Change is inevitable.

Hospice, 

Does that bring dread or comfort to you? 

Right now I am feeling comforted.  

Comforted that someone with lots more experience medically will give us the tools and information to keep Grammie safe and comfortable.

Comforted that the necessary equipment (hospital bed, etc) will be provided and will help keep Grammie comfortable.

Comforted that the nurse will monitor her conditions and if she should fall again, bring the X-ray machince to my house.

Comforted that the Doctor will make house calls.  To be fair, her regular Doctor is wonderful and will let me bug him for things, this will alleviate the guilt I feel taking him away from his family time.

I am sure you wonder, Why now?

The last two weeks have been hard and have kept me on my toes.  Last Friday (Aug 26th) the shower chair leg went down the drain and dumped my Grammie on the shower floor, against the wall and on top of the shampoo bottles  As she hit, she banged into the shower door, it flew open and scared me to my toes!

After a long trip to the ER (Thank Heaven for an Ipad and Angry Birds) she was pronounced bruised and sore but nothing broken.  I am not sure how she didn't break anything but Thank You Fosamax!

 She is a riot on Tylenol 3!  And strangely lucid while she also hallucinates, hmmm.

Regardless, she is still too sore to sit up by herself and is not doing real well.  This is the 3rd time she has fallen in 6 months and I will admit that it worries me.

Now I find my self strapping her in her chair, she cannot remember she is hurt or to ask for help.  After finding her in precarious situations I find myself strangely grateful for that strap.  It makes her mad though,  I don't like that part.

Then I also put the rails on her bed and my mom commented she can't get out unless she goes off the end and sure enough by that evening she shimmied down the bed and got in her chair.  I may or may not have had a mini breakdown before calling my mom and having her go get the third rail.  Grammie doesn't like her 'cage' either but I can at least sleep at night.

She is just not healing this time and I worry that I am missing something. So I am looking forward to the technical help from Hospice and I know they are unfailing kind.

Nothing like a new adventure!

Sweet 16....

Pretend its then end of May.

Pretend I am not the worst mother in the world for waiting 2+ months before documenting the momentous occasion.

He has to pose!

He is such a great kid!!  Got his license the first time and is enjoying being independent!  Now if we could just get him to go on a date.....

First day of School

My next to last, first day of school!  Only one more to go.....

Its nice he can drive and park, no more running to the school for me!!

I know its been a busy summer when its been 6 long weeks without a blog post!

Whew!!  I realize I only really have one kid to keep track of this summer but he has taken all of my time!  Not only does he now drive but we have spent the whole summer wrestling.  I know I should say that Logan spent the whole summer wrestling but I have been there too!  We went to Pocatello Idaho for Western Regionals and it was fun.  We got to spend the week with the Masons and we managed to go to the hot springs and the Body World exhibit.

We also went to Fargo, North Dakota for Nationals and we managed to go to Radio Shack and the Mall of America.  Somehow Pocatello was a lot more fun!  Fargo has almost nothing to do for a tourist.

I can hear you asking how Logan did and I am going to tell just because this is supposed to be a journal - he lost - every match - he really only had one or two that he even had a chance and he was so nervous and sick in Pocatello that I am amazed he could still wrestle (bad flu!)  and in Fargo the competition was amazing!!  He had a bad draw too, last years national champ.  But he wrestled really well and feels like he did his best.  I am so very proud of not only the hard work he put in ALL summer but that he was so tough to beat!

I am also switching from a Windows PC to a Mac - quite a change.  Just dippin' my toe in the mac waters to see if that is where I want to go.  So I bought a Mac Mini.  I had a lot on my last computer and I am trying to go thru and purge but with thousand and thousands of pictures it has taken me quite a while.

Elder Cole is doing splendid!!  Here is a picture he sent today:

This is his two investigators Sean and Chuck (I think its Chuck he keeps typing Chunk).

He looks so happy!  I miss that kid but I am so grateful he is serving!

Brenn is working 2 jobs:

Victoria Secret and
Janie and Jack

So one store helps to make the babies and the other clothes the baby once they are here!

More to come.....

Stella Sue

I forget how big our Stella is, as I sat on the couch finishing Harry Potter 5 (yes I am reading them again in preparation for the last movie) I looked down at her sleeping and my shoe right by her foot....

WOW!

I wear a size 7 and so does she!!

Missionaries are FUN!

I am loving having and missionary.  Each Monday morning at an impossibly early hour I roll over and check my phone for an email from Dallin.  My goal is to catch him at the computer so I can have a back and forth conversation with him.  Unfortunately he is 8 hours ahead and I have yet to be up at 3:15 am. 

