Christmas Day!

Notice the "bunny fingers" from Grandpa and Chantal. Like Grandfather, like Granddaughter!

Gosh, Calvin doesn't look ANYTHING like Todd now, does he?  *smirk*

Momm

First off, I have to apologise for my lack of forsight to tell you all the details of when I was going to be calling, where i was calling, etc. etc. I hope you werent too worried!!! We just hadn't planned that far ahead, and i forgot about preperation day not being on monday, so sorry about that!! 

  [The family we Skyped from] are a super awesome family! So Christmas was great because we all got to sleep in!!!!!! (a special gift from our mission president!) So I slept in until 8:15. I feel lots better because of it! Then I waited for my companion to shower, and get dressed, (I stayed in my pajamas the whole time) and then we...... washed dishes! Mostly because my companion started to, so once we got that done, we opened our presents!! HOLY COW!!! We got A LOT of candy! I think i might be set until NEXT Christmas!!!!! There is SO MUCH! But it was all awesome! The first Christmas i actually appreciated getting clothes for christmas! I opened your package last!  :) i really enjoyed it!!! We immediately filled up the ice cube tray! Best ice cube tray ever!! I hope everyone else had a good christmas, and that you guys found ways to serve others. I have been thinking a lot about that. 

   So, after opening presents, we went to the [members'] house, where I talked to a lot of funny people whom i hadn't seen for a while! After that, we went to another members' house for lunch. That was fun, because they just had little hour dourves for lunch , and talked, and shared stories, etc. Then we did some secret cookie leaving  operations for some less active members. That was fun, we had to book it down the street, and my companion dropped the keys in the street, so we just left them there, hid, and waited until it was safe. It was a lot of fun! Then we ate dinner at another member's house and then they gave us the leftovers! But we wont be able to eat those this week, because we have dinner appointments for the entire week!! Feeding the missionaries before really works well!!!! [I've always told the missionaries that I'm feeding them because some day my son would be on his mission and if I fed them, he'd get fed!] and its not like you cant eat just a little at members' houses either, because they expect missionaries to eat LOTS! So we leave dinner appointments totally STUFFED. it's the BEST! 

   So, It was AWESOME to talk to you all!!!!!!! That was lots of fun. I think the [family] enjoyed hosting us for skype as much as we enjoyed skyping! 

   As far as the visit from Uncle brad and Aunt Sonya, I dont know how much longer i'll be in Ottowa, Let me know when they plan on coming out. Also, i totally forgot, but winter sports aren't allowed, which includes ice skating. Sorry! oh, and we cant give our # out to you guys. 

    So, I love you guys soooooooo much and it was great to talk to you!!!! i cant believe how much Chantal and Miranda and Sophie have grown up!!!! they look and sound a lot more mature. 

    Love!

Calvin

Yay! Skype Tomorrow!

This is Calvin's area map

This is the mission home

A beautiful archway into Chinatown?

A horse to make Miranda jealous. :-)

                                     

Calvin's desk - and I don't know what I did to make the comments off center now.

A message for our family, written with a white erase marker on the back of his tag.

Todd answered the cell phone tonight and heard, "Dad? This is Elder Messinger, uh, I mean this is Calvin." Todd laughed and laughed! We all laughed when Todd told us. Calvin will be Skyping with us tomorrow. YAY! We'll get to see him!

I've been really bad at keeping up with Calvin's emails home this month, sorry. But now I'm on Todd's computer where all the pictures from Calvin's latest snail mail are. So can I beg your forgiveness with pictures? Okay. Good.

First let me post Calvin's email from December 10th:

Momm,

   So, this week was really interesting. our car got stolen. no not really, but in effect it did. What happened was we took the car to get the oil changed and the tires changed, and while we were waiting, the guy at the front desk started making calls about a car that was stuck on a lift. He was asking if someone could come and fix the lift, went back into the garage, came out, and said " well, guys that car on the lift is yours." We were like, "What.?" He explained that the lift's hydrolics had failed. so we went back, and luckily the car had had emergency braces put underneath it, otherwise, it would have been dropped. So, we ended up bumming rides off our Zone leaders and members for the rest of that day and part of the next. that stunk. 

   So in our companionship, we made an effort to do better at talking to everyone, and its really cool how that improves a day. Since everyone is really nice here, they will at least talk to you. 

   Most of our solid potentials right now are Hatians. They love missionaries, and they will always talk to you. Especially if you know French, and if you say "Sake Passe!" you are their new best friend immediately, mostly because sake passe means whats up in creole, and most people dont know anything in creole, so that scores you BIG points with them. Hatians also love feeding you. I havent had many dinner appointments with them, but they offer to feed us often enough. I love hatians! 

   what else is going on, well, as for skyping, i think we can, but I dont think we can use members' computers, so IDK, I'll ask my Zone leaders. 

   Momm, havent you been reading ANY of my emails, begging for us to come back after my mission?!? Of course I'll come back and show you everything!!!!  [I asked him if we could go back and visit his areas because we stalk him on google earth and it looks so beautiful there in Ottawa! I also watch travel shows whenever I can on PBS on Saturdays and other days of the week and I've only ever been to Prince Edward Island and the Toronto Temple in Canada (which are not in Calvin's mission) but I've always wanted to go to Quebec and Montreal, and now Ottawa is on my list of places to visit.]

   I am staying quite warm, i actually kick blankets off the bed because its too hot some nights, but usually i count my blessings and stay warm. 

   So what else can I tell you about my mission, umm.. well a guy just returned from his mission just this week, so that was awesome to see. he actually served where my companion is from, so he brought TONS of  presents back for my companion from his parents. Oh, we have a Charlie Brown Christmas tree kit, so we set that up as our christmas tree for the time being. we have  a bigger one, but we are just too lazy to set it up right now. We didnt put presents under it, we just put it on top of the presents! 

   By the way, in the pictures, the clouds were clouds before a tornado, but there wasnt one. It was still pretty cool!

   Umm, yeah, so lots is going on. Umm, oh yeah! So we have that stratego game in the mission apartment, so we play it on Preperation days a lot. The last few preperation days have been us mostly playing Clue at the Zone leaders' appartment. lots of fun!

Love you all!!

Keep going!!

Do me a favor, and this christmas look for a way you each (except Sophie, she is my favorite! Just kidding ) can do meaningful service for someone else. I have been thinking a lot about that these past few weeks and how all my favorite families in the mission constantly look for ways to serve others. 

LOVE!!!!!!!!
Watch out for ......... EVERYTHING!

Calvin

About the "Watch out for . . . EVERYTHING!" I usually end my letters to Calvin with several one-line reminders: Study your scriptures and "Preach My Gospel!" "Pray fervently!" and I include a silly line "Watch out for ____________!" (Ninja Snowflakes and Dalek Christmas Trees are some of the recent warnings) It's just something fun I do.

Did I mention there is another Elder C Messinger in Calvin's mission? And that we thought it would be fun if they were companions at some point? Can you imagine "Hello, we're Messingers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." We thought that would be pretty fun.

