Sunday, March 27, 2016
Re: Letter 66 of 3
Dear Riley:
Happy Easter! We love and miss you especially on holidays traditionally reserved for family gatherings. This morning we had our usual egg hunt followed by a breakfast of Goldenrod Eggs. Grandma and Grandpa P came over as well as Cameron. It was a nice leisurely morning since I had no interviews and my single bishopric meeting was moved to one hour before Sacrament Meeting. There were no obligations following church, so I’ve been enjoying good food, time with family, and the chance to write my missionary without feeling rushed.
Sacrament meeting was uplifting, though a little energized. It was reminiscent of Christmas and a Halloween weekend with red 40 dye and other artificial colors surging uninhibited through the veins of hapless children who, for the time being, saw nothing wrong with climbing the walls. It was a little funny to watch, and I think God understood. PY gave her farewell address and will be entering the MTC around the middle of April. She’s a powerhouse and will be a great asset to the people of Toronto. It’s a little sobering when our young women are more desirous and prepared to serve in this capacity than our young men.
Friday was a red letter day on a couple levels. We spent the day up at Utah State University touring the facility with Parker. It just felt right for him, and he’s decided to attend. We had several people placed in our path who helped him arrive at this decision. It was an extremely well organized event and everyone was so helpful. The structure differs from BYU in that it seems more of a tight knit community with an understanding of the struggles and stress of college. They have a system which seems to work pretty well to help students legitimately succeed and have considerable resources dedicated to this end. One of these is almost immediately getting the students into hands-on practical applications. Parker was vacillating a little from going into engineering because the math intimidated him, but finally decided to go for it, with a minor in psychology. Not to say he isn’t a little stressed and apprehensive about what lies ahead, but Cousin E is also in the USU engineering program and was able to provide some valuable perspective. She looked great, by the way, and seemed happier than I think I’ve ever seen her. At any rate, he’s planning on attending fall semester before serving a mission. We think living away from home in a college setting will be invaluable for his emotional development and mission preparation.
The other news from Friday is that Cambry is officially engaged and has a ring on her finger! Friday she was kidnapped from work and sent on a treasure hunt for the greater part of the evening. She was pampered and indulged with food and pleasantries which culminated in a ring, a proposal, and a custom written song. They’re so happy together and we’re thrilled with where things are headed. It’s gratifying to have two families who hold each other in high regard and consider themselves equally blessed to have an extraordinary addition to their family through marriage. Not all marriages get off with this level of support.
We pray for the safety of our missionary. I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent terrorist bombings in Brussels that claimed around 36 lives and left upwards of 200 injured. Four of the injured were missionaries from Utah. They were about 15 meters away from ground zero and sustained rather serious burns and other injuries. There were people farther away who were more seriously injured or even killed. The world has gone mad and the only real solution is for people to turn their hearts to Christ. We still pray for Chaad, though it sounded like he and his family were fading in your last letter. However, I can’t help but feel that even if they don’t make it to the waters of baptism before you leave, the fact that you were teaching them helped you find a lost member. Keep up the hard work. Till next time…
Love,
Dad
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