Now there have been two Mondays I haven't gotten an email, once while in Pocatello at the wrestling tournament (I worried and then turned it over to the Lord, then repeat) and yesterday. 

The first time I was a little nervous but figured it must be transfers or something and I was right.

This Monday, I knew it was too soon for transfers and wondered if he got carried away having fun on P-day and neglected to email his mother.  Today I got an email with accompanying pictures:

With the explaination

Well im sorry that this is a bit late and i will tell you why at the end. well this week has been great, i dont have much time to email but i will go over the good parts. Well we went over and worked all day on tuesday in a part of our area called bromsgrove. it is about 15-20 mins by car so not much work goes on there. so we went and worked hard there. it was great we were knocking doors and three doors in a row we had good talks and they said we could come back. we had lots of good stuff going on this week. we did alot of finding and we found a lot of good people. For the 4th we had a big party at Gerrys house on sunday. it was great, we had some root beer (which was soooo good, they dont have it here) and some chicken and hot dogs and it was super good. We had a great p day yesterday. our whole zone got together to celebrate the 4th. We meet some missionaries at the bullring in birmingham. i think it is the biggest shooping center in england, most certainly in our mission. we went and wandered around there a bit. Then we took a bus to the church in Harborne. So we got there and met tons of missionaries there. we played soccer, had rootbeer floats, did a football (soccer) tournament, and played some ultimate frisbee. now to the reason i didnt email yesterday. So we were playing frisbee and i was running after the frisbee and i stepped in a massive rut, and rolled my ankle. it was bad i heard it pop and crunch. so i was carried off to the sidelines, and Chunk our investigator who is taking university to be a sports therapist checked out my ankle. it was swelling up lik a balloon. so we got some ice on it. and we drove home and we were looking at it and decided to go to the hospital to get it checked out. so i was seen by a doctor and he said that there was a chance that my ankle was broken. so i got an x ray and it isnt broken! but it is messed up, possibly some ligament dammage, but i will be alright! anyways i love you and promise to write more next week

love elder cole


p.s. here is a pic of my ankle


and me at the hospital

Up until now he has written nice long emails, lots of detail and I have reread them several times.  Each time my heart swells with love and pride for this young man serving and enjoying his service.  He is happy, therefore I am happy!

I am singing Dolly Parton

Here are pictures of my Boat cover of many colors:



Somehow the boat cover got lost in Utah and we have been searching for a replacement, we used tarps for the winter but they were hard on the boat.  I finally found and ordered a new cover but in the mean time something needs to keep the brutal (110 yesterday) sun off the seats so....

I went to the thrift store and bought the thickest and prettiest (*snicker*) sheets I could find and laid them out and sewed them together.  I guess I could say it was with love and I did tell a story to my RS President who dropped by and asked what in the world was I doing? 

So this is what I keep hearing in my mind every time I walk by:



I am AWESOME!!!

Just ask me when I have completed a big or difficult project and I will tell you

I am Awesome!!

It's kinda funny because my kids do this too, I guess I was not the best parent for humility.

But Look at this and tell me I am not Awesome (good thing Hyrum doesn't read my blog!)

Garage before:

After:

But the real awesomeness was the tool room.

Before:

After:

This room hasn't looked since we moved in, OK BEFORE we moved in!!  It only took us two days, which was about half of what I thought.  We did this for Father's day - I think he will eventually come around.

AWESOME!!!

16 years old

Logan is now 16 - Holy cow!!!

He had to wait one day to get his license since Monday was a holiday.  He was nervous but passed!!  And drove himself to wrestling practice....twice!!!  I stayed home!!!  (cue the music!)

I have no pictures of that because I am a loser.  He left on the Trek on Thursday and I keep wondering how he is doing.  For his birthday I am cleaning out his room (we do this every summer) and letting him go the the bin way of storing his clothes - what is that you say?  Well since my boys cannot seem to get their clean laundry out of a laundry basket and put it in a drawer, I devised a system.  Shelving unit, big tubs, labels - just toss you laundry into a bin - slide said bin back in to shelf, done! 


So, as I am doing this I pause for a pit stop, now I rarely go into the downstairs bathroom because it is inhabited by BOYS!!  Since we are down one boy, I thought it might be safe.  I sit and this is what I see:

What an amazing boy, as I start to look around I see this:

I wondered where the stack went from the living room.  Then I see his mirror:

He is preparing.

what more could a mother want? sniff, sniff.....

23 Years

Linky Party...