Here's his email from the 17th of December:

Momm, 

   AUGH!!! I cant wait to get bck and see Sophie!!!!!! she is going to be so BIG!!! I cant wait to just do stuff with her! [When I write to him, I usually try to include some cute things Sophie says and does.]

yes i do love my other sisters, dont worry, and i cant wait to spend time with them too. oh tell miranda that my companion and I quote invader zim all the time. So, this week. Well where to start. So my companion and i have been thinking about doing more member work in the sense of teaching members lessons. That way, we strengthen Zion and make the members more confident is sharing the Gospel. we havent had a good comp discussion about this, how we are going to do it, what it will mean, etc. We got the idea, when a member who recently got back from his mission said that for the last 9 months of his mission, he only tracted about 10 hours overall. That was because he had been doing member lessions, and their baptism number actually increased. So, we were blown away by that. We just want to do stuff effectively. 

   Umm.... it was basically a regular week. We taught some people, and did missionary stuff. Yes that is a terrible response, but there is just SO MUCH we did this week. nothing  too too exciting, except the fact that we have a girl commited to a baptismal date.

   Now, we are meeting with this awesome guy who is super cool. He is part native, and is really interested in the church, and he listens to the lessons. 

   We got to see another recent convert. she is ok. We had a great lesson with her about the Tree of Life story . This has been our theme for lots of our lessons, and it works super well now a days, because we use everyone's Christmas trees as the tree of life.  Its pretty  fun ! 

    So this week we have our Mission Christmas party. We are going to be away from our areas for 2 whole days. We wont really be doing any work for about 3 days strait. Our numbers are going to PLUMMET!! But hopefully not that bad. 

     So thats all new right now. We are goig to an aviation museum today, and then to dinner, and then off to do some random work (probably tracting this appartment building  we have been working in for a few days) Then, we will go [to a family's house].  :) sooo happy, [they] are AWESOME!!! 

  Anyways, love you lots!

    Calvin

Merry Christmas

Happy Bump Day!

  Last Wednesday - November 28th - Calvin reached his 6 month mark. Missionaries have names for milestone days, and some missions celebrate by burning clothing:
6 months: Bump Day; burn a tie
12 months: Hump Day; burn a white shirt
18 months: Slump Day; burn a pair of pants
24 months (last day before you return to the mission home to go home): Dump Day; burn a suit
  I have asked Calvin several times if he burned a tie, but he hasn't told me how he celebrated yet. Maybe he didn't celebrate. Some missionaries don't pay attention to the milestones. Since I didn't post last week, here are two weeks' worth of emails!

Momm, on thanksgiving we had an AWESOME dinner with an American family. They had football on the TV they made a HUGE turkey dinner, it was all awesome! I thought of you all, and hope that your thanksgiving was GREAAT!!!!!!!!!!

Calvin

Momm, 

Wow that sounds like a great week!!!!!!!!! I am SO MAD that I missed [Miranda's] LARP party! That stinks! What happened at it? And which movie was skyfall? [Todd and I had a DATE! We went to see Skyfall. They had started the ads for it before Calvin left on his mission, but missionaries don't really pay attention to current movies because they don't go to movies.] So, I have had a pretty good week. I'm really nervous for transfers because i dont want to leave my area, i love all the people WAY too much! but I know it wont be to bad. So, this week we have a new baptismally committed person. She is 59 years old. She is really nice, and was introduced [to the church] by her friend who is super awesome! They arre roommates in the retirement home. We are haveing a great time, the new bishop is making his focus on missionary work. He is really buisness like and wants to get stuff done, it's really good. I am so excited that the area is picking up again!

Anyways, i will write more, but I cant think.... OH! We had someone run away from us. We knocked on their door, and we hear some footsteps, so we knock again. Then we hear this mechanical grinding sound, so we wait more. next thing we know, a car comes zooming out of the garage and zooms away. we both laughed our heads off! so thats my funny story so far! besides making plasma in the microwave. 

Love you all lots!!!!
Calvin

That's pretty funny that they had someone run away from them. We were speculating why someone would feel the need to run away from missionaries. Perhaps it was the black coats that scared them? For those of you who aren't LDS: Missionaries are good kids, and if you don't want to talk to them you can tell them you're not interested and they'll respect your wishes and leave. However, as the mother of a missionary I want you to know that if it's a hot day, or they look particularly tired, it's okay to give them food and water. You can still tell them you don't want to discuss religion, and you don't want to take their lessons. But remember that they are young men, and their mothers worry about them, and any kindness you show them would be greatly appreciated. Speaking of worry, what's this about plasma in the microwave?! I'm pretty sure that's not something allowed by mission rules - or any sane rules outside of a laboratory experiment! Gotta ask about this.

**I am not posting what Calvin wrote about making plasma in the microwave. Missionaries are, after all, 19 - 21 year old boys. They are known for doing stupid (often dangerous) things because, well, they are 19 - 21 years old, and boys these age often do stupid things when they're on their own. I am not amused, and I let Calvin know in a follow up email that I was not amused. Now on to this week's emails.

I wrote Calvin a nice, long email describing my week to him, and apologizing for writing so many emails to him every week. I usually watch for his first email to appear, then if I have questions I'll write a line or two. Sometimes that's the only way I get answers to questions - like if he has his winter coat yet, or if he needs anything like new shirts or socks or ties. Calvin tends to forget to answer questions like those. This was Calvin's first email:

Momm,

 You are NOT selfish. you are a MOTHER. You have an especial privelage to my time. 

love,

Ccalvin

momm, 

 yeah i think you might have mentioned that you love me.I dont know about skype. I might be able to. [I asked Calvin if he would be able to Skype with us for his phone call at Christmas. Some missionaries can Skype, others can't.]

Yeah we watched the [First Presidency Christmas Broadcast from Salt Lake City], it was a lot of fun! It was great to get that spiritual uplift. 

so, transfers, I'm staying! Im going to be in Chapel hill for Christmas!!!!! thats pretty cool! I am so excited, and i'll be with [my current companion] too! We are both excited, and things are picking up in the mission thus far! So you watched Lincoln. What is that? Was that the vampire hunter one, or a different one. I have been out of the loop for a while. [See? I told you missionaries don't keep track of movies and things. This time I went to the movie with friends - wow, I haven't been to movies for almost a year and now two in two weeks? Wow.]

So lately I have been worrying about [a family]. lots of negative things are happening, and its affecting them being able to come to church. But our ward has been super good with supporting them. Its wierd, I feel like I've been living in this ward all my life. I know everyone, and things have started to blend together. 

Oh, keep an eye out for an elder. he will enter the MTC on Jan 20th. he is a cousin of an elder here, but he is going to utica, so idk if that is our mission [it is], but I think he might be there. 

ok, Ill send this early bc inquiring minds want to know. there really isnt anything else that I wanted to say.

