They are ALIVE!!

We have the proof.

Just had our first Skype conversation (live video feed). It is pretty crazy how easy it was to talk to them across the world, and they don't even get regular mail. It was 8 in the morning for them and we were just having dinner.

They showed us all the tree's in the backyard and we got to see some laundry hanging on the line. Makes me okay with doing our own laundry all day today.

Just a few things from the conversation.

They are traveling to the coast by boat on Thursday to Saturday to check out some temporary schools set up after the Tsunami. They have to sleep on mats and one guy told my dad that he should by okay

"No problem-lots of fat" They don't have any issues with telling you things like that. Bryon said that was the way it was in Ecuador too.

They taught their first English class to a group of adults yesterday. The highlight was singing "If your happy and you know it"

They attended a baptism on Sunday, and they have an investigator coming to their apartment tonight. So pretty much they got thrown into things right away.

They also get the opportunity to go to the "Frozen Mountain" which at the foothills of the Himalaya's. Can you say jealous!!

MTC Pics (soory it is big)

We actually got to help them up to their room.

We waited for a while and played until Bryon got there with the luggage and missing purse and dresses.

Sam got this picture when they were set apart on Sunday night. He wouldn't go anywhere without it.

The Setting apart with the Stake Presidency.

See the man next to mom?

He used to be the bishop when I was in YW and now he is their stake pres.

I love him so much.

Get me to the MTC

I felt like I was doing really well, not stressing, had everything ready to go. We headed for American fork for breakfast with the Buchmillers. We were half way through breakfast when I realized that I had not gotten the bag with all my dresses out of the closet. We called Justin who came to the rescue so we didn't have to go all the way home to get them. Bryon volunteered to go meet Justin and bring it to the MTC. We headed off with Janet and the kids to the MTC. We were almost to the MTC when I couldn't find my purse. I had left it at the resturant. Bryon had

not passed the Lehi exit so he stoped and got it and then met us. They helped us dump all of our luggage. Bryon got quite excited, remembering when he was here. Janet and I cried.

We had a wonderful blessing of seeing Elder Austin Lee, who came to the MTC on Nov 4th.

We were so excited I again restrained my self and only rubbed elbows. We have a no contact policy because of flu. There is hand sanitizer dispensers every where. They have prevented an epidemic here.

"In the Beginning...."

This is Omner Octopus. He is going on a mission just like his namesake from the Book of Mormon. Each picture we post will contain Omner somewhere in the photo. Can you find him as we travel and serve.

Here is the beginning of the move. Not much there, or so it seems. Thanks to Colleen's sister Lois we were able to vaccum seal all of our clothes into bags. Everything but the kitchen sink is here. Med's (except those requiring refridgeration), books, tapes, computers, posters, grandkids blanket, and most of all, sugar free candy.

Some things not pictured here are tolietries, and books that we will be taking to the MTC. Those will remain in the bag that it is currently in. This stuff goes into our main bags.

We are missing "Gospel Art Books" and "Book of Mormon Story Book". Those will be purchased and packed later.

Are We Going To Myanmar?????

After the earlier post on Tuesday I got a phone call. The caller ID said Washington DC! It was the embassy of The Union of Myanmar asking about our visa request. Wanting to verify that we were going to be visiting and staying with Dr. Win and how long we were staying. Well my mind just jumped ..... OK I need to make sure that what I say is correct, true and represents the church appropriately. Well I kind of know who Dr. Win is, but I'm not staying with him. Hurry Hurry get something to write on!!!!! So What are the right things to say???? We are not staying with Dr. Winn, we are planning to stay at the Sakura Residence. We are coming with Latter-Day Saint Charities. Planing to stay for a while.

Well procedures have changed and we

Must Redo Our Visa Requests and change from tourist to business.

Trying to keep my cool and write down every thing as fast as I can. Extra money is needed in the form of a money order, new pictures, new requirements and all new forms. I very calmly asked her name and a phone number if I had other questions.

OK, OK, Ok where is that phone number in the 3-4 inches of papers from the missionary department for the people that we gave our pass ports to and now what department would that be?????? Help

It would be the travel department and their phone number is in our welcome packet that we got with our call. After a few transfers I spoke with Norma, she said they Called YOUUU? I said YESSSS. I was able to give her all the right information from the call and she didn't say well, you really blew it, when I told her what I said. Even though no one would be able to decipher what I had written during the call, she said she would call them and then call us back.

When she called back, she did tell us to fill out the forms and get more pictures. I asked about the pictures and she said that they needed new ones, I told her we still had one from the first time, could we just scan them and make more. She said that should be fine.

Jim got them scanned and tried and tried to get them emailed to Sams to have them made. But it would not do it. So we went over to the store to get some help. But they could not do it either. After trying a number of different things. We finally decided that we would try Inkley's in the morning. We were just done! Jim went over to D.I. to see if they had some luggage that we wanted, while I went visiting teaching. When I got home he was watching a VHS video he had picked up for $2.00, "Apollo 13". We just kind of collapsed and had a real deep reflection on the "What in the heck are we doing". No crying or screaming just hug me please, hold my hand kind of event. Afterwards filling our the new paper work was frustrating. Already stressed, anxious, and concerned about the 4 pages each we had to fill out for the new visa's. They had to be in block letters with no corrections or crossed out anything. I had to redo one, Jim three, and he was so stress he said I'm not doing it, no, no more, no more tonight. We took sleeping pills and went to bed.

So this morning we got up and prayed asking for help and turned on KBYU instrumental music,

so that we could be more focused. We needed to do a few things and then go to Inkleys. When we got to Inkleys and asked for help with the photo's they said that they were not allowed to copy passport pictures. So they offered to take new ones for us and they would print more than just 2 for the price of $23.98.

So, what do you think?

Stressed out or what?

Answer To Prayer

Got a letter from Elder Christensen on Saturday. We were hoping that he would still be at the MTC when we came on the 9th of Nov. But alas he was to leave on the Oct 26th. at about 11:30. We had our second class at the MTC on the 26th at 11:00. So I prayed that if it would be OK with the Lord, to please help us to bump into each other.

WOW what a bump. We had just come in the front door and were getting our visitors pass and up walked Elder Christensen. We heard a yell and when I saw him, I just ran to HUG HIM but I didn't. Just rubbed elbows and linked arms and I did a dance. The dance was so intense we have snow today. We only had about 5 min before our class. So short and very, very sweet.

Here is the latest picture for our missionary plaque. Thanks Brother Harmon for a great picture.