Wait, you thought I was hosting?  Surely you jest!  My linky party would be more like:

What do you read/do while sitting on the throne? 

Is that your only peace and quiet or do your kids still bug you?

Instead my bestie Jen  is hosting and her question is much more appropriate.

What are the most important things I need to teach my children? What are the principles that will lead them to being productive, independent, spiritual adults?


You can be as narrow as the most important thing or as broad as a list.

As I have pondered, I can do that I just don't often, my principle would be

Obedience. 

Not only to parents, but obedience to our Father in Heaven and his commandments.  To me, one of the best examples the Savior set was obedience to his Father.  He followed God's plan for Him, even though it was hard, even though He didn't think He could do it, He did and we all benefit.

I want to be that obedient.  I want my kids to see me being obedient.  In one of the other links,  Granny Sue (a fav for sure) spoke about how kids watch what you DO and they learn a lot more from your actions, then what you say.  I wholeheartedly agree with that!  It is my responsibility to model, sincerely, what I want my kids to copy.  It is our responsibility to study the scriptures, pray for guidance and know what we need to be doing. 

I am still a little emotional about my missionary and I can't express my gratitude for him serving.  For being obedient.  That just makes my heart so full it could burst.

I love Monday's!!

New email and we also got snail mail from our missionary!!  The only problem is he included letters to Brenn, Logan and all of the Naughton's across the street.  What did he send his mom, who has written him faithfully both by email and by snail mail???

bupkiss!!

 Which means nothing, nada, zero!!  WHAT!!??? 

At least I am comforted to know the emails are long and detailed so I guess I shouldn't complain.......

much......

Now presenting the latest from the Elder:

Dear Family and Friends,

First off i want to say CONGRADULATIONS! to all those who graduate this week! secondly i want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Grandma Naughton and Grampa Ed, who both have birthdays during this coming week! Thanks for all your love and support and i hope that you have great birthdays!

I have officially been a missionarty for a whole month!!! it doesnt seem like is been that long, but at the same time it seems like its been ages already! its really wierd!


This week has been a great week full of awesome and fun experiences! I played football on Monday and totally owned! it was so much fun! Then on tuesday i went on exchange with two elders in Harbourne. Elder Pavan had a leadership meeting so we went and proselyted while he did that. I was With Elder Jean and Elder Kunz. harbourne is Elder Kunz's area and it was an hour and a half bus ride just to get there. We stopped off at the flat and ate some lunch and then we went out to work. Elder Kunz was in my MTC group, and had only been in the area for about a week. needless to say we had absolutely no idea where we were and only a slight idea of where we were going. but we turned our problem into a blessing by asking every person we passed how to get where we were going. It was an awesome way to start a conversation with people! We ended up giveng out 7 Books of Mormon and we got them 3 potential investigators, and 1 appointment! it was a great and successful day!

on Wednesday i went on exchange again! I went to Nuneaton with Elder Card while Elder Matthews went to Redditch with Elder Pavan. Elder Card and I went and taught some investigators and saw a less active sister. Then we went to a dinner appointment with literally the wierdest, most annoying family in the entire world... It was legitimately the oddest house ever. after dinner we went with the ward mission leader to visit some less active sisters. While at one house, the power cut out, and Elder Card said the closing prayer and prayed that the power would come on soon and not 30 seconds after did the power come back on! It was a tender mercy of the Lord and it was awesome!!


Then we had district meeting on thursday in coventry. afterward adrian picked us up and we taught tracy at her house and that went really really well. Afterward they took us out to a chinese buffet and it was SO GOOD! the had a chocolate fountain and it was yummy.


Friday we taught Tracy again first thing in the morning. It went really well and she is super excited to get baptised! Then we did our weekly planning and went to a D.A. at a members home and she made the most delicous lemon drizzle cake. I have eaten so much food during this last month im suprised im not 4000 pounds! After the dinner appointment we went and helped out the youth by reffing their basket ball games, for their stake youth activity. Now i thought i was bad at basketball, but these kids were absolutely terrible! It was the funniest thing ever to see these kids just suck so bad at b-ball. hahaha so funny.


