Returned with Honor!

Welcome Home!!!

I'll never be able to fully express how proud of you that I am.  How you are the example to me of how I should live my life.  You are who I look up to.  You are the person who has never let me down.  You are the person Heavenly Father sent to be my angel, my comforter, my friend, and my oldest son.  You are my first missionary, and soon my first returned missionary.  Thank you for showing the kids in our family that a mission can bless you, bless your family and bless the people you serve.  

Thank you 

I love you so much!

Hurry home and be safe.

Mom

Departure Dinner!!!

Last Zone Conference in Dnepr...

Week 104

This is it...

Week 103

This is my last group email.  I probably wont have time to do like anything next monday, so this is my last email to everyone.  I got my bags all packed up today except shirts and a suit and 8 ties.  One is 48 and the other is 40 so I am good on weight. I wanted to get that all done today so that we dont have to take time to do it later during the week when we should be with my favorite people.  I also got a haircut today so that I can look nice and fresh for zone conference, departing interview and all of you... but the lady didnt do an amazing job so we will just see about that.(I knew I should have just trusted Elder Jarman, hes been doing it for the last 4 months).

Last week was pretty normal, it is amazing to see how fast the time rushes by.  On Tuesday and Thursday we had our English practices as usual.  After english on Thursday the other Elders gave a spiritual thought that went along with something I had been thinking of the night before.  I shared my feelings with one of our "english" Investigators after the thought was over, so I figured I would share it with you.

Okay, so my brain has started to work pretty mathematically and analytically since I left you all.  And I listened to a talk the other day by President Hugh B. Brown. HE talked about the Nature of God, and Mans relationship to Him.  And that got me thinking.  There are currently 7+ Billion people on the earth.  Not to mention countless billions other(well I guess God has counted them) that have already been here. Not to mention the rest of this Universe that we claim God to be the Ruler of.  And WE believe and proclaim, that all of us are brothers and sisters, and that hears and answers each and everone of our prayers and that he knows all of our needs.  Thats quite a job. Logically and impersonally, when I step outside of my shoes and look at it. It seems highly unlikely, even impossible, for what we believe and proclaim to be true.  But when I look at it personally and when I put myself into the equation and apply everything that I have seen, everything I know, everything I have been taught, everything I have felt  it seems highly unlikely, if not impossible for what we proclaim and believe to not be true. I am not saying we had ought to, or can prove religion with logic, I am saying however that logic definitely isnt ruling it out, and it is mighty hard to argue with a member of the God head when he tells you all of this is true.  There is something, and we are priveleged to know that it is not something, but someone, and that someone, is our Father.

On Saturday we blew bubbles again and Elder snow had a miniature miracle in that he felt well enough to be able to speak with the families gathered around us. Hopefully we will see some new investigators from that.

Love you all!

Hey buddy!

I know we aren't supposed to count down...but I totally am anyway!  I am just going crazy.  Maybe you aren't even thinking about it, which is good and how it should be.  But I can't sleep, I have been on a massive cleaning and organizing frenzy for several weeks now.  Josh said a couple days ago in his most pained voice and expression, "WHAT, What, has gotten in to you and Please tell me when its going to end!".  Jacob's statement was, "I see what your doing now, you are trying to make us excited to go back to school so we won't have to be home cleaning anymore."haha.  I told dad that I was nesting and he had a heart attack...then I said, "No, I'm nesting for my first born son to come home, not a baby";).  So if that gives you an idea of how it's going around here.  

Ethan spoke in our ward today for his mission.  He did a great job, it was Mike Dunn's farewell too.  He leaves on Wed. for Atlanta Georgia.  Keaton got home last week and I almost died laughing when I looked over and saw Cami Brown sitting next to Keaton, and you guessed it, Christian Russel sitting next to Keaton!  Some things never change I guess;)  

I saw the Gibbons girls today and Sarah as well.  I told bailey and Mckenna that they need to get some girls and you can bring the boys and go on a group date when your all at the Y together.  They are totally in.

We had the Edmunds family reunion yesterday.  Everyone is excited to see you when you get back.  Tomorrow we are celebrating Great Grandma Martineau's birthday at a park.  

