Letter#10--Dear Elder Palmer

I have another nephew on a mission.  Actually I have 4 nephews and a brother-in-law on missions with another waiting to leave in June.  We are very blessed.

But I just wrote an e-mail to my brother's son Eric, Elder Eric Palmer. He is the 2nd handsome guy from the left.

He is serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  In Africa.  Pretty different from Phoenix, or North Salt Lake, or Richmond, or even New York City.  To hear Eric talk (or to read his words) it sounds like he's serving in some crazy place like, I don't know, Boise, Idaho.  This boy can roll with it like no other.  He truly can go with the flow, and be very happy with the flow.  I'm inspired by his letters.  He has to be outside his comfort zone, but that's alright, he's there to serve the Lord, not to be comfortable, so all is well!  What an example he is to me.

Another thing I love about Elder Palmer is...

He loves my kids. 

And my kids love him.  Whenever they are together, which is never enough since his family moved to Virginia, my kids can crawl all over him and tease him and bug him, just like he is their big brother and guess what?  He LOVES them right back.  I've never seen him get tired or annoyed with their loving but sometimes seemingly endless pestering.  I'm not saying he doesn't get bothered, but he never lets my kids think he's bothered.  He loves them.  So his love for my kids makes me love him even more.

As Eric would say, he's the man.

Letters #3-8 Dear Elders and Sister

In Primary we had a lesson on being good examples/missionaries to those around us in our daily lives.  I teach the 4 and 5 year olds, so lessons are pretty basic.  Their attention spans are not so very long.  Some things they really liked though...

*  Seeing pictures of the missionaries serving from our ward, some of whom are good friends of their families.
*  Marking on a world map where those missionaries are serving.
*  Coloring pictures of themselves as missionaries to send to the "real" missionaries serving in our ward.

Along with the pictures from the Primary children, I included a letter of my own.  Some of these missionaries I have extra fond feelings for as they are some of my last group of students I taught.  These are the kids that performed for some of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.  They are the kids that knew my first baby.  Now those 6th graders are serving missions.  Awesome.  When I find the pictures I have of these boys at the Olympics, I'll add them to the post.

Sister Natalie N., serving in Arizona

Elder Ryan S., serving in Missouri

Elder Bryson R., serving in Singapore

Elder Weston M., one of those loved 6th graders

Elder Will C., another one of those very loved 6th graders

Elder Will C. (not the same Will C. as above!), serving in London

Letter #1--Dear Elder Hutchings,

Well, I barely squeaked out a letter before my first week was over.  But it was written and sealed before midnight last night. 

My first letter goes to my nephew who is serving an LDS mission in West Virginia.  He has been a hard working, enthusiastic missionary and I can't believe he's coming home in May.  I also can't believe I've only written him 3, maybe 4, letters his whole time out.  Bad, bad me. 

A few (very few) events that have happened since he left in April of 2008:  we've had a baby, finished our basement, his little brother has graduated from HS and is waiting to leave for his own mission to Argentina next month.  How can my days sometimes seem so long, when this guy has been gone for almost 2 years in the blink of an eye?

I am grateful to Dave for being a good example to his younger brother and sisters, to my children and to me.  He has demonstrated the joy and blessings that can come from:
          *  Obedience
          *  Having an excellent work ethic
          *  Having faith in God
          *  Loving the Lord
          *  Service
          *  Having a happy and positive attitude
                                                                     and the list goes on.

My sister and her husband raised their son well.  I pray my own sons will follow in many of his footsteps.  That path will bring joy to those who follow.