Final email before Christmas :-)

Mother, I gave you all the information you need to handle it online.  Wasn't that what you asked for? yeah I probaly can get online, but idk what I'm doing.  I have to pay to use internet, and if I don't remember every piece of information I won't know what to do... I left all the info with you. I hadn't written yet because I'm in Ribeirão Preto. I'm singing for part of the Christmas conference and President wanted everyone participating to come early and practice.

 

Mother skype is simple.  First you log in, second you have a list of people on the left hand side of the window.  If you click on one of them it brings up all interactions you have with them front and center. At the bottom of the window you have a space to type words.  If  you type and then hit enter it acts as an Instant messenger program. At the top of the same screen, you should have three green buttons to the right of the contact list and below the personal information that should appear at the top of the window.  One of them should say video conference or video call and this button is free and you can converse with anyone who has skype and if they don't have a web cam it will appear as a phone call because it will be without video, but the video is not necessary to have the conversation and Christmas leave skype up all day. I'll try to call you before hand and tell you about what hour we will be calling, but your time it should be between 10 and 2 O'clock, because I know Brazilinas I will not give you a specific time because when you go to leave their houses they implore you to stay and eat more or whatever they're doing and it literally take about 40 minuets to leave a members house =P

 

My Christmas Present to you all will not be coming the way I had hoped due to money and shipping and time none of which I have.  But I have been given permision by the president whom I personally asked to go on facebook and post your present for you all and you will most likely receive it after the conference call =p lol

Mother, the Lord told you to send the package at a certain time to ensure that it would arrive here for my Christmas.  Were you obedient?  If you were, why doubt ye the Lord, and what He is capable of doing? In short, what does your heart tell you?

 

The Lord always blesses us when we do our part, and if Elders are teaching and not baptizing, then they aren't teaching well and if they aren't teaching well it is because the Spirit cannot adequately work with them for what ever fault they have yet to take care of.  If they will humbly go to the Lord and earnestly seek His will they will have success, and if they will not--culpa deles. My companion and I have had limited success because we have been working to clean the inside of the cup first as I touched upon last week, but we are doing much better this week and my hopes are high that we will yet have more success here in this transfer. Do your best to do everyting you can, go as far up the field as you can and after you've gone 90 yards and given it your all, the Lord will see the other ten.

 

The only other thing that has really happened, is that into my hands has fallen one of the most enriched talks I have ever seen delievered. It was not suprisng to me that everything the talk tried to address I had already been thouroughly taught in my own home, but the little sentences have sent my mind flying in all diferent philisophical directions has been almost completely uncomprehendable. I will be sending dad a copy of the talk as soon as I can get a copy of it. It is my belief that he already knows and understands the contents, for the most part if not in it's entirety, but I thought that he might like a copy as well so have to go now so I hope you all have a good day, you all take it easy enjoy Christmas and I'll see you - family - on Christmas day.

 

Peace Out

Elder Lund

Kyle,

How has your week gone?  Is the work progressing?  What are your plans for Christmas?  For my first Christmas, the entire district was invited to a member's home and we had dinner and played games all day.
How do you like having Christmas in the heat of the summer?

I hope things are going well.

Love you,

Dad

It's awful! Fortunately the lord know the desires of our hearts even before we do and he has put me in one of the coldest cities on the mission and we regularly get rain here and when it's raining it's kinda cold sometimes really cold so in a small way it's like home. I like it. So Christmas eve we are all going to a members house for dinner on the other side of the city, then our LZs want us to all sleep at their house, but none of my district wants to so after dinner we're all going to come home, and then Christmas day, we have lunch at a members house and then we will go to another members house and make cobbler with them, and we received permission from president to watch a charlie brown Christmas too so we will watch that with their family and then for Christmas dinner we will be at another members house...lol and we be skyping from leandros house also ...so those are our Christmas day plans lol right now I'm in Ribierão Preto because we have the Christmas conference tomorrow and we'll have the whole mission together...=) also mom's package got here, it's in the office so I'll be taking it home tomorrow and opening it in the privacy of my house  lol without the entire world wondering what I got. and i have very thankful and very sad....you sent everything we need to make fudge, but  have come to the point where even the least amount of milk drives me crazy, so we may be taking the fudge and making it for leandro and his family also since I will be unable to eat it, but other will enjoy the present. and if you sent toffee I don't know if it has milk or not so I will be eating that and if it does it will be a transgression not a sin and there is no time for you to tell me cause  will have eaten it before you can return my letter1 wuahhahaha lol I WIN!