School starts for all the kids this week.  It will be super crazy.  I don't know what I will do with Kaestli gone all day;(.  Seriously, I've been taking care of babies and little kids now for 20 years.  I will be so lonely.  I'm excited to have some time next week with you by myself though.  We can get you ready for college and just talk and catch up.  

I'm glad you got the AFROTC stuff figured out.  I was getting nowhere with that.  I'm not sure if you will be able to email next week so make sure you give me anythings you want today just incase.  

Lyndsee is set to have her baby next monday, so she won't be at the airport, but you will get to meet her in the hospital that next day with her sweet baby girl.  They are naming her Madalyn and calling her Maddie.  The kids are all so excited to see you again!

1-Did you get your flight itinerary that I sent, and do you need any other info?

2-Do you want anything planned for the week you get back?  We will be having a joint bbq/pool party on Wednesday for a welcome home and farewell ethan with the edmunds and martineaus.

3-Do you want to plan a pool party for your missionary buddies in the first few weeks your back?

4-We will be at the airport to pick you up with the Edmunds fam and maybe Grandma Jorgensen and Luci.  I'm excited that we will be able to get a pic with the other Elders and their moms too that night. Does that sound good to you?

5-The stake president said if your flight is on time he will release you that night, if not then he will the next morning.

6-Ethan and Kalten will be getting ordained that next Sunday so you will get to be a part of that.

7-Any questions on all of the above info?

8-By any miracle will you get to baptize Nastya and Viktor this weekend, or other Viktor?

9-How is everyone progressing?

10-How are you feeling about your last full week?

11-Favorite moment this last week?

12-Favorite branch member?

13-Have you received the letter with my testimony in it yet?

14-any other letters?

15-Do you need more than $100 in your account?

16-pics/recordings

17-Message for me?

I love you and am so happy you have served a mission.  I know you will be a better man, husband, father, son, and brother for serving.  You are a remarkable young man and I am so proud of you.  It might be a strange transition for me that when you get home you will be a man and making your own decisions.  I'm going to do my best to make the transition smooth.  I will always have a deep relationship with you though, and you will always be one of my very best friends.  Thank you for allowing me to be your mother.  It is an honor.  I can't wait to see you again and get my hug!  Sis is second in line after me:).

Love you so much.  

Mom

1 Yes

2 It is hard for me to answer these questions because I just got sick.  I think that the Farewell Ethan party will be enough.

3 I know that they would want me to, so yeah.

4 Okay, will The TBoys be there? I literally havent seen them or talked to them at all in 2 years, if not, dont make a huge deal out of it to Margret. Yeah it sounds great! Poor Elder Knorpp has to wait at the top of those escalators for his flight to Idaho hahaha, poor kid will hear everyone going yayy! and crying, and hell just stand there thinking "2 more hours"

5 Okay

6 Yay! What ward will that be in?

7 just the TBoy question.  

8 No I dont think so, Viktor would be possible, but Viktor and Nastya are too busy with their newborn, I give them another 2-3 months.

9 Slowly but surely

10 Nervous but good, I got all packed today so that I can focus 100 percent this week, the only thing left is Garments, shirts and one suit.

11 Blowing bubbles was pretty good again, those kids go crazy for them.

12 Probably the Velichko family or Brother Garbarenko, they are my favorites.

13 I think I got it, I am not sure, I feel like you bear your testimony in every letter.

14 one from gramma Sharon moser, she is so good, I love that I have seen her 2 times maybe, and she always sends cards and such.

15 No i think that that will do

17 I will see you next week and I cant wait.  We watched meet the mormons again last night and I cried again during the airport scene.  I miss you so much and am so grateful for everything!

Yes the tboys will be there. They wouldn't miss it!!  Everyone is so excited. 

What kind of sick?  Are you ok?

Love you

Sister Sullivan thinks its Allergies.  According to everyone here kremenchuk hits an allergy season in the end of summer.  I will probably be fine, as long as I dont let it turn into a sinus infection.  I am so excited to see all of them!

Bubbles!