On saturday we helped out Jerry with his yard and itwas honestly the oddest thing i have ever done. We dug out his grass, put it in those reusable, green(earth friendly) bags, ran them across the street and dumped them out over this fence. I felt like i was smuggling drugs or something, and everytime a car would drive by i didnt know wether to hide what i was doing , or continue on like there was nothing wrong. but after he made us a yummy breakfast of sausage, bacon, egg, and toast. then we went to drop off my dry cleaning, and proselyte in the city center. Right after i dropped off my suits i realized that i needed them on sunday, and that ther wouldnt be ready until monday... way to go dallin, way to usar la cabesa. hahaha luckily Elder Pavan lent me one of his suits. we're pretty close to the same hieght (im slightly taller) but he is a good 50 60 pounds bigger than me, so his suit looked massive on me! and i gave a talk in church so i was in front of the whole ward looking really goofy in a suit that was to big. good stuff.

now one of the greatest moments of my week. on Sunday after church we went to Dinner at a members house. they own a porsche. They let elder pavan and myself drive the porsche.... it was sooooooo awesome! definatly better than my corolla back at home. hahaha so much fun! after that we went and had some pancakes :) Great Great Great week


love you all :)


Elder Cole


Love this boy anyway!!

Sunday, Sunday

As I sat in Sacrament meeting this morning I realized I hadn't been to church for a month! I went to Tuckers farewell but to my own ward it has been a while. Between being really sick and Grandma falling, I haven't attended. So when I walked in this morning, early, I might add (8:30am church is killing me), and I chatted with a few people and I hugged on the boys who are graduating, I started to tear up just a bit. I haven't been bad in the missing Dallin department, or at least I thought I hadn't, but I realized I haven't been exposed to his peers much lately. To top it off, the choir sang the As Sisters in Zion/Army of Helaman song, that song touches me anyway and today the tears just rolled down my face. I am so proud of my missionary! I am so grateful he is worthy and willing to serve, and I think I cry because of the gratitutde more than the missing. My heart is so touched and the Spirit feels so close when I see these boys who are preparing and knowing my son is serving both the people of England and as an example to these boys he loves so much!

Can't wait for tomorrow to hear how his piano playing went!

I love MAIL!!

See what I got in the mail this week:

President and Sister Ogden

                                                   

Elder Pavan and Elder Cole

Plus a sweet letter from the Mission President and his Wife.  It was a needed look see at my Elder Cole.  It came on Wednesday.  I was already a little teary because of Tucker leaving and this put me over the top.  Just a little!

What's a mom to do?!

Are you ready????

I first read about this a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was funny - especially when it quoted a guy who works for homeland security - that kinda makes you go hmmmmm.

From the Arizona Republic:


"Have you heard the awesome news?" the side of the RVs asked, in big bold letters. "The End of the World is Almost Here!"
As if the message weren't scary enough, the dozen or so occupants of the RVs - vanguard of a national campaign funded by a fundamentalist Christian radio network and fueled by bus ads and Internet buzz - wore highlighter-bright yellow shirts that said "Earthquake So Mighty, So Great." They offered pedestrians handouts saying there was "marvelous proof" that "Holy God will bring judgment day on May 21, 2011."......

The man pushing the current forecast is Harold Camping, an 89-year-old Christian fundamentalist radio host and co-founder of the Family Radio network, which broadcasts on dozens of stations across the country. His group has sponsored the end-of-the-world caravan and plastered cities, including Washington, with billboards and signs.

This is not Camping's first end-of-the-world prophecy. In a 1992 book, he predicted that the world would end in 1994. When he woke up in 1995, clearly something had gone wrong......

Among them was Gary Vollmer, who took a leave of absence from the Department of Homeland Security to spread the word. He's supposed to go back on May 23. "But I'm not going back," he said. "I'll be gone on the 21st."

Camping, an engineer by training, says he came up with the very precise date of May 21 through a mathematical calculation that would probably crash Google's computers. It involves, among other things, the dates of floods, the signals of numbers in the Bible, multiplication, addition and subtraction thereof. Camping describes his equations with absolute conviction

Now I didn't publish the whole article but really there was just so much there to enjoy - first that it will be a great earthquake - haven't we had several of those lately?  Then I wondered what Mr Vollmer was going to do on the 23rd if he is still here, work? or not?  Then I would have liked to see Mr. Camping on Jan 1, 1995 - how did he explain that?  Lastly I had to rib Ken because Mr Camping is an engineer - to which he responded "What kind? Certainly not a Civil Engineer?"  Plus the complicated calculation would probably crash Google's computers?  Just too funny!!

But the best part was published the next day:

Bart Centre, an atheist from New Hampshire, started Eternal Earth-bound Pets in 2009. He offers Rapture believers an insurance plan for those furry family members that won't join them in heaven: 10-year pet care contracts, with Centre and his network of fellow non-believers taking responsibility for the animals after the Rapture. The fee -- payable in advance, of course -- was originally $110, but has gone to $135 since Camping's prediction.


Centre says he has 258 clients under contract, and that business has picked up considerably this year. But he's not worried about a sales slump if May 21 happens to disappoint believers.