Love ya dad

bye bye

Kyle

This week was.......

CRAP!  President has had a new fabulous idea and has offered a reward for the zone that can do the best work this month. Everything is given points and whoever has the most points at the end of the transfer will get to win an opportunity to have an all you can eat pizza buffet  and watch Toy Story 3 with the President and his wife. Why is this bad? Well, I have been with two comps-both Brazilians-who lied about their numbers to make the goal and have their picture put up online for everyone to see. And so now with an added bonus at the end it is only going to make that worse. My Birthday was quite pleasant and I will leave it at that for now =) However, I was sick for two and a half days this week and am still not back to one hundred percent because I had the pleasure of working thorugh it anyways which was utterly miserable!  None of our investigators were at church and the ones who were at church last week wouldn't see us this week. 

 

Good news, we are still alive! Christmas is almost ready to be mailed to you all and I have been invited by a member in the branch here, along with the other missionaries, to skype for my Christmas call which would mean that if Johnathan has skype and father and mother get skype on the computer than I can talk to everyone and see you all on Christmas day, which to say the least would be pretty sweet! I think that's about it for this week.  Being sick is really aweful and things have to go up some time. um... I hope all my brothers are doing well and having fun preparing for Christmas--my sister as well.

 

Fun experience...kinda, Irma Renata is a wonderful blessed daughter of God who always feeds us and refuses to let us leave until she has to roll us out of her house. One day she will be a member of the church but she isn't yet for a few personal reasons, but she has recieved answers many times that the church is true she just hasn't recognized them has her answers in full. But she was talking and she has a northern accent so I don't understand a thing she says, but I was trying desperately to pay attention to her and help her in some way, both Elder Davis and I were. However it was increasingly difficult because my comp was continuously flirting with one of her two very beautiful twin daughters.  I was growing increasingly frustrated with him and then with Elder Davis' comp as well who eventually  joined with the daughter and my comp. And through my frustration, lack of understanding her northern accent I just could not think of any way to help her. As I said in my heart, "how do we help her?  She is trying to reach out to us but I just don't know what to do.." the words, -Elder Davis has a scripture came clearly to my mind and I turned to find him with an open Book of Mormon and I said, "Elder Davis do you have a scripture for us?"

 

He later told me that  he didn't want to share the scripture but when he heard me ask, he heard -Elder Davis you have a scripture for us -- rather than what I actually said and we shared the scripture and it was very helpful to her and then we went home a danced in the rain =) This has been a condensed version because I'm running out of time to I will talk to you all later and hope you all have a good week and a better one than I had last week..lol  But that really isn't hard to do, so you should have all succeeded lol

Peace Out!

Elder lund

Two Peas in a Pod.

Today you get my letter first and then Kyle's response:

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost, 1923

I thought you might want to read the original.  President Monson LOVES good literature and has memorized many, many poems and quotes, and scriptures.  Robert Frost actually wrote the words you attributed to President Monson.  Robert Frost is my favorite poet.  Here is my very, very favorite poem and the one I chose to include in our family scrap-booking pages this year.  It is called the Road Less Traveled.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

...Robert Frost

That is my all-time favorite and the one that helps me to remember that when I travel roads less taken, within the gospel parameters, by the world particularly, it will make all the difference.