Week 102

This week we had an awesome bubble activity in the park by the river. We made big bubbles and kids came and went crazy.  One kid was like 4 years old and he was insane, Yelling and going crazy for bubbles and complaining when he wasnt fast enough to be the one to pop them.  we also chalked out on the side walk "I love my family because..." and had chalk there for the kiddos.

Then yesterday we had to take a bus to Dnepr to pick up Annya and Liza from  youth conference the really liked it.  Elder Jarman and I had to get up early to be there on time so we were knocked out on the bus on the way back, and as any Teenage girls would do they took selfies "with" us.

​Earlier in the week we got to see Viktor and Nastyas darlin little girl. She is so cute.  They asked for another book of mormon so they could read more as a family. They need to gain a testimony before they can get baptized. It will take some time, but I am really excited for them.

In choir we have started to get kinda serious and do vocal warmups and everything.  WE are going to sing "I love to see the temple" at some point, hopefully before I leave.  It is such a good song, especially Russian. It reminds me of my child hood.

 

OH Thanks for all of the birthday wishes everyone! Love you all!​

Happy Birthday to the best missionary I know!!!

I can't believe you are 20 years old!?!  How can that be possible if I am only 29 years old!  It is honestly killing me that I didn't send a package...but I am thrilled you got the letters!  I am still going to send the pics of the letters just in case you didn't get them all!!!  I hope you have a fantastic day!  Make sure to do something fun and celebrate!  You could even have your branch friends send me some pics;) or post them on Facebook!!  I am glad you get to have your birthday on pday and can have a little fun.  Also so you can get the letters and my email.

2 weeks and 1 day is all I have to wait to get that hug!  It is crazy that the others, Jeffery...etc are coming home tomorrow!  Elder Jeffery's mom is getting play by plays from the branch members and so she is keeping us updated as well!  

We had a great time in Lake Powell last week...just really missed you and Dakkon though.  Can't wait for next May when you can come...and maybe even invite a girl;)  

We are all missing you like crazy.  I have been praying for you like crazy too.  I really hope you can get Viktor and Viktor, Nastya and Anna baptized.  How are they all progressing?  I am sure it is hard to stay focused...but keep it up!  I am sure that my letters and pics don't make it easier, sorry about that, but I can't help it, I am so excited to get you back!

I checked into the dance class and dropped it...then after realized that only one of the classes was for couples.  So I tried to get you back in to it, but they are all full when you can do it:/ so sorry about that!  I'll try to get you on the waitlist or something.  I was worried about your tuesday morning because you have writing at 8-9:15 and then comp. at 9:30 so dad helped me figure it out and the buildings are right next to each other so you will be fine.  I sent a pic of the campus with the numbers of your buildings and everything is super close, so you will be set this quarter...then it's on you after that;).  

I can only imagine how you are feeling right now!  It must be so surreal!  You were just packing up your life for 2 years in a foreign country and now all of the sudden it is over!  You were great, and you will be great!  Don't stress too much about it and just enjoy this last couple weeks.  We are all so ready to have you back to ourselves!

Ethan is speaking in our ward next week for his farewell and then the week after in Alpine.  It's crazy that it is happening so fast.  He admits he was disappointed that he didn't go foreign, and is being a little off about it.  I hope he starts to get excited about it though.  I am glad you will be able to see him and hang out.  You guys could go to the temple together and I think that will help.  Hopefully you can get him a little more excited about serving!

Josh brought his friend Devin to Lake Powell, he isn't a member and his dad is Jewish.  Josh has been sharing the gospel and inviting him to come to the church with him regularly.  He hasn't come yet.  But in Lake Powell he said to Dad, Josh, Ethan and Kalten, "Could I ask you guys about your church and you could use the experience to help prepare Ethan and Josh for their missions?"  So they talked for over an hour with him answering his questions and dad coaching whether they should answer differently or not and ask Devin if how they answered was helpful or confusing.  What a rare opportunity that was.  It was a huge blessing to all of them and I think it really helped Devin as well.  Hopefully he will come to church soon.  They had a really spiritual prayer afterward too.  You'll have to get details from the boys.

