Family History Friday: I’m So Glad!

About ten years ago we had a wonderful Family Home Evening.

Monday night is Family Night.

We invited my husband’s parents over for dinner. After dinner we gathered in the family room. We set up the video camera and had my mother and father-in-law sit on the couch in front of the camera. My children had previously prepared questions to ask them. I told the kids to make sure that their questions required some information, not just yes or no for an answer. We turned on the camera and each of the kids took turns asking them questions, then they answered.

It was so fun to hear about their lives. What wonderful people they are!

Since the events of that night, at least one thing has changed. My father-in-law has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t remember most things. What a blessing to have him on video talking about his life and how he feels about things.

I’m so glad!

Set a date, and video someone you love. You’ll be glad you did it too!

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

So Cute!!

My  niece wrote this darling note to Grandma.

I love what she says,

“Gamma (Grandma),

You are the beast (best).

I will ever (never) forget you!

I love to vist (visit).

I don’t wate (want) you to mav (move).

My mother-in-law has it on her fridge. It has been there for some time. I always get a kick out of it. My favorite is, “Gamma, You are the beast.”

Funny and darling. I love it.

Totally “Fort Worth” It!

Hermana Kelsey 10:3 -email-

Hey familia!

This week was pretty good. We had a lot of success, and met a lot of really cool people. Things are going pretty great here…which means I will probably not be here for very much longer. I am kind of feeling like I will get transfered this next tansfer. 🙁 I will be sad, but it will be for the best. I guess. But Sister A. will take really good care of this area for me when I leave.

Monday: We taught a family the Plan of Salvation, and it went really well. They are really cool, and they really want to get an answer that it is true, but they are expecting something big, like what happened with Joseph Smith. We explained to them that we usually don’t receive answers like that, and that Joseph Smith was a very special case. He still thinks that it should be something bigger than what we have told him he will be.

Tuesday: We had a really cool lesson with a family, and they were really accepting of the gospel. And then, like usual, we got interrupted by something right in the middle of the first vision lesson. 🙁 Satan always tries really hard at that part of the lesson to interrupt and get people distracted, and help the spirit leave. But we will keep working with them.

Wednseday: Nada paso (nothing happened)

Thursday: Nada paso (nothing happened)

Friday: We found out that Elder E. is getting transferred to another area, and we are going to get an elder that was serving in Peru, but he came home for medical reasons, and now he got reassigned to Texas. Also, we went to a wedding in the evening. I wish I could have taken pictures, but my camera SD card didn’t have any space, so I couldn’t. 🙁 But it was beautiful. She is a member of our ward, and she married a white guy that speaks spanish, so they had the ceremony in spanish, and all of the white people didn’t know what they were saying. Later on after that, we went to teach A__ and M__. We reviewed the plan of salvation with them, and A__ knew it so well! We were so surprised, but it was awesome, and we also found out that they are really married…which never happens! We are so excited, because they can get baptized without very many problems.

Saturday: Nada paso (nothing happened)

Sunday: Nada paso really (nothing happened)

Mami!

I’m glad you had a good week. Things are pretty great here. That is way cool you met Jenny Phillips! She is probably way cool to meet. ( I told Kelsey that when I met Jenny Phillips, that I told her ‘I wish we were best friends!’, Jenny laughed and said ‘I do too!'”) We were actually listening to her cd the other day. I’m glad you are still staying busy with church and stuff. That is also way cool you are speaking on Christmas Day. Then I will get to talk to you about it when I call later in the day. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 Anyway, thank you so much for the Christmas package! I got it on Thursday, and I was so excited. I especially liked the scriptures on them. They were super cute. Also, I didn’t open any of them, because I am saving them for Christmas. If you could possibly do this, (this is just a request) if you could have people that come to the family parties write me letters about what is going on and stuff. That is basically the only other things I want for Christmas. I just want some letters from family. No one ever writes me except you. 🙁 But if you could do that that would be fantastic. Also, I just want to thank you for everything you do for me, and the love and support that you give me. I really sometimes wish I could be home for Christmas, but then I just remind myself that next year I will be. 🙂 🙂 Tell everyone I say hi, and that I miss them all! ! ! ! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Papi,

Natasha is so sweet isn’t she?!?! I miss that little chickadee. I think y’all should send me pictures of her like at Christmas time and stuff. 🙂 🙂 🙂 I kind of feel like this isn’t really the holidays because I am not there will all of you and the rest of the family. But it’s all good. Things are great here, and to be honest, I would rather be here than there. Even though I miss everyone. Being a missionary is so rewarding, just in different ways. 🙂 🙂 Anyways, I gotta go now.

I love you all!!!!! Be good, and all that!

Love, Kelsey

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Elder Flexy 18:1 -email-

mama,

this week went by fast we worked hard. we got transfer calls and my new companion is named Elder B. but idk anything about him so i’ll let you know. but i’m glad all is working out for you and i hope your talks on Christmas will be fantastic. (Brett and I have been asked to speak on Christmas day at church) but i’ll let you know how i’ll get a hold of you on Christmas next email. love you mama

Love Elder Flexy

Baba,

i’m glad you had some time with Natasha i wonder if she will remember me by the time i get home. but i hope the people who had problems during the wind, can fix their roofs and everything can work out fine. Love you

Love Elder Flexy

Sunday Best!

“To those within the sound of my voice who are struggling with challenges and difficulties large and small, prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace. Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us. Speak to Him in prayer and then listen for the answer. Miracles are wrought through prayer.” – Thomas S. Monson

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy

Family History Friday: Start a Blog!

Are you interested in finding out more about your “roots”? Do you have a “family history” hobby? One way to grow your “family tree” is to start a blog. Starting a blog can

1. Keep you actively doing “family history,” because you need material to write about.

2. Help to locate other people with a similar interest, they will find you and follow your blog.

3. Last, but not least, hopefully hook you up, with potential relatives.

I found some very good information about starting a blog at Family Tree Magazine. You can read more about it here. Start a blog about your family and see what happens!

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

Children.

Sweet tiny Natasha!

I have heard it said that,

Children don’t care how much you know, 

until they know how much you care! 

I have found this to be true even with older kids. When my children are struggling and I just want to fix everything.

I tell them all of the things I know about how to fix their problems.

Really, what they want is to know that I am there for them, loving them and caring about them. If they want to know how smart I am, they will ask.

Chubby Plastic!

This very handsome young man is my son.

He has worn glasses since he was in 1st grade. I remember the first time we went to the eye doctor. After, we began the process of picking out glasses. We saw glasses that were plastic and looked pretty durable. I said, “Those look good.”

Riley said,

“I don’t want those! Those are chubby plastic!”

For many years, he wore glasses that resembled Harry Potter’s, wire rimmed and roundish lenses.

Then out of the clear blue, one day, he got new glasses. Guess what they looked like? Chubby plastic. They are cool now. Don’t they look nice? What a handsome dude!

I’m glad he changed his mind about “chubby plastic”.