So.....I loved the quote that came to your mind from the President of SVU.  Yes, you are right!!  The experiences we have are what make us into who we are and who we need to be.  Without the pain and loneliness, we cannot truly appreciate the joy and love of friendship and companionship.  And then, because we have experienced the opposite, we revel and bask in the warmth of those who really complete us and help us to reach for the divine potential within us and push us to be better than who we are.  I know that is why I love your father so much.  He will not allow me to be less than I am and his perception of where I am or where he thinks I should be drives me to improve.  It is still a painful process sometimes, because it is growth and challenge, but I am more than 100 times better a person today than I was when we were married.  And I can pretty much handle others disappointment in me, but if I receive it from your father....oooh ouch!!  That hurts!!  Then I try to fix it.

I hope you are enjoying your new companion.  I'm sure you have sat up nights laughing and laughing (hopefully not, you've been working too hard instead.)  Also, I was wrong, Sam comes home in FEBRUARY!!!!  No joke!!

What cool holidays does Brazil celebrate??  KK, love you buddy!!

And here is my birthday song for you!!---Happy, happy birthday Kylee dear, happy days will come to you all year.  If I had one wish than it would be, That we could be together for your 20th birthday!!  We hope you have a fabulous day!!  happy 20th Kyle!! 

Love you, love you!
Mom

I don't know if you knew this or not, but Robert Frost is My favorite poet and the road less traveled has been my favorite poem since I read it sophomore year of high school in English class! =) I LOVE THAT POEM!!!! =) Yeas my new companion is awesome! we have been having a lot of fun this week and I have worked harder this week than I have any other week, because I've been the one planning since I know the area and where we need to go. and He's technically senior, but this is his first transfer as senior so he's still a little bit slow on somethings and I've done more than he has in some areas so I'm enjoying it because we work as equals, but I've been more the senior because I know the people and area, which I have really enjoyed setting my own pace and working and not following. I know it's important to know how to follow, but it's awful following =P

 

I have two main questions to ask. When I was little there were two movies that I watched a lot. One was about an otter and a little girl and it was really sad...=( but really funny too. Then the other was a Christmas movie about a little stuffed bear it was a cartoon and the only scene I can remember is a delivery truck driving away and the narrator saying, "One stop away from where lost socks end up," or something like that =P What two movies are these? Do you know? So far the only holidays that I know are Christmas and carnival....lol um...We had two more baptisms this week and it's my birthday and I really don't know what else to say. lol I sunburned my head when I cut my hair too short and now it's disgustingly flaky and my comp and I saw one of the most deadly snakes in the world this week for which there is no cure. But it looked like a worm, but its a good thing we didn't pick it up like we wanted to. lol It's called the blind snake or something like that.  Idk in English but I have to go before my time runs out take it easy and have a good one!

love you all bye =)

Elder Lund

More Growth and Development

This week has been good, it went by kinda slow. I have many time found myself is situations where I feel all alone, where my comps don't talk to me all day where no one on the streets want to talk to us, where none of my friends are near by and I walk through the day waiting for the hour I can go home and have someone to talk to in my dreams where I'm back with friends and family and constatnly have someone by my side. I never went anywhere without friends, and everywhere I've gone I've always looked for new ones and so I have really struggled when I feel left on my own without anyone who wants to be standing by my side. I know the Lord is always by my side, but walking alone by faith isn't the same as laughing with a friend or a brother. I was praying one night very sad and upset at how alone I had been. And the words of a letter I had recieved from the president of SVU came to mind.  He had quoted President Hinkley when he said, "the road of a leader is a long and lonely road to travel, it is hard and difficult. But if the leader doesn't travel it he will never become the leader he needs to be, the imovable rock that his follwers will need and look to." Everything has a point and a purpose and everything is set in preparation for what is yet to come. I don't usually like to talk about what is happening because it is hard and difficult and walking it is hard enough without talking about it too. I'd rather smile and laugh--find jokes to tell and songs to sing.  You do that the best you can and work with all your might, but if you don't laugh when the road hits it's end all you're going to have is a miserable memory.  If you can find something to laugh about then in the end you'll have a story to tell. So I tell my stories and keep the rock to myself. No one want to hear about those anyways. lol