Well,  I can't wait!!!

Questions

1-What are you doing for your birthday?

2-Have you gotten any more letters?

3-How many letters did you get?  There should be several.

4-How are your investigators?

5-How are you feeling about your remaining time?

6-How are you feeling about coming home?

7-Are you happy with your rooming situation?

8-Any other questions about college for me?  (tuition is due the day you get home...kind of strange!)....I'll pay it in full this time around:)

9-What is Elder Jarman's plan for his future?

10-Will you see Elder Jeffery before he heads home?

11-Do you want to go to the cabin the weekend you get home?  We could go Sat or on the Monday...but we need to move you in to your housing Monday too.

12-What are you most excited for about coming home?

13-What are you most nervous about?

14-pics/ recordings

15-message for me:)  Seriously my favorite thing each week...thanks so much for indulging me with them!!

I miss you like crazy and I can't wait for you to come home.  You are amazing and I am so exceedingly proud of you.  Thanks for setting the example to serve a mission!  You have honored your Heavenly Father and our family, and yourself.  You will be blessed throughout your life for this service!  You are the BEST!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my best friend.  Have a fantastic day!!!  Love you!

Mom

1 Maybe we will go to a quest room, I bought a bunch of Ukrainian traditional clothing and a shirt with the trident on it. 

2 I got all of the B-day letters and thats pretty much it.

3 There was at least 6 that came in the last week or somethin like that.

4 Eh, they could be better, Mashas little sister went to youth conference and she really liked it.

5 Its freakin me out, I found out that you are the one that should send me my travel plans, could you forward that email to me?

6 Sad but happy and relieved at the same time, I am tired.

7 Yes

8Nope no question. thanks!

9 Kind of to become a dentist, he is not sure.

10Nope

11 I am not sure, it sounds like that would be fun, but I feel like we have a lot to do in that little frame of time

12 The family of course. But after that the ability to sleep peacefully. And college is exciting.

13 I am not really nervous I just dont want to leave with any regrets.

15 I love you and miss you and will see you super soon. you are such a big support and help to me!

Meet the Mormons!

Week 101

Last night we watched meet the mormons with some potetnial investigators and that went really well. They liked it and after they started asking us question like "So you left your family too?" and "Did you all cry like that?" "What did you think when you read Ukraine?"(my first though was "how in the world do I pronounce Dnepropetrovsk?") Not gonna lie, I had tears when they were saying good bye to Elder Armstrong in the airport, for obvious reasons I am trying to ignore. It is really hard to ignore it though because 3 weeks is nothin. Like literally no time on the mission.  It got worse once August hit because Now my brain automatically calculates the number of DAYS left every morning when we wake up.  "Shut up brain who asked you anyway?"

​Among the finding activities this week we had Boxing with a guy named max. he taught us how to punch and dodge, and block correctly. He introduced us to one of his friends named Denis.  We will continue to work with them Max got married on Saturday.

Also this week we went "English Contacting" with a sign and in casual clothes on Elder Snows initiative. It was alright, but I personally dont love it. It is so funny when you are holding a sign, and you see someone read the sign, and you look at them and smile so big they cant help but know you are an American.... and then they keep on walking like you dont even exist.

Elder Bates and I had exchanges on Saturday, we met with Viktor(miracle dude) and helped him get a plan set up. he is just not in a good place right now for the spirit.  HE needs to move and get anew job. We pushed his baptismal date back becaus ehe is not quite ready yet.

Love you all!​

Hey Jax,

Wow what a week you had last week!  I can't tell you how much joy it brings to me when I read your letters. Especially the letters from the last few weeks...they have all been so good!  We got your letter in the mail this week!  It came on Jordy's birthday right when everyone got here for the party.  It was so awesome.  I loved reading it, it's by far my favorite letter from your entire mission.  It is so great to hear you speak so highly of your mission, comp, and the miracles you are seeing!  It's awesome, and I am so proud of you.

I love that you got to baptize that young girl finally!  The pictures were so sweet!  I think it is awesome that you were able to baptize and confirm her.  What a miracle to have so many baptisms on date!  That will be awesome:)  I am glad you were able to stay with Elder Jarman so he can be a part of those as well!