 LOve

Calvin 

Calvin usually forwards the mission newsletter so we can see what's going on in his mission. We learned this week that there is another "Elder C. Messinger" in Calvin's mission. His first name is different, but still it starts with a C!! We were flabbergasted that the first initial is the same, and that the last name is spelled the same. I'm so glad I've been writing his full name on the packages!! It must be a little confusing for the mission president that their names are close. And wouldn't it be cool if they ended up companions?! Elder Messinger and Elder Messinger! Then they could say "We're Messingers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!" Sorry, it's really fun to have our last name sometimes. Especially when it talks about "Heavenly messengers" in the scriptures. We always read it "Heavenly Messingers," and remind our kids that our last name has a special responsibility associated with it.

All fun aside, the mission is preparing for an influx of new missionaries (both the normal number of missionaries they usually expect, and a greater number of incoming missionaries since they changed the age requirements). The newsletter mentioned cleaning apartments. Calvin had become quite the pro at cleaning before he left, and we've discovered some really effective, non-toxic, cleaners since he left, so I wrote a quick email with some of the "recipes" we found.

thanks momm!
This will come in handy! I've also done a lot of cooking. Really bad for my waistline. but! its been delicious. Members feed us really well here, though. we cook ourselves some monsterous llunches, just because. Thanks for teaching for all these lessons that you have given me!
Calvin

November 19, 2012

Last week Calvin wrote 6 lines. SIX LINES!! I didn't feel like it was worth an entire post for just SIX LINES! But I felt really awful for my friend in Texas; her son didn't write anything. Nothing. Zip. Nada. So, my young friends who are planning on going on a mission, please remember this: Missionaries know that mail is their lifeblood, but mail is just as important to your mother!! (and college students would do well to take note too) And no, I'm not proofreading these for spelling/grammar mistakes.

Here is Calvin's email from last week:

Momm,

Thank you for giving the missionaries dinner! Every time I walk out of a dinner appointment, feeling like im gonna pop, I think of you and say THanks momm!

Keep reaching out to others, especially new members! they need that support sooooooooo much! I think I have about 50 new facebook friends for you! [My companion] told quite a few people to friend his mom, so I thought why not?  anyways, I'm glad to hear all is ok at home.

This week we committed another person to baptism!!!! it was super cool, but all of our member present lessons have fallen through! We could have had 10, but only got 5. People are busy in these latter days! So, not much new has happened this week, and we dont have much time today, but know I love you, and MIGHT send some letters, but  idk.

LOVE youo alll lots!!!!!!!!!

Calvin

Okay, so it looks like more lines here on the blog, but trust me it was only six lines in the email! I guess I should count my blessings that I got anything at all.

This week was MUCH better.

Hey momm!!!!! 

Great to hear that you have been doing well this week! Oh gosh, Sophie's picture. I'm going to prepare to break heads when she gets older! [I sent him a photo of Sophie in the sweater I knitted for her] Yes i am lucky to celebrate thanksgiving twice, although my waistline is telling me otherwise. This week we have a dinner appointment every night except one, and on that day we have a breakfast AND a lunch appointment. The breakfast appointment is with the new BIshop, and the lunch appointment is with [a family]. Anyways, other than that, not too too much has been going on. we are doing a lot of knocking because we continuously get stood up at our appointments, but its just because people are busy. the Lord always gives more miracles than letdowns. WAYY more! And no, I'm not homesick. There are plenty of amazing people here, so much so that I want to take home and superimpose it on this landscape, and see if all the empty spots are perfectly filled by home. Then save it and live there! But, i'll have a second home at Couer d'Alene. [did you know Calvin was born in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho?] Mercie Beaucoup pour tous vos prieres, et pour tous votre amour! Je veux que vous pouvez etre ici de voir tous les peuples qui habite ici, mais je ne peux pas. But!!!! I can come back as soon as I'm home!!! And i want to!!!! At least once a month!!!!!! PPPPPPBBBBBBBBRRRRRREEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

   Wow, now that I've been super childish, time to be more mature. Yeah, missionaries are often transfered at the last 6 weeks. [One of our missionaries here is being transferred for the last 6 weeks of his mission] Often they are also transferrred when they love their area a lot. I love my area A LOT. I'm freaking out a little, because I'm sure I'm getting transferred, but I love this area! oh well, it will happen in the lord's time. 

Well, LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!

Calvin

5 November, 2012

Calvin has been on his mission for over 5 months now. He is in his 6th month! Wow! 1/4 of the way through! The time has flown by (for me, at least). We miss him a lot, and we pray for him every day that he will be safe, and that he will love what he's doing. I really enjoy his letters and I can tell that our prayers are answered. His love for the people that he's serving shows in every letter home, and I am glad that he's kept safe as he drives! So here is this week's letter. YAY!

Hey momm,

Im glad to hear that you guys pulled through ok. Everyone here has been asking how you are all doing. I wasn't worried because we are up on a hill. Here, we didn't get it too bad. I was dissapointed. But I guess its better than having everyone  here in more need. This week has been going well. We have a few people who are super interested in the gospel. One is pretty much a definate for baptism, it's just that her mom doesn't like mormons. We got our baptismal committed to church this week, even though our investigator church attendance has been at an all time low lately. We still get 4 investigators to church, so we are still feeling good. My biggest concern now is keeping our new converts in the church. PLEASE make friends with the investigators, and have them over to our house, and be their friends, and most of all LET THE MISSIONARIES know that you are doing these things. Members give you the best info ever. Members have the most important role in missionary work ever. The members here are really good at that, it's just that there are so many of them, it's hard to choose. Anyways, we are trying to work hard, and use our time the most effectively. However, I feel great because not a day goes by that I dont see at leaast one miracle in it. I feel very blessed. I think back on Jeffery R. Holland's talk this past conference, and think I can never go back to my old nets. I will need to be, and will be changed. Totally changed.

[I am giving a talk in church this coming Sunday on repentance, so I asked him if he had any input and any messages for the branch]

Anyways, as for your talk, I  would stress the importance of the bible dictionary. Also, stress that repentance is CHANGING your life. It's not just not doing the bad things anymore, it's completely changing how you think to cut those bad things out. You try to not even think about doing bad things, and your mind and thought process becomes focused on good things, and uplifting thoughts constantly. 

oh, I loved the package!!!!! I loved that one sheet of paper that everyone [in the branch] signed. That meant a lot to me. thanks for the Book of mormons, but why did you send them? I can get 50 billion of them free if I want. But I'm sure they will come in handy sometime. Thanks for the package, it made my millenium!!!! I didn't have to pay anything, but I dont know if the office did, I havent gotten notified about anything. 

Any tell anyone anything messages? Well, I got stamps, so tell the girls there might be a few things coming to them soon. As for ward members, tell everyone I think of them and they are a huge source of encouragement and support to me. 

Thank you for all the support you give me mom, I love you so much, and I know the world is a tough place to live in, but keep going! Keep your mind on the Gospel, and the principles of it, and how you can help the Lord first, then look everyday for at least 2 miracles. Then tell me about them!

Keep it up!

Love

Calvin

[Wow. My missionary son gave me an assignment! Guess I'd better work on it! I sent him a note asking how he liked the package, and attached a picture of his friends' Halloween costumes, and he sent this back:]

oh my gosh, [she] would. [be Rosie the Riveter]

[He's] the pumpkin head, right? Pretty cool, and the other girl is the main charecter from adventure time, right?