I forgot to tell you last week to thank Sister Ross for me, and tell Sister Craig that her christmas and seminary class will most likely be comming later than hoped for. I wasn't transfered this week but my comp was and now I'm with Elder Anderson, who is an American and I was with him a lot of divisions back in Rio Preto.  So I'm excited!  I really like the kid. I really don't have anything eles to say today.  This week wasn't full of many stories. lol Take it easy everyone  have a good one and enjoy the road you're on. You'll all hopefully be hearing from me around Christmas time, and I'll see you all before you know it. =) Just keep moving forward it's all you can do. I have miles to go Before I sleep and Promises to keep ~ President Monson

Peace Out EVryone

Elder Lund

ps I'll be sending you the number for the Christmas call soon. I can't call you guys so you'll have to figure out some way to handle that =)

Bibiddy Bobbidy Booped..

Then we got Bibiddy Bobbidy Booped by the magic man. ssssssssssssssssssssoooooooo yeah.....um...I can't tell you much about this week because I can't.  One day you'll all find out, but not today =) We didn't have a baptism this week. I didn't even know the training was world wide and came from Salt Lake, and no we probably can't watch it, there's just no time...=P

Please tell Sister Craig that I just got her letter that she sent at the begining of October, with your letter and Jacob's letter too. I just got those this week and Please tell Sister Craig that I'm working of something really speciall for her class.

The only other thing I really have to say is that I certainly hope that you're not baptizing a lot of people.  If you are, you might need to go ans speak with Bishop Edmonds....and I'm really surprised Dad didn't say anything...lol

Quesions, how much time do James and Sam have on their missions? I don't remember when they left....My comp really wants a hat, and wanted me to ask you if you could buy him one and send it down here, he said he'd pay me back, but after I thought about it, That doesn't really get the money back to you at all and the postage is probably a lot too, but I told him I'd ask. um....

Pretty much I haven't laughed this hard since I was with Elder Bernards, And you will all love me, and this week was really up and down but it'll all be good and once again I have a short letter. sorry everyone, but you'll all understand soon. =)

Peace Out and Take it easy

Elder Lund

Still strugglin'...

This week was.....yeah I don't want to talk about it. My comp isn't talking to me cause he's mad at me, and he's mad at me because I didn't understand a rule and then I had broken it before and he didn't say anything so I thought I understood the rule, but then when I broke it again, he got mad at me and now he isn't talking to me. We had three baptisms this week. I can't even tell you who they are...well I kinda can, but I've only visited them twice, but apparently my comp and his previous companion taught them a lot, but I dont think one of them wanted to be baptized so it was difficult for me.  And pretty much life is just a whole lot of....nothing dad wants me writing to everyone....so...yeah...I really don't have anything else to say about our work.

 

We get to go buy food today! That will be nice.  I have a sweet idea for Christmas that I'm going to try and pull off. My Birthday is in a month. Happy thoughts. lol

 

Johnathan really isn't comming home for Christmas?  Well that's a whole lot of nothing dad wants me to write everyone....

 

So I really miss everyone too! =P And your pictures are in Ribeirão Preito right now so I'll get those when someone brings them to Franca. I have been writing a lot of cool things like poems and stories. And Elder Nelson and I have been debating a lot about comics. Pretty much we're at the conclusion that they need to redo the X-men series keeping Origins.  Batman was Epically amazzing, Ironman kicked trash, but we disagree about Spiderman.  We both liked the first one, but he thought that the third one had too many villans and I hated the emo crap they had in it. The second one I don't remember too well but he liked it and I remember not liking all of it, but I don't remember why....We talked mostly about X-men. Pretty much they needed to do character development better.  They need to remake the first one and make Sabertooth look like Wolverine and how he does in Origins, and as far as the others go they need to include the main characters that they excluded in the movies, namely Gambit, The Beast, Rouge needs a bigger part and they can