Miembros Queridos de Mi Familia y Mis Amigos Queridos:
What an eventful two weeks Dad and I have had! We returned to Utah on April 13, for the week preceding Jonathan's wedding to Renelle Johns in the Salt Lake LDS temple. After much needed sleep (it's a long day when you're flying from another country), we went to Doug Gardner's funeral in Orem. You will all remember that this is the missionary who fell and hit his head here, and was hospitalised for brain surgery. He was finally well enough to be transported to the US, but caught pneumonia and died the week before we came home. His wife Joan is the older sister of one of Dad's former college roommates. What a beautiful experience we had at the funeral. I've never before experienced the depth of Spirit that was there. Doug and Joan have four adopted sons, two of which spoke about their outdoor experiences with their father and how much he loved their mother. Missionaries here have said that feeling was obvious.
What an eventful two weeks Dad and I have had! We returned to Utah on April 13, for the week preceding Jonathan's wedding to Renelle Johns in the Salt Lake LDS temple. After much needed sleep (it's a long day when you're flying from another country), we went to Doug Gardner's funeral in Orem. You will all remember that this is the missionary who fell and hit his head here, and was hospitalised for brain surgery. He was finally well enough to be transported to the US, but caught pneumonia and died the week before we came home. His wife Joan is the older sister of one of Dad's former college roommates. What a beautiful experience we had at the funeral. I've never before experienced the depth of Spirit that was there. Doug and Joan have four adopted sons, two of which spoke about their outdoor experiences with their father and how much he loved their mother. Missionaries here have said that feeling was obvious.
Joan, after weeks of being strong in support of her husband, was sad and has said she never knew there could be such loneliness. The whole experience has caused me to ponder death and life after death, and be very grateful Dad is still here with me on this mission and with us as a family.
In the evening we shared a birthday dinner with Lila, who is five years old! Two celebrations of life in the same day!
In the evening we shared a birthday dinner with Lila, who is five years old! Two celebrations of life in the same day!
The rest of the week was "Wedding Week," with a shower hosted by Kristi, Nicole, Kimberly Dunford and Kimberly Brubaker on Wednesday evening. Thursday evening Renelle received her endowment in the Salt Lake Temple. Friday evening we had a family dinner, complete with a climbing wall and Cafe Rio dinner at our stake centre. Saturday was the big day: Jonathan and Renelle were sealed! In the evening we went to American Fork for a reception and dancing.
And now we're back on our mission! Dad says we spent the first six months learning how to do our mission; now we can actually do it. We returned accompanying Hermana Tanner, our 80-yr-old mission companion. She had been home in Utah for three weeks, due to the death of her oldest daughter.
We saw Elder Marsh in the temple earlier this week. Later in the day he came by and we got this photo with him. Elder Marsh's Father Scott was Dad's counsellor in the stake Sunday School presidency before we came. We brought an extra suitcase for the elder in October. It seems he left his size 13 shoes home, which are hard to find in this land of 5-ft-high men. Much love to you all from the land of eternal spring, still-erupting volcanoes, and wonderful experiences. We love our work here! Hermana Brubaker Missionary Mom |