That's pretty awesome!

So the ties i liked , the letters too (Sophies' story was so cute!) And the candy was amazing!!!!!! I got so much candy this week from members, it's like "Who needs trick or treating??" We had a lesson, so we couldn't do all the fun things the other guys were. but we were real missionaries, and did real missionary work, so that's ok.

and the organ CD is awesome!!!! I love it!

For christmas. D&D miniatures. and lots of love. and letters, and drawings. but mostly love and D&D minis. Its a tradition!!!!!

I love you sooooo much!!!!!
Calvin

PS. So, we have an american family who already signed up for thanksgiving, and another family already signed up for christmas. so sign up for the missionaries now!!!!!!!!

[We usually get new D&D miniatures for our stockings. It is a fun tradition and after 10 years of doing this we have quite a collection!!]

October 29, 2012

This is Calvin's letter from last week. Sorry it's late. With the storm and the end of Field Hockey it was a pretty busy week. I have left in some of what I wrote, so his answers make sense. Calvin's answers are in bold.

Momm,

This week has been wierd. Transfers happened this week, and I got my new companion. He is from Edmonton, Canada. He is awesome! He was my MTC companions' trainer, which is cool. I found out how much my last companion meant to me this week as well. I miss him, but I got over it pretty quickly, because we have seen some success so far, and we hope to watch that success climb.

So, what happened this week? Well, I drove by myself this week for the first time, all alone, because of transfers. Umm... not much else else happened. We did a lot of knocking, and found some people who might be interested.

I guess I'll reply to your letter.

Dearest Calvin,
  Chantal says she will nevereverevereverevereverevernever forgive you for the comment about her looking like Justin Bieber again, because he wishes he looked as good as her. *winky face*

 

lol, Sorry Chantal, but it is the truth! I love your hair, though. I want to see some senior pics.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought of you this week, and I was like "oh, momms' bday is this week, I should do something!" So our zone went out to sushi. My first time, and I loved it! it was super good! we also went to the mall, and then to a party for [my companion] when he was going away.

 

  Wednesday I had to go renew my driver's license. I got all the stuff together and went down to the DMV. I was in and out within 20 minutes! Yay!!! I thought about you and how you wanted to do your
KISS face when they took your picture for your permit. *grin* I went across the street to deposit a check for Dad. Then I went to Barnes and Noble to return the book [I got for my birthday]. So I have a "store credit" for the price of a paperback book. I might get a book about knitting socks instead.

 

nooo!!! get an art book! an art book!!! or an anne mccaffery. Oh, there was a member who was giving/ throwing away a piorot book ,and a dragonriders of pern book. But I had no idea how I was going to send them back, so I left them there! Sorry!

 

I came home and Dad went to work. Miranda called me to ask me if I could sign her out early so she could see Chantal's game. The game had been moved from Afton to Harpursville (because Afton's field was flooded). So we signed Miranda out and went to the field to the game. The girls won their first Sectionals game 2-1 in sudden death overtime.

 

GOOOOO HORNETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Chantal made some awesome saves!! Then we came home and went to Mutual.
  Thursday Chantal had another sectional game in Greene. Sophie, Miranda and I drove over there and got there about an hour early, so we waved at the Harpursville bus as they came into the parking
lot, then we walked over to Raymond and picked up leaves along the way. When we got to Raymond, we found the van and stuffed leaves in between the windshield wipers on the front of the van and
on the back. We thought Dad would appreciate our sense of humor. *grin* Dad walked over on his break and watched about 5 minutes of the game (YAY! First game he's been able to attend this year!). They lost their game 7-0

 

AWWW! @^#*@ (parents, now would be a great time to cover your kids' ears) $& GREENE!!! Sorry, missionary thoughts, missionary thoughts.  ok, I have control of myself now. (sorry elder, No, really, the computer just flew twords your head all on it's own! No, I'm serious!)

 

(but Chantal informs me that Vestal lost to Green 9-0 so I think Harpursville did pretty well!)

  Saturday we went to the temple. It was really nice, even though we only had 3 girls [doing baptisms. We had 4 girls with us]. While everyone else went into the temple, [a friend from school], Sophie and I walked around the temple and I explained a little about the temple to her. Then we went to the Joseph Smith home and the log home, and took the tours there. [She] stood on the bricks where the plates had been hidden. *grin* Then we walked around the Sacred Grove for a while. We got rained on, and since most of the leaves have fallen off the trees we got really wet. Sophie soaked through her sneakers and socks and her pants were wet almost to her butt - because she kept stopping to pick up leaves and things. Sophie was scared of the animals in the woods. When I asked her what animals she was afraid were in the woods, she said, "Bears and Tigers and Lions and Monkeys." After we got out of the grove, we went back to the temple to wait because we only had about 20 minutes before they were scheduled to be done.

 

Sophie is sooo cute! that's just too funny.

  Grandma and Grandpa came over after the trip for dinner and birthday cake. I made the same cake I did for Sophie's birthday - except not Totoro.

 

Darn. Was it at least in the shape of Darth Vader's face?

  Today was Branch Conference. Sophie was in rare form! She has started sticking her tongue out at people and giving them the raspberry. I made her apologize to everyone she did it to. RUDE CHILD!!

 

Lol, she learned from the best!

I didn't get to sit in the chapel to hear all of conference. I had to go out into the Nursery with Sophie. *gasp* I got to go to RELIEF SOCIETY today!!! I got to be an adult today!

 

YAY! adult time! Oh, and my comp just reminded me, he has a talk by J golden Kimball. We listened to it, and OH DEAR!!!! he was super funny!

I'm glad you are having home teachers over. Home teaching, and member splits are super awesome for missionaries! Please help the missionaries out as much as you can!

  We're all getting ready for Hurricane Sandy. They handed out a phone number in sacrament meeting for people to call to report damage. *is it coincidence that the hurricane segment on the Sesame
Street DVD just came on?* They're evacuating parts of New York City, and they shut down subway and rail service in NYC, and they're shutting down bus service there too. Greene Schools are getting
out early tomorrow. Hancock school has closed tomorrow. This is supposed to be a big storm. Looking at the different models, I'm not sure if we'll get lots of rain or just a little.

 

I heard everything from "the perfect, epic storm of the century" to just a tropical storm. So, i think personally that Binghamton is going to get flooded again.

 

I think Elmira is going
to get lots of rain. Anyway, I hope you guys don't get too much rain, and that you're safe. Did you get winter stuff from the "free store?" I hope you did. Please let me know if you didn't and if you
need stuff. It's getting colder and I worry about you. Do you have enough blankets?

yes

 

Do you have stuff for emergencies?

 

yes

 

Like extra water and a little food?

 

sortof

 

and flashlights?

 

sortof

 

 and stuff?

 

Umm......... sure!

  Okay, I have to get going. I'm really tired and starting to get a headache. *Storm's coming Ani. I can feel it in my bones.*

 

LOL!