So I guess my question is....

Why wouldn't my pets go to heaven???

The Latest from England

I am so glad to have a missionary!  My 2nd son left this morning to enter the MTC in Provo you can see that here.  Jen and I have raised our older kids together, it is wonderful to see these two strong young men go and serve the Lord!

This weeks letter:

peeps,



Wow!!!! you guys just cant live without me can you! you've pretty much been sick since ive left! hahaha Anyways THIS GOES OUT TO MY FRIEND SINCE BIRTH(well 4) TUCKER CHRISTIAN DENTON!!!! I LOVE YOU BRO! AND IM SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO GO TO THE MTC THIS WEEK!!! YOUR STAY AT THE MTC WILL BE UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU HAVE EVER DONE BEFORE (it wont be quite as cool as mine because you going to provo... but) YOU WILL REMEMBER IT FOREVER! THE SPIRIT WILL BE WITH YOU THE ENTIRE TIME THERE IF YOU LET IT, AND IT WILL TEACH YOU MORE THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE IN SUCH SHORT TIME! I LOVE YOU AND I KNOW THAT YOU AND GABE WILL SPIRITUALLY TAG TEAM THE NEW YORK, NEW YORK SOUTH MISSION INTO ETERNAL HAPPYNESS OBLIVION!!!!


now that i have that little all capitals love shout out out of the way i can get on with my email =) well its been like 3 days simce my last email but it feels like its been FOREVER!! so many things have happened! We have spent a lot of time with the members so they can grow to love me :) hahaha story time, so i had always heard of people who went on missions and had to play the piano for the ward their serving in because no one there new how to play. and i thought to myself, that will NEVER happen to me... the Lord LOVES it when you say NEVER, because then he can make sure it happens... the Redditch ward has a little cd player they use as accompaniment to their hymns, and once i let it slip that i could play the piano, they got all excited because for the first time they are going to have someone accualy accompanying them.. yay. they got me a little keyboard for the flat that i can practise on. haha im actually really excited to be able to serve the ward like that! they will love me! and if they love me, then they will give me referals and then i can convert people!!! it will be good... i hope


i taught my first lesson on friday! it was awesome! we taught a lady named Tracy. She is dating Adrian, who is inactive, and he helped spike her interest in the church. She is so Golden that it is slightly ridiculus! She has a baptism date for june 4 and she is so excited! Adrian is the man too! He is so helpful! he helps answer questions and he gives awesome insights! he served his mission in bristol, so he knows exactly whats going on and what to say, its so cool!

We are also helping a guy named Shaun he is pretty much the coolest kid ever. He's like 22 and is the nicest guy! His dad Andrew was a member when he was younger, but he fell away from the church for a while, his wife was baptised like 2 weeks ago, and they are planning to go to the temple next year! His younger brother Harry was also baptised not to long ago. Shaun knows that its good, but he just needs to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about it, but he's had exams for university and hasnt had much time to do anything but them, but it will happen! Tonight we are going to Family Home Evening with their whole family! ( their cousins live down the street a bit and are also freakin cool) We're going to have a quick lesson and then we're going to play football!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited i havent got to play since the MTC! Elder Pavan and i have a ball we kick around the flat, but its not the same! I cant wait! im even getting some football boots so i dont die like i did at the MTC!


I have eaten more in the past 5 days here in Redditch then ever in my entire life ever!! its a bit ridiculus! members feed us dinner all the time! and they go all out! Every single time with out fail there is just a mountain of food on our plates!! I am so close to literally exploding every time i eat! and our flat is famous for its sweets cupboard! Its just loaded with candy that the members give us! we've already made it through like 4 Chocolate easter eggs! and the Chocolate here is about 1000000000000000000 times better than at home! Its soooooo good! i could eat myself into a sweet chocolate death if given the chance.

on sunday Elder Pavan and I taught the high priest group, and it went really well. we taught about how small and simple things bring about great things! and we related it to member missionary work. We challenged them to pray for missionary experiences, and to pray for the courage to act on them. We showed a video about it and it had a talk by president eyring and it was so powerful! i love that guy! he is so inspired and you can easily see it every time he speaks. then Elder Pavan gave the opening prayer, We blessed the Sacrament, I shared my testimony, AND i gave the closing prayer. AND we are both giving talks next week on how to show love to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I'm going to tie it to missionary work and pull a President Wright and challenge them all from the pulpit! it will be epic!! wether epicly good or epicly bad i am not sure but epic, it will be!! well i have got to be going now so


TTFN


Love


Elder Cole

p.s. to send me anything you just send it to the mission home and they will get it to tme at district meetings! I will try to get you the address to the flat if i can.