First exciting news is that Ethan opened his mission call and is heading to Bakersfield California, English speaking on Sept. 13!!!  So he will be gone before your Homecoming!!!  That is crazy.  He was hoping to have his farewell the same day as your homecoming, so now he is just going to bear his testimony in our ward and have his farewell in Alpine on Aug. 20 or 27.  My plan is to have a party for you and him the day after you get home.  It will be a swim party bbq, welcome back Jax, farewell Ethan party!  I think it will be super fun actually.  Then anyone in the family can come hear him speak in Alpine, but we will do our get together with you.  I am glad you guys will be able to hang out before he leaves.  Another funny random bit is that his mission pres. is Tim Layton, one of the partners from Sorenson Capt. that dad worked with.  So that is a little strange.

I can't believe Jordy is 15!!!  Can you even believe that??!!  It's just nuts.  He chose Coke with vanilla for his first caffeine drink.  We combined his party with Lily and they had a piñata.  Everyone came over to swim and we had little Ceasar's pizza.

The kids head back to school on the 22 and 23 of Aug. so we only have 2 weeks of summer left.  We are in Lake Powell this week and then will spend our last week getting the rooms/closets ready for the school year and new school clothes.

I can't believe you will be home in 3 weeks!!!  It is just nuts and if time wasn't flying I would be going nuts...but it just seems to be flying by at this point and I love it!  It's weird to feel like I need to get you ready for college...but you aren't here for me to ask what you want!  I am so looking forward to hanging out with you again!  I miss you like crazy!  I expect a weekly lunch date...literally every week!  I am panicking about Kaestli starting first grade so I need to have activities planned!  I am going to start going to an institute class with some of the women in the ward!

Questions

1-If I can get to Kohls to buy you some new clothes do you have any requests?  What types of clothes would you want?  Joggers are in style right now.  What size of pants are you now? 

2-I still haven't been able to get a hold of the AFROTC people.  I have called a couple times and left messages, but they haven't called back.  I'm not sure what to do.  Do you want to just figure it out when you get here or should I keep trying?

3-Is miracle Viktor close to baptism?

4-Has Nastya had her baby yet?  

5-Is Nastya and Viktor still planning on baptism?

6-Have you got any letters yet???????

7-Favorite thing this week?

8-Funniest thing this week?

9-Are you soaking in everyday?

10-Are you still working out?  I showed Mikey the pics of your muscles and now he is scared...so he has been working out a ton!!!  I think he is really nervous you are going to school him!  I so hope you do!

11-Is there anything particular you want me to have ready for you when you get home?

12-Are you sending any packages home with some of your things?  I added money to your account so you have about $130. I think.

13-Are you still happy and positive?

14-pics

15- recordings

16-message for me:)

I love you so much and I am really proud of you!  Thanks for serving a mission!  You started a pattern and I hope we have all 10 of you serve in some way or another!  I love you!  Stay strong, keep the faith, have a wonderful few weeks and I'll see you soon!!!

Love you

Mom

1 What in the world are Joggers? I am not sure about pants size, I think it would be best to wait until I get back.

2 I guess I will have to figure it out when I get home. Thanks for trying

3 Kind of, he could be baptized in 2 weeks at the earliest.

4Yes

5 maybe we are not sure, but hopefully

6Yes I got the birthday letters from everyone! Thanks so much for that!

7Boxing with max

8The recording I will send you is kind of funny.

9 Yeah I am trying to I hate how fast the time is counting down! 3 weeks is so short!

10 Yeah I am. I think I will always work out, one of my goals is to complete an iron man competition when I get home.

11 I dont think so, I dont really know where to even start.  The Truck will already be a huge birthday present.

12 I probably wont send them in packages at this point. How much of my missionary clothing do you want me to bring home, because some of the shirts are stained like permanently, and I dont think I will need 10 white shirts.  I will buy some unique souveiniers today at a Russian Orthodox festival.

13 yes

16 I love you and miss you so much, I cant wait to see you all again!  THanks for supporting me in my desires on my mission and stuff.