Momm, I love you and miss you and everyone else at home! I'll try to send some mail home, but I send love home everyday!

 

Love

Calvin

21 October, 2012

   This is a week of birthdays for our family (mine, Todd's, and my sister's) and I was thinking this is the first birthday in 20 years that Calvin has not been physically with us. That's a lot of years! Then I felt old. *grin* Calvin bought me a Kindle Touch for Christmas last year (2011). Then he put it somewhere and forgot about it until after Christmas. We had been out shopping and when we got home Calvin said, "Mom, sit on the couch." So I sat. He went upstairs to his room and came back down with a plastic bag. "While we were out today I realized that I had forgotten one more present! So here's your Christmas present. I figure I'll be gone for the next two years, so this is your Christmas presents and your Birthday presents and your Mother's Day presents for the next two years." Cute kid.

   I had asked Calvin a few questions, and I got answers this week! Yay!

Momm

I know you are asking for [other relatives], I didn't think you would come visit me. I just didn't want to give you or me that temptation. Anyways, here are all the answers president gave me:  I can't answer the duty question. I know you can send a certain amount of gifts without paying duty. Your Mom could check for her on the internet.

[for limitations and rules about packages to Canada, see this page:  

http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ce_003.htm  ]

When families have come we have allowed them an hour for a meal together. Anything more than that and homesickness can impact a missionaries focus. 

Fine with the picture of us on the internet. 

So, I hope that answered any questions.

Oh, and yes, i will be coming back right after my two years is up. I have so many people I have to see. 

Love you lots!!
Calvin

   YAY! The picture he's talking about is this one. It was taken the day Calvin arrived in Montréal at the Mission Home. At first, I was a little confused by the sign. See, Calvin's initials are CEM, his sister's initials are CMM. So my brain read it as welcoming his sister to the mission. Duh, Canada Montréal Mission has the same initials as Chantal does.

I have a policy of not posting any picture on this blog unless I have the express permission of everyone in the picture. So I was waiting for President's permission to post this photo. Calvin loves President and Sister Cannon, and they are taking very good care of him!

  I sent Calvin a response:

Yay! I will have Dad scan the picture of you and the mission president and his wife today and put it up on the blog! Woo Hoo!

About visiting: I don't want to do anything that would be distracting to you on your mission. I'm glad that you want to avoid temptation too *smile*

You are an amazing young man! I am so happy and proud to be your mom!

I'll try to look up the answer for Grandma on the internet.

Thanks for the answers! xx

Love,
MoMM

P.S. yes when you are done with your mission and you go back, Dad and I want to go with you. *smile*

Oh, you will be going with me, no doubt about that!!! It will be super fun! I actually could come back and visit every month if I wanted to! (which I think I might. I love this area)

Calvin

  The next email he answered was this one:

Dear Calvin,
  Yesterday Sophie and I went shopping for some things for missionary packages *grin* and on the way home she was playing with her window. I told her to roll it up and she did.
Then I put the window lock on:
Sophie (in an angry voice): MOM LET ME ROLL MY WINDOW DOWN!
Me: No, you need to keep it closed.
Sophie (even angrier): LET ME PUT MY WINDOW DOWN! THIS IS UNASSEPABLE! YOU ARE IN TIME OUT!!

I thought you'd enjoy a laugh. *big grin* Oh and we'll be sending the packages tomorrow. Do you need me to tell you what is in the packages so that you can make sure you got everything?

Love,
MoMM

A package! I am sooooo excited! I can't wait! Wow! Ok, I can't wait to see what's inside of it! Don't tell me. Until I tell you I got it. Anyways, I loved that Sophie story! She is getting so grown up, It's going to be so wierd, seeing her. But that's two years down the road. But I did the calculations, and I have like close to 7 months until  my 1 year mark. Wow, it went so fast. 

Love you a lot!
Calvin

  I did some calculating this morning. At the end of this month Calvin will have been on his mission for 5 months. He has 19 months + a week left. As of today, he has been on his mission for 148 days of the 730 days (2 x 365). He has 582 days left. He's right, it is going by fast! And no, I don't cross off the days and I usually don't keep track of how many days he has left either. *grin* Next message from Calvin:

So, this week, we had an amazing baptism. [A woman] was baptized, and it was super special. I hope that we can keep on seeing her and her family. Oh, I should send a picture, but I have no cord to download pictures, or ANYTHING. Grr.... This lack of postage is becoming REALLY inconvenient. SO, what else happened this week. Well, my companion is going home. It's so wierd because i feel like I should be going home as well, but not really. So it's just wierd.
So, this transfer I am getting a new companion. He is apparently a super happy guy, and everyone speaks super highly of him. So that is exciting. I'm not training, I'm so happy! That means I don't have to  be in charge just yet! HAhahah, and I know Dad is probably rolling his eyes, and saying "Yep, there's Calvin, avoiding responsability at every turn." Well, I will have a lot of responsability anyways. He won't know the area AT ALL!!! So, i will have to take control for a little while.

So, what else is new? umm.... not much. We have a LOT of knocking ahead of us. All our really well progressing investigators have been baptised, and all the rest we can't contact, so we will have to do a lot of knocking, and probably finding. But, I love knocking anyways, so this aught to be good. 

So, onwards to answering the rest of your email!

Dear Calvin,
  Hmmm. Where to start? I guess I'll just start at last Monday. It was so exciting to get your emails! I LOVE Mondays because I look forward to your emails. *big smile*
I forgot what we did Monday, except that Chantal's team won their game, and they're eligible for sectionals.

AWESOME!!!!! I hope you guys go far this year!!

Miranda was pretty bummed that they lost their JV game. She was very quiet - but then she's usually quiet on the ride home from practices and games because Chantal talks non-stop.

Miranda, I wish I could be there to see you. Go put on one of my old sweaters, and give yourself a BIG hug, and know that that was from me, and that I love you, and that it will all be OK. I love you lots, and I wish I could be there to talk to you for a few hours. I love you!

Chantal says
that for the season, she had 93 shots on goal, 71 were saves, and 22 were goals. Not bad for her first year as a Varsity goalie!! We're still waiting for Miranda's stats.

Wohoo!!!!! Good job Chantal!!!! That's pretty awesome! I hope you keep that going, and become the best goalie that Harpursville has ever seen, and then Miranda will keep the tradition alive! 

I can't wait to see Miranda's stats! IS this going to work like report cards in school? "My stats GPA is better than yours!!" "Only by one one thousandth of a point!!" lol, that would be funny. 

  Tuesday I called the temple about the youth temple trip this Saturday. Dad forgot what time we were scheduled. Grandma and Grandpa are going to go with us so that we have some extra room to
take kids, and I thought it would be nice for them to spend some time in the temple with their granddaughters. Oh! They posted some pictures on facebook of the new art glass windows in the Boise
Temple (remember it's been renovated for the last however many months? They're having open houses now (I think). So the pictures they posted of the glass in the temple are just stunning! There's one particular glass door that just takes my breath away. I think that was the day I made granola and my 10 grain rolls.