I have to admit 3 email and one phone call in a week is the BOMB!!  With Tuckers farewell and leaving and I am missing Dallin some it has been an emotional week.  But I love it anyway!

I am behind....

Latest from the missionary:

well Im being transfered tomorrow at 6:00 am!! its crazy!! its really a bittersweet time because im so excited to get out to the mission field but sad to leave all the friends ive made that i wont see maybe ever. But im mostly excited! ive been packing up all my stuff and its a little weird. i feel like im leaving my home all over again, but more sad. ive bonded so much with everyone here and will miss them tons! i love you all and i might be able to email you when i get to the mission office.




love Elder Cole

Then on the next day we got:
 
The subject line said:  the epistle of Elder Cole to the people of Mesa
 
So I'm staioned in a place called Redditch!! it's an awesome place! but ill get to that later


so i had to get up at 5 o clock yesterday for transfers!! ive had trouble getting up on time my entire stay at the MTC, and i not only went to bed way way way late (midnight), but i also got up right on time! It was a sad, sad night on tuesday night... we watched the joseph smith movie, and i was touched by how happy he was even though he had such a hard time, all the time. then we had a testimony meeting and it was beautiful! everyone who could bore their testimony (one elder was so sick it was all he could do to just not throw up) After word we sang ''God be with you til we meet again'' that song makes me cry like a baby every time! its a little bit ridiculus!!! haha but then we went to pres and sis walkers apartment and had some cake and ice cream. One of the things i will miss the most will be the pastries that the MTC chef made... he was a magician...

so we woke up early, packed up the coach (bus) and said our heartfelt goodbyes, only to get on the bus, drive about 1 hr, and stop at the same rest stop as the other bus... it was pretty funny.

i wasnt even nervious until we pulled onto penns lane (the same street the mission home is on) then i was super crazy ridiculusly nervious. we pulled into the mission home and met the president and the ap's. and luckily they were all super nice. we met with the mission president (who is awesome btw), and i met Elder Matthews! he's really cool and i think he's in my district! which is pretty cool (represent AZ) Then we went over to the mission home and had some pizza. and then the ap's told us to line up single file and to walk to the stake center... it was like a little GREENY PARADE!!! all the missionaries were out i front yelling at us try ing to get us to look away, but the ap's told us to keep our heads down... so i only looked up once... to give a big thumbs up to ELDER BOEHME!!!!! then we went in to meet our trainers ...................................................

ELDER PAVAN!! he's from Canada and he is really really awesome! ive already learned a ton from him! None of my MTC friends are in the same district so we all said our goodbyes and elder pavan and i set off to the train station and off to our flat. Which is freakin cool bytheway. so story time, so on the way home my father (elder pavan) was telling me about our landlords, one is a lady and is very kind to us, the other is a short old man who does not like the missionaries at all. he also told me that one of them would be waiting at the flat to give it an inspection... so i was praying for the landlady to be there. we walk (up the biggest hill ever with both of my suitcases) to our apartment and, of course, their is a short man standing at the gate yelling at us as soon as we get there... so we walk up to our flat and he just starts tearing the place apart, this bathroom is unbearable, this is terrible, that is terrible, im going to have to kick you out its so messy. Then he starts interogating me about my political standpoints, and at this point im freeeeaaaakin out. on no! i just got here and am already being kicked out of my apartment. wow way to make a good impression in the area. then he and elder pavan start crackin up. they thought it would be funny to play a little joke on the greeny.; ha ha h-not very funny... jk i laughed. his name is jerry and he was just reactivated and just went through the temple! he helps out us missionaries all the time! he's actuallty a really cool guy.

so i unpacked a bit and we had some dinner and we went out to a member of the bishopric and watched a video we are going to use when we teach the high preists on sunday. They are such a great family. and today we went over there and the helped my get a pretty nice bike FOR FREE-ish i can use it as long as im in redditch, once i leave i have to give it back to the ward, but Brother Mason said that if i like it i could buy it off them for like 50£. witch is good for a decent bike. but this place is way way way way way hilly... on the way here we climed most likely the biggest hill ever in the history of the earth and my thighs are killin me! but in the long run i will have the thighs of a champion! haha well thats pretty much it... i wont be able to send post for a few days so hopefully i can write all those who have writen me. I LOVE YOU ALL! STAY SWEET



LOVE

ELDER COLE!

He also sent an Oh yeah my Pday is now Monday.  I love this being a missionary mom!  I feel a little spoiled to get 3 emails in one week! 

