it was super long. The highlight was Yarima's party that she threw afterward at her house. She had baby pictures of me and Cougar with graduation caps, a bunch of BYU cutouts and stuff—which I know was hard for her as a Ute fan! But it was so nice! It also happened to be Mattias's birthday, so we had a double celebration. It was a special day.
Ashton receiving his BYU diploma
I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to go to BYU and to learn in such a unique way about the world. I remember what it was like as a freshman (the only 4.0 semester I had, hehe) and feeling like I was supposed to be a part of this university. I can't explain all of how I feel, but I am a different and better person as a result of attending and investing in the BYU experience.
I think BYU is unique, but at the same time, one of the things I have come to learn is that anytime we do something, we should invest and dive in. Doing something halfway rarely leads to meaningful experiences. I’m grateful to be alumni now.
Ashton with Mom and Dad at graduation
London
I just started a new job at the elementary school right by our house. It’s K–3, and I work in the resource room in special education. I actually really like it so far.
My favorite part is leading out the different groups that come in throughout the day. I never really thought I’d be in a job like this, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy it. It’s also fun seeing some of the kids from Primary.
Working at Grandparents Hill house
Quinn
This week Mom and Dad are going to Park City while me and Joanna go visit Grandma Arlene and Grandpa Arnold. We packed all our stuff and drove about two hours.
When we got there, Mom and Dad chatted for a little bit. When we went outside, Grandpa said we had to help move this really heavy rock to the top of the hill only a few yards away. While they were getting the hand truck, I tried to lift it, and I somehow managed to lift the heavy rock onto the hand truck!
When they left, we got dinner ready and got our sleeping bags ready, and Grandpa gave us two sleeping pads. The next two days we watched Apollo 11 and Tarzan. We read books, and Grandma read us her book.
The chickens saw us when we were playing in the backyard. We walked a lot to the post office and to the park. One day we saw a waterfall and walked over the waterfall on a bridge that was small. We also went to the store.
Playing at Grandparents Hill house
We went to a library to get a Percy Jackson book for me and other books for Joanna. We came home and started to read them. I read them in our forts we made earlier, and I told Grandma about the story of Percy Jackson. She told me to keep on reading until I finished it.
I was about to finish when I heard some noise. I would look up from the couch and I saw Mom and Dad arriving. I walked over and woke up Joanna, who was on the other couch sleeping, and told her that Mom and Dad were here.
We were so excited when we told Grandma and Grandpa that they were here. They got dinner ready, and Grandma and Grandpa chatted with Mom and Dad for a while. We ate dinner, and on our way back we were talking about all the stuff that we did, but I fell asleep on our way back.
Sleeping forts at Grandparents Hill house
Isaac
Mom and Dad were gone this week for one of Mom's work retreat things down in Park City, and Joanna and Quinn were at Grandma and Grandpa’s. So that left me, Kai, Veidi, and Troy to have an awesome week free of parents, hehe.
We had a lot of fun that week playing games, going to the park, and staying up late watching The Dark Knight and other great movies. One of the video games we played was on the computer, where you have to try not to get hit by trains, but you have to navigate through a maze to get to the exit. We had a ton of fun playing that, and there were multiple times we were all dying of laughter!
Each night we stayed up late, had snacks, and watched a movie we all agreed on, which was surprising. Then on Friday, we all went to Ashton’s and Cougar’s graduation, and afterward Rima hosted a graduation party. It was awesome!
Yarima’s graduation party
Veidi
While Mom and Dad were gone on their trip to Park City, I have been trying to get school finished up, and I had finished most of my classes.
Some of my other ones were a little bit difficult to do, but I will manage to finish. Ashton and Cougar graduated, and I was excited for them.
We had a party at Rima’s afterward. The food was delicious, and I had a fun time seeing nieces and nephews and some other siblings that I haven't seen in a while.
Children playing board games
Kai
So Mom and Dad left for a trip to Park City, leaving me, Troy, Veidi, and Isaac at home. Isaac convinced me to get off work the whole week so we could be free all week. I had a great time.
We played one of Isaac's made-up games up at the park a few times. One night, London and Keaton came over to play a game we've been trying to finish for a while now.
Mom and Dad got back the day before Ashton's graduation. The day later, we went up to Provo to see Ashton and Cougar walk. Cougar had graduated the year earlier but took the opportunity to walk with Ashton.
Afterwards, there was a party at Rima's. We had nachos, which really hit the spot. They were so good!
Owen looking out sliding door
Gloria
Something that our mission started is called a skills conference, where we meet at our church building and do lots of role plays on how to do a first contact and how to answer the phone properly. I actually really did enjoy it because it taught me how to introduce myself properly and also how to become more like Jesus. After the conference, we went and got some boba. It was actually really good. I liked the brown sugar one.
I also went on exchanges this week with Sister Young again. We go on exchanges almost every week because our companions are STLs (sister training leaders). It's actually really fun getting to know her more. I would say she's very obedient and has to be the perfect kind of missionary, which is a little hard.
On Saturday, we volunteered at a 100-mile fun ride. Me and my companion helped people check in and register people. After about thirty minutes of doing that, we switched, and we went to the raffle ticket table.