I cannot wait to go back to the temple. I am converted to going to the temple. The temple is such a special place, and you get so much spiritual strength from going. It's unlike anything else. I am so excited that you are going! I have been praying that our family members will go to that open house, and feel something there. It will be a really cool expirience, for sure. 

  Wednesday Sophie and I went shopping for things for your package and [another missionary's] package, and then in YW Chantal, Miranda, [and two other girls] got stuff together for your package while I was
cleaning the building. Speaking of your package: I hope it gets to you. [a friend] added something (I have no idea what it was, but it's in an envelope which I didn't open) and I'm not entirely sure I filled out paperwork correctly. So I hope the package gets to you okay. Please let me know if there was a problem. I mailed it Friday.

AWESOME!!! In this weeks' KALDT, there is a note about packages.

One of the missionaries left a pair of pants at the building for me to fix. He was bitten by a dog and the dog ripped his pants (I don't know if the dog's teeth made it into his leg or not), plus the seat of
his pants was ripping out a little, and the hem of his pants was coming out. I told him that I could try to fix the rip, and I discovered the other stuff when I was looking over the rest of his pants. He has
another pair that he's stapled the hems up. I hope you know how to fix your pants and things. I think we taught you how to do that, but I can't remember.

Wow, a DOG bit him?! That is so classic missionary life! So funny! and yes, you sort of taught me how to hem pants. I have Ghetto sewn some of my clothes back together again, so I do know how to sew, just not fancily. 

Oh, we had to take the van to YW on Wednesday because [we had two extra girls who] wanted to come, and there wouldn't be room enough in the Hyundai for all of us. [Their mom] showed up at church about 15 minutes before we were done, so the girls and I decided (on the way to the gas station, because the van's gas light went on) that since we could now all fit into the Hyundai, we would be funny and switch cars with Dad. So after we got a few gallons of gas, we drove to the Raymond parking lot and switched cars. The girls thought it was hilarious. Dad said that he knew when he came out of work he would find the van in the parking lot. Sheesh! Leave it to the Holy Ghost to ruin the surprise!

Oh, and then on the way home we saw some strange lights in the sky. The girls said it reminded them of Northern Lights but there were two pillars of light (very faint) in the sky. Not long or large pillars, and very faint, but still when I saw them they were definitely two pillars. I thought it was a reflection of light off the clouds (which it may well have been) because there were a few more lights like it once we got out of the car at home. It was very interesting to see though.

Cool! The clouds up here are spectacular! I suppose they are the same at home, but here I just notice them more! It's cool to see how clouds interact with light, and form shadows, and stuff like that.

  Thursday Miranda, Sophie and I drove to the [our friends' house] between the time Miranda got out of school and when we had to pick up Chantal. We stopped at the missionaries' apartment to drop off the pants but the missionaries weren't home and I couldn't find anywhere to leave the pants, so I still have them! AGH! I have visions of this poor missionary walking around without pants because I have them.
  Friday we mailed your package (and [the other missionary's] package), and it took an hour in the post office because the lady was so busy. Then I cut out Dad's birthday present and did some paperwork filing too. [Your aunt] called while I was filing the paperwork. She wanted to know if we'd be available to visit with her on Saturday. She was on her way up here to attend her friend's wedding. We didn't get to Stake Conference on Saturday because Dad had to work and then we were waiting for [your aunt] to call [so we could visit with her at Grandma and Grandpa's house].

Aww! I missed a visit from [her]!!!! Grrrrr! oh, well i will have plenty of time later to see all my family members.

Momm, I want to tell you how much i love you, and how much I miss you guys. thank you for all your support. I feel that love of the Lord, and the love of everyone every day. 

I love you all!!!!
Calvin

Next email:

The package is from us and the young women, we did it for an activity last Wednesday.
Don't you burn a tie or something when you've been out for 6 months? It's pretty close!!!
Then I think you burn a shirt at a year.
And a suit at 18 months?
But don't take my word for it *grin*
I was doing the calculations too, and you're at pretty close to 5 months. *big smile* You're right, it doesn't seem like that long and it's going by fast.

Momm, you are right, it is going fast, but at the same time it is going SOOOO SLOW!!!! It's just wierd. AWWWW!!!! Sophie is so cute! I hope she continues to be so awesome! Tell Dad I'm sorry I couldn't write him more, even though I said I would, we have no time! Love Calvin **  A word about burning clothing. It is traditional for missionaries in a lot of places to mark the time they have been on their missions. When Todd was on his mission, they burned a tie at 6 months, a white shirt at a year, pants at 18 months, and some guys would burn a suit at the end of their mission. I have noticed that missionary clothing wears out at about those times. It might seem a waste to burn a suit, but you have to realize that they've worn that suit pretty much every day for 2 years, so it might be worn out by that time. Todd didn't burn his suit when he came home. He wore it for the next 16 or so years (though just on Sundays for those years so it lasted a lot longer!) and then he gave it to Calvin to wear.

October 15th

Any time Sophie does something cute, or I think of something I need to ask Calvin, or we have a fun family thing, I write an email to Calvin. So he ends up with about 5 emails to read on P-Day just from me. Todd's memory is better than mine (or maybe he's just more conservative with his letter writing) so he usually sends only one email. So I will put the 6 emails I got today (in answer to my 6 emails) in some semblance of order. *grin*

Momm,

I am so glad that you got that email [the picture from his mission president's wife]! [She] is such an amazing woman! She does so much for us. She has this miracle hotline, so we call her every time we have a miracle, actually we call her every once in a while, and share with her all the miracles that have already happened all at once. So, [she] is super awesome, and so is President. He is a very wise man, who..... well, they are both just so awesome I am at a loss for words. Yeah, so I should really just tell you how awesome they are. So lets start at the mission home. It is so warm, and cozy, and it feels like Christmas every time you walk in. They have pictures on the walls in the basement showing all these missionaries' pictures of cool places, or funny things that happened, stuff like that. They also have lots of matresses in the basement, for when the new missionaries come in. So then, all around the mission home there are little jars or cups or plates with all sorts of chocolates and treats in them all over the house. It's almost like a treasure hunt. So, when they visit us, [she] always brings granola bars, or stuff like that, and this last time they visited, they each had an interview with each missionary. So, President asked us how we are doing, and how the area is going, and if there is anything wrong, stuff like that. Then he asked me to share with him something I learned form the scriptures. So, that was my interview with him. So then I talked to [her]. She called it "Chat time". She asks how we are doing in relation to health, and this time she had us write  down two things we like about our companion. Oh, and she takes great care of us. I told her I didn't really have much of an opportunity to buy winter clothes, so she called the assistants, who were at the mission home, right away, and told them to look in the mission "Free Store" (a room full of all sorts of missionary winter clothes, that missionaries don't need anymore) and told them to look for some stuff right then because they are coming out here really soon. She also exchanged some of my American money for some Canadian money. So she goes out of her way to make sure we are doing well, so don't worry about me.

I am having a lot of fun out here, and am glad to hear all is going well with you!