I have some post rolling around in my head I just need to have the time to sit and type.  We'll see!

Next installment....

It has been a caaaarrazy week! i was thinking back on it and what to write about and it seems likes its been a month!  on thursday we went into manchester to street contact and man was that scary!!!  but it was such a great experience!  the first guy we talked to was a professor of ethics, and he was very interested i what we had to say from a scolarly standpoint, but i bore my testimony that if he read the book of mormon and pray to know if it was true that he would recieve an answer.  and he said that he would read it not only for his job, but for his own spirituality and that he would pray about it!! it was so exciting!  we talked to like 5 or 6 other people, gave out one more book of mormon, and came back to the mtc exhausted, but happy!    we taught our ''investigator'' sam again and it went soooooo well. even though it wasnt real and i was teaching a teacher, the spirit was so strong.  it was so amazing!   ive learned so much in the short time tht ve been here in the mtc!  it feels like a whole semester of school, crammed into a couple weeks.  its taught me that with the spirit, anything can happen!
well since this mtc is so small, theres only like 40 misionaries total, they are letting us call home!  it ll be around 8:30 mothers day morning!!  i can only imagine your excitement, being able to hear my beautiful voice! haha  that will be fun!
there are two teachers that are mainly teaching my district, brother day, who looks remarkable like kai, and brother jacobe, who looks like a mix between rufio form hook and andrew sheifer, and they and soooooo awesome!! they are such great teachers and they bring the spirit so well!  we also got a little mix up in my district.  we got a new sister!  sister sebauld was moved to nephi district and we got sister binnie from scotland.  she was supposed to go to sweden but her visa wasnt going through so she got her call changed to london south!!  whe is really cool and that makes 3 scots in my district!! it is so much fun!
today we got to go on a church history tour! and it was so great!  i woke up this morning and i felt off, it was the only time that have felt at all homesick.  but (not that i dont love you guys at home) i was thinking about spencer, i just couldnt get him off my mind and i was feeling homesick, and then we were standing near a small stream wheree the early missionaries baptised loads of people and we had a short testimony meeting.  i felt the spirit so strong and it told me that this is where im supposed to be, and that im doing what the Lord wants me to.  Spencer i love you! email me or write me asap!!  i sent you a letter and i dont know if you got it or not....
any ways i ve got to run, i love you all!!

elder Cole


I am wondering if the call will be my time or his, but no matter I will be so glad to talk to him and I am not sure I will be able to sleep!

We have all been really sick all week, as Grandma would say we have the 'Epiczookic'! Lots OSS snot and coughing. I feel really bad for Grandma because of her cracked rib and all of the coughing!! I have pretty much done nothing all week, at least until I reached my threshold.

Do you have a threshold?

By a Threshold I mean, show dirty can your house get before you can't stand it and have to clean no matter how bad you feel. I reached that on Friday. Wore myself out but at least the vacuuming got done and the house picked up.

BTW it was 101 degrees today, first hot day........of many!

On another note..

Saw this today and I cannot wait! 

I love the part 1 of the seventh movie!  What a great story!  I will probably have to read all 7 books again (yes, again!) before the premiere!

Guess my Favorite day will be WEDNESDAY!!

Email from my Elder Smiley Cole:

Well Hello there!


It has been one crazy, crazy week! My companions name is Elder Shaw and he is so cool! he is quiet and usually lets me do all the teaching, but yesterday i focused on having him teach most of the lesson and when we work together and each teach about 50% the spirit is so much stronger! there are four elders in my room Myself, elder shaw, elder day and elder sims. elder sims is the funniest guy! we're always firing jokes back and forth and it makes life here so much more bearable. Elder day is from dundy scottland and is the coolest guy! our room is the best room by far and the guys in it are probably the closest of all the rooms! IM A DISTRICT LEADER!!!! ive been made the leader of the helamen district. which includes the guys in my room, elder snow, elder root elder wilkey, elder goulding, and two sisters. sister Keogh and sister Sebauld. Elder wilkey is from england and he has the coolest accent. sister keogh is from scottland and sister sebauld is from germany. Our district is not only a way fun district but we are still very spiritual. we all get along really well. Our sisters are so cool, but they are having a little trouble, so if you could keep them in your prayers, i would really appreciate it!