Gloria with Hermana Garcia
On Sunday, we went to church, and we had seven of our friends there! Some were friends we're teaching, and some were recent converts. Sacrament was good. One speaker didn't show up, so the bishop asked all the missionaries to share their testimonies. Actually, it wasn't that bad. I was only a little bit nervous, and I'm getting better every time I go up and speak or share my testimony in front of the congregation.
Later that day, I went down to Temecula for a baptism for one of the friends I was teaching when I was back there. It was so beautiful. Her name is Dora. That baptism was so special because I could tell how happy she was. After the baptism, we went back to her house and had dinner. The difference in her face and the way that she lights up was amazing.
On Tuesday, we had a temple trip. Then, coming back from the temple, the traffic was so bad. It was almost two hours just sitting in traffic. It was very tiring, and it took most of the day.
Gloria and sisters at Yorba Linda Temple
We also went to the new Yorba Linda Temple for some training because we're gonna be helping out next week with the open house. We’ll be answering people's questions and asking them how all their experience went. The temple interior is super pretty. We also met sisters from the Anaheim and Arcadia missions as well.
The temple is just so peaceful. It helps me remember the covenants that I made with God. It just has a special place in my heart because whenever I go there, I just feel the love of God. It is a very sacred place for people to feel comfort and to remember that they have a place to go whenever they are struggling, whenever they need to pray.
Sister Terry Hathaway is the sweetest person ever. She's a single older lady, and she's always so willing to help out with the lessons. Her testimony of Jesus Christ is so strong. She is one happy old lady, and as an example of her kindness, she made all the new sisters a bracelet in their favorite colors.
Gloria and Hermana Garcia eating
On Sunday, we went back to Temecula to go to a baptism for this family that I was helping out with last transfer. They have two girls, Ane and Emy, that are just the cutest girls ever. It was really good to see them make that new covenant with God, and they are just so happy.
You can see the light of Christ that they have now. It’s a really cool experience that I was able to help to get them baptized. After the baptism, we went back to their house and had a little get together for dinner. This was really fun, seeing all the ward members from that ward.
New dog drinking fountain
Troy
I basically finished school. I just have this one class—character ed—and I have to do a mindfulness activity every day, sometimes two a day, and then I will be totally done.
I have straight A’s, so basically my summer has started. I have started to work on my project again except this time I won't be using the 3D printer.
I am going to use Google Sheets for the map, and it is going to take a ton of time, but hopefully it will be more fun. We would probably play it more often rather than once every like six months.
Ellie and Charlie
Caleb
School wrapped up—finals, projects, and everything. The past four months, a ton of my time has been dedicated to my Book of Mormon, marketing, writing, information systems, volleyball, and weight training classes. I like what I've learned, though, and, like always, I hope I can keep and use this knowledge.
I'm more confident going to the gym by myself than ever before, so that's nice. I bet I'll be going more frequently now. I'm also better at volleyball and more confident with my writing and with using em dashes and whatnot haha.
I also decided to apply for the BYU Marketing program in the summer, so we'll see what that brings!
Boys at BYU graduation
Monte
We had a really good week this week! We found a lot of people to teach, we have a lot of lessons with members participating, and we had seven of our friends we're teaching make it to church this Sunday!
Our friends who made it to church are this family from Chiapas. For some of them, this was their first time going, but for others, they've been able to go for a second time, which is awesome. They almost all have fechas bautismales for the 3rd of May, so we're going to work as hard as we can to make sure that they're ready!
Unfortunately, we had to put Frida back into God's hands for now. She just wasn't ready to be baptized. She told us that she wanted to be 100% sure that this is what she wanted, but she wasn't there yet. We tried explaining the importance again, but there's only so much we can do. It's okay, though, because I have faith that God will help her get there.
Monte’s district at bowling alley
Last week we had a district P-Day, and we went bowling! It was actually pretty fun, and it was the first time in a while that I'd gone bowling. I didn't do too shabby, let's just say that. I won our first game and then lost badly in our second. It was fun though, and we went and got Dairy Queen Blizzards afterward.
It was a good send-off to the district because we got transfer news! I will be leaving Bonfil and will be going to a pueblo called José María Morelos! There I will remain district leader, but finish the training of Elder Contreras. He will be my first Mexican companion on my mission! I'm so excited, and I'm ready to see what the future holds!
This week, I completed 11 months on the mission. Time is flying like a freight train! A lot of mixed feelings, but I don't dwell on it much, seeing as when I hit a year, things are just gonna hit harder, and then things will only get faster than they already have been.
Monte’s district eating DQ Blizzards
We have been visiting Mariana and her family,, and Mariana's pregnant daughter Clari just separated from her borracho (drunk) boyfriend. She has two other kids, and without her boyfriend, she can no longer pay rent, but she told us that she did this because she wants to be baptized with the rest of her family! She really is putting everything into God's hands, and I know that God will bless her and her family for it.
I really am going to miss Bonfil and Elder Larson. He really has been one of my best friends, and I'm so grateful for the time I was able to be companions with him.
For you missionaries reading this, love your companions. That's the best way to get along, is by showing them the pure love of Christ that you preach. And for those not serving a mission, love your family members. God will bless you for loving others as He has loved us.
Love you all so very much, and remember that God will never let you down. He is your loving Heavenly Father, and He wants to help you. There is always time to turn back to Him. He always has His arms outstretched, ready to embrace you.
Monte and Elder Larson at baptism