LOVE
Calvin

[next email]

I haven't bought postage stamps yet, but I will try. Sort of. I don't know where the post office is. But i will try. 

I love you! 

Calvin

[next email]

Wow, it sounds like you have been seeing a lot of miracles lately! I am so happy to hear that everyone is doing so well! I hope Miranda and Chantal do well on their game!  I wish them luck! 

Actually [a sister in his ward] reminds me of [a sister in our branch, but not me!]. It's funny how I find all these people that remind me of people I know already. 

Love you!

Calvin

[Okay, this next one needs both my email and his reply]

Hey!
  Dad got the mail today and there was a notice from the health insurance company addressed to Sophie. Dad usually lets Sophie open the junk mail. So Sophie read her name on the mail and opened it
and she took it into Dad's office. Dad came into the living room and said, "You have to see this. Sophie opened the letter and said 'It's from Calvin! He knows me! He loves me! It's from Calvin!'" So I went
in and asked her who the letter was from, "Calvin." I asked her "what did Calvin say?" "He says he loves you." I repeated, "You mean he loves Sophie?" "No, he loves you."
  So Dad says please tell Calvin and your mom and my mom to send mail to Sophie because she LOVES to get letters!
  Maybe you can write a special email just to her? Really simple and short. It doesn't have to be anything long. Just "Dear Sophie I miss you and I love you" sort of thing. I'll print it out and give it to her.

Love you!
MoMM

That is so precious. I have been writing letters to Sophie on my mission, usually for later when she is older and it might mean more for her,but I think I will start sending stuff to her now. I do love her, and I want her to know that, so It  would be awesome if you could print off emails I send to her. I think I will send her ones now. 

Love you

Calvin

[The next email we got was this one]

To Sophie, 1805 Ny rte.7 harpursville 13787 [@] *stamp*

Dear Sophie,       I miss you so much! I saw you in the picture dad sent me, and I thought "Gosh! Sophie is growing up sooooo fast!!" I hope you know that I love you. I love you soooo much, you have no Idea. I cannot wait to see you again, so we can play together as much as we can! I hope you know that I am your big brother, and I am always there for you, to help you out no matter what. I love you so much, and think of you often!!!! Love Your big brother Calvin [next email] Dear momm,  This week has been so amazing, I feel like Nephi saying I will make an abridgement of my journal record to send to you, because there is to much. Oh, By the way, [a sister's] name has a space in it I think. [next email] AUUGH! Sorry, I pressed send too soon, sorry. So, this week, I went on an awesome split with another Elder, and it went super well, and showed me how fun a mission can be. Then we had an amazing time at the Chapel Hill Show Tunes, which turned out to be a super awesome missionary opportunity. So, then we had [a] baptism. That was sooooo special. When I baptised [the husband] ( I messed up 3 times) I was thinking about how Jeffery R. Holland was saying " I want you... to remember the times you stood in the waters of baptism with your hand raised to the square, and said "having been commissioned of Jesus Christ..."" The fact that I was helping this man make that commitment to Christ hit me at that point. It was really special. The whole baptism was special. So, there is my short blurb about this week, so now I will answer the rest of your message.  Yeah, so I wrote President about [some questions I had], so I will tell you his responses to your questions. Also, (I haven't wanted to tell you this) But I have heard that President does let you visit family. Really only for only like one lunch appointment. However, I would NOT recommend it. It takes missionaries a long time to get refocused on the mission, and I just got to the point where I thought I was pretty focused, so I don't want to mess that up. Also it is super unfair to the other Elders, and could cause some problems with them focusing. So, I would love to see my family, but I would advise against it, but  it is your  choice. However, if I run away from you at full speed, it's just a natural consequence. (No, I would not..... Well, I don't know, I might just be that heartless. I actually think I would. Just like you wouldn't let me out of the car if I visited home. [I told him if he showed up here, since he's only 5 hours away, I'd give him a jar to pee in and make him turn around and go straight back to Canada! And I probably wouldn't give him anything to eat either!]) I just don't want to go through the hard time of refocusing on my mission. But, President, if the rumors are true, doesn't care just so long as it doesn't interfere with my missionary work.    I'm glad to hear Chantal had a great time! [in Kirtland, Ohio, visiting LDS church sites]   The girls and I put up chairs before the meetings today, and we had just one young man today, and no one reminded the young men (or the older men for that matter) to take the chairs down in the back half of the chapel, so I took them down and hurt my back. UGH!!! Don't you miss putting up chairs and taking them down? Not really, but I would love to be there to make life a little easier for you.      It's our turn to clean the building this week. I don't know how much we'll be doing, but it really sucks without Dad. Sorry, I'm not in a happy mood today. I put up chairs and took them down - read that in an "I pick things up and put them down" voice - and I didn't even get to sit through Sacrament Meeting because Sophie was being disruptive. Then I spent second hour in Nursery. And third hour was Young Women's. I'd really like some "adult time" at church!! Yeah, I just want to be a normal person in church, rather than having to constantly worry about investigators, and if they are getting fellowshipped, and stuff like that. But, I  can look forward to that in 2 years.      Did I tell you that Dad and I saw a license plate from Maine, one from Vermont, and one from Quebec on Friday? *sigh* Oh and then [one of our friends] was visiting today and he says, "Yah, there's a brother in our ward who goes to Ottawa all the time to visit his family," (maybe his Mom?) so I got all excited thinking that maybe we could get stamps to you that way and the man is a snowbird, so he's gone South for the next 4 months and you'll probably not be in Ottawa by the time he gets back. Phooey!! AWW! Darn! You could mail some Canadien stamps to me, but I might have a chance to get out there and buy some.      So. Do you know how to get your money exchanged? When I went to Europe, there were banks near the bus stations and the train stations that would exchange money. They had signs on the doors with their rates, and you found the bank with the best exchange rate (and least amount of fees!). Can you find time to exchange your money? Can you find time to get stamps? Or do I need to have [your Aunt and Uncle] go over the border, buy stamps, and send them to you? Maybe I can get one of my facebook friends who lives up in Malone to get stamps or something. But I'm trying to figure out how you don't have time to get stamps WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO DOES YOUR LAUNDRY FOR YOU?!! Did I read that right in your last letter or the one before, that you have someone who does your laundry for you!!? Must be nice. Yes we do, the lady does it so we can talk to her husband who is not a member, and this was the only way we could get into their busy schedule. Otherwise, I think we would be doing our laundry ourselves.      Anyway, I have to get going. I want to let Dad sleep in tomorrow morning, but if my back still hurts I probably won't be able to. *frowny face*   Oh, what's the best way for you to get a package? Do we have to send it to the mission office? We've been telling everyone to send your mail there because we don't have your street address to send mail to. The letter from the mission said something about if you weren't home when your package arrived at your street address they wouldn't deliver it, it would go to the post office for 8 days and then come back to whomever sends it, so we should send you stuff at the mission office. Just wondering so I can tell Grandma Hargrave where to send the sweaters. I figure if she marks the sweaters "gift" and "used" you shouldn't have to pay any taxes or duty on them. For me to get a package the best way is to send it to the mission office. Just send it there and I will get it! Oh, tell both grandmothers thanks for the letters! They make my millenium whenever I get them! I think I actually get the most mail out of all the missionaries in my zone, but maybe a few sisters have me beat there. So, thanks for all the support from everyone, it helps me out more than you all could know! So, I love you all sooooooooo much!!!!!!!!  Calvin

9 October - more surprises!

Calvin had written last week that he would be at Zone Conference, so he wouldn't be able to write to us on his regular Monday. However, when Todd got home from work last night, he checked his email and there was a message from Calvin! So Miranda (who was up VERY late) and I checked my email and there were messages! YAY! Again, most of his emails are answers to things I have written to him, so I'll include what I wrote.