I have learned so much already and i can feel my self changing already. ive been praying for the spirit every time i pray and its making such a difference in my life. they aree having us teach mock investigators. ours is named sam and elder shaw and i have taught him once and we are going to teach him tomorrow. so pray for us to be able to teach with the spirit.

during our excercise time weve been playin futbol and it has been sooooo much fun! i am way way way out of shape though! trhe other day i was in goal after one of my lungs callapsed (JK IM OK) and i made 3 awesome saves! im a regular british futbolsmen!

ive just been having a blast and i cant wait to get out into the missionfeild! Thanks all those who have sent letters so far I was the first one in my district to get letters! (thanks to grandparents Naughton and Scottie Glen!) it really means alot to me and will write back later today. hopefully. well after this im off to asda witch is like there walmart to get a sweatshirt to play futbol in! i love you all and expect letters soon! :)



love Elder Cole :)

Waiting.......

I was really hoping today was P-day (that is preparation day that missionaries get once a week and that is the day they email home) but apparently

NOT!!!

The last week has been absolutely crazy!!  Getting a Missionary ready seems pretty straight forward but really it takes a toll - Ken and I have been so tired since he left!

First, our Bishop took the 3 missionaries in our ward who have their calls, my nephew Kai, Ken and his Son in law Cory to Mexico for 3 days before his farewell - they came back Saturday night and we have 8:30am church.  I had the busiest weekend with them gone!  Track meet concessions, dinner to Ken's home teaching family, irrigation and a Grandma with a cracked rib who is really funny on Vicoden but very wobbly!!

In addition, Dallin's passport and Visa were still in Salt Lake City.  I worried briefly on Thursday when Dallin remembered and was wondering how he would get out of Mexico without a passport but I decided the Lord looks after Missionaries and I had enough to do/worry about, and I left that to Him.  It came on Wednesday about 2:30pm - We really didn't need it until 9:30am the next day at the airport!!

But it was a fun week - Saturday night Ken's brother Mike and his family came from Utah, we had take-out at our house - Ken and Dallin got home before Logan and I (longest wrestling tournament EVER!) then on Sunday Dallin gave a wonderful talk.  When he was finding his scriptures he did it on his phone, but he was just a little embarrassed so he prefaced it, then said, "Deal with it"  we all laughed.  He spoke on developing Christ like attributes, he did great!  I now have to figure out how to get the recording off of my phone and clean it up.

I have to admit to a pet peeve - People who speak before the missionary at a farewell should leave the missionary at least 15 minutes.  All of the people crammed into the chapel and overflow are NOT here to listen to you speak for 25 minutes - I almost made a sign and held it up!!  Funny enough, Ken almost did the same thing!!

Sunday, we hosted a family dinner for 56 people!  BTW - that is alot of people!  It was fun and since I made the dinner the Wednesday before it wasn't too bad.  I wish it would have warmed up in the oven a little faster though.   Then in the evening our ward came by to sing to the missionary - "God Be With You Til We Meet Again" - what a great tradition!

Monday, Ken's cousins wife and 3 kids came in to town from London and we had Ken's parents and sister, and cousins to dinner - it was so much fun!  Brenn and Callan played with nail polish (sorry Kathy) and the boys were a hoot!

Tuesday we had an open house with cinnamon rolls - all 96 were GONE!! Our last person came at MIDNIGHT!! (Love you Chandler!)

Wednesday we finished up the packing and he was set apart- One of my friends in my ward told me that it was extra special and to slow down and enjoy it and she was right!  What a beautiful experience.  My missionary was truly ready!  We got done and he gave me his phone and ipod, saying he didn't want them to be a temptation.  We went to dinner, just the 5 of us and had a lovely night. 

Thursday we got up and finished a few things and headed to the airport.  At the airport we met up with 2 other missionaries going to Preston for the MTC. 

I did pretty well in the crying department - a little at the farewell,  a little on Wednesday when he bore such a beautiful testimony, and some saying goodbye at the airport.  I pretty much cried the whole way home, I just had to look at Kai in the passenger seat and it would start.  We had to stop by Sonic and get an Oreo Blast to make me feel better!  The only other time I got choked up was on Sunday when Nathan Epstein passed me the Sacrament (he leaves in July).

On Friday morning I checked my email and this is what I found:

Dear Mom and Dad,



I'm alive and well! The flight to ohare went fine. when we got to ohare we were greeted by a crowd of missionaries!!!! Huzzah for Isreal!!! it was so wonderful to see so many missionaries in one spot! and their all here in england with me :) we have three sisters and they are the coolest. the flight to manchester was really ong and i only got like 2 hours of sleep, but it is so beutiful here! i love you bye


Elder Cole

Is there anything better?

Brenn took his mission pictures - so handsome!!

This one is for his plaque in the hallway of the church:

Maybe P-day will be tomorrow!