Last Minute Preparations

Dear Family, Well, we are about ready to depart for our mission to Japan.  This past week has been a fun ride. We gave the newly constructed canoe a shakedown cruise,

then made some fabrication adjustments. We took a quick trip to Seattle with Betsy and children to see Matthew in his natural Coast Guard habitat. (see pix) We spent some time watching the grandchildren and then met Betsy and Wells at the airport returning from their St. George Iron Man experience. Congrats to Wells for finishing the grueling race in 16 hours, and on his new job with Nike.

     With much help from Betsy and family, not to mention help from Heidi and Patrick, Jeremy and Annie and Natasha, I think we are getting there. It has been quite an ordeal packing up the house and packing for the mission. We will be set apart this evening and then fly to SLC Sunday afternoon, spend a night with Lynn and Jill, then ten days in the MTC, where toward the end we hope to meet up with Spencer en route to his mission in Hong Kong, and from which we hope to escape periodically to visit with Daniel in rehab. Only ten days because hey have found that older couples learn the language so much faster than the young elders and sisters that those going foreign need less time in the MTC.  We fly to Japan on the 25th.. We keep saying to ourselves: we can do this!

     Meanwhile, Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers, even especially those "...who haven't worked a day in their lives."

We love you, and to those living in the Occident, we will miss you greatly, and we have two words for you: Let's skype!  To the Oriental branch of the family, we are really excited to spend some time with you beyond skype. love, Dad