Dear Calvin,

Sophie is sitting on the arm of the couch, right next to your self-portrait. She says, "I love you Calvin," then gives the portrait a big kiss, and continues to have a conversation with it, filling in both sides of
the conversation. "And your eyes are so pretty, and your nose is so cute, and you're so handsome! We love you Calvin," she says as she tries to figure out how to wrap her little arms around the canvas.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad to know that she at least can say she loves me. I miss her a lot, and cannot wait to get back there to see her!!!!! I hope she doesn't think I'm the painting, or alll the pictures you get from here. I'll start to look like someone you all made up. 

So cute!!!!!!
Calvin

Sorry,
  I hit something funny and it sent the email without me saying:

Hope you have a great time at conference this weekend, and that you pay attention. If I had been more on the ball I would have sent you some conference bingo boards and some candy and stuff. I'm a
horrible mom. Oh well. Maybe in April I'll be better.

LOVE,
MoMM!!!

Momm, 

I got so much out of conference, I didn't want it to stop. I cannot wait to get the conference issues in the mail, and start studying them in more detail. The spirit of conference helped me out a lot! 

I hope you got lots out of it, but then I realise how dumb that just sounded because you probably sent me an email with all your thoughts on conference, so never mind, I'll just read your email! 

Anyways, I love you lots, and hope that emails can convey the love I have for all of you!

Calvin

Momm, 

Firstly, I'm writing on Monday because of a whole bunch of factors resulting in the fact that I get to write you today, regardless of what I may have said earlier. Now that the phrasing I used has completely befuddled both you and I, let's just forget the whole thing, and talk about conference. ( wow, that was wierd)

Anyways, That HUGE announcement is going to change a lot about missionary work. I'm sure there are going to be TONS of growth in missionary numbers, especially in sister missionaries. I expect we will see a flood of sister missionaries. This will change a lot of dynamics in missionary work, for instance, I could be training someone who is 18 years old. Wow. Anyways, another thing I was thinking of was in the press conference after that announcement, Jeffery R Holland said, "The Lord is hastening His work" What does that mean? Hmmmmmmmmmm........ It also struck me how many young men I may know who might be coming out sooner that before. But then I thought all my friends are probably already coming out, and are past that age, but many of them could come out on my mission a lot sooner that I thought. And, it scares me to death that Chantal may be leaving before I get back! But I really don't care that much about it. What she and the Lord wants, and I think it would be funny if she got called to the same mission as me!

Yeah, and President Nelson's talk was SPECTACULAR! It's one of the reasons I want the conference issue of the ensign to study in more detail. (It drives my companion crazy when I call it the ensin, like ensin crusher,) I got a lot out of conference. 

I was also ouched [now here I'm not sure if he means he was "touched" or "ouched" as in "this is something I sorely needed to be reminded of" but I'm pretty sure he meant to type "touched"] by one part of conference when they were telling us to show our love more for those we care about. I hope you guys all know how much you mean to me. I miss you, and cannot wait to get back to spend  time with you all! Emails are terrible ways to tell someone that I love them, but it's all I got right now! I hope that doesn't bother you, and if it does, please tell me, so I can send you a letter, or something nice. [hmmmm, I wonder if I told him emails weren't enough and I wanted the "something nice" instead, what would he send me? Hahahahaha! No, emails are just fine!]

I love you, and hope you are doing well!
Calvin

Dear Calvin,
So I forgot to tell you that Friday night Dad was changing Sophie's diaper (she wasn't asleep by the time he got home after work) before he put her in bed (she heard him come in the door and ran out
"Daddy! Daddy!")
Sophie: We go to the field hockey game tomorrow?
Dad: No, there isn't a field hockey game tomorrow, we're going to watch the Prophet.
Sophie: We're going to watch the Prophet play field hockey?
  Dad and I laughed and laughed - and Heavenly Father was laughing too when I started to pray. Sometimes I think he gets a real kick out of the things little kids say.

Momm, 

Don't stop sending me funny things Sophie does, I LOVE hearing about them. It's almost like I'm there. 

So then, you saw the Avengers! How did you like it? That movie is pretty much what I want to do when I get older. I actually might want to go more into the animation part of it, but I would love to make a movie like that. 

yeah, the apostles were VERY strait forward, it was like we beleive this and this, and we DO NOT beleive this. It was great for them to come out and say that. I love both those talks. The family seems to be a huge theme in this conference. 

AWW! I'm leaving, hopefully I will be able to send you more later today!

Love, Calvin

Hi again!

I am now at the house of a family [who] live on a farm, and raise horses. So tell Miranda I spent the last hour or two petting horses. I have pictures as well. [He just had to put that in because he KNOWS how much his sister LOVES horses!]

I’m glad to hear how attached Sophie is becoming to her sisters. I hope they continue to get close to each other. 

So, this week, what happened? Well, I took the lead one day, because it was Senior day. Which means I got to be senior companion for the day, and I did ok. Not super well. I didn’t know how to get to our investigators’ houses very well, and my companion acted like he was a greenie, to simulate what it will be like to train a greenie. So the morning went ok, until I started driving. I ended up almost getting into an accident, and didn’t know where I was going. [ACK!] So then we got to our first lesson of the day, which is with a Hatian woman, who doesn’t speak english very well, and her primary language is  french. So, I found out how much I have to improve on my french, which is a LOT. So after that, we went and had a great lesson with [another family]. That went great, and I got to use  my drawing foor good, because I drew the plan of salvation out on paper for her. So that made things a lot easier for the lesson. We reviewed the first half of the plan, then talked about the spirit world, judgement , and the three degrees of glory. We asked her what she thought of the plan, she said it gave her a lot of hope, that before when they talked about what happened after death, it was really foggy and grey, but now she has a lot of hope. That affirmed to me how the gospel gives people hope. It was awesome, because in the MTC I saw how much hope can be brought from this Gospel, and I wanted to give that to someone. Basically, giving others hope became part of my purpose for coming out on a mission. So after that, we went out to eat, and went to [the] practice for the upcoming Chapel Hill Showtunes, at the church. So, that was a lot of fun. All in all, not a bad day, but really stressful. I need to take Brother Uchtdorf’s analogy of the bike ride to heart. 

So, my week was really good, I hope you all are doing well. 

I cannot wait to see you again, but I will work my hardest to serve the Lord until I come back. 

I love you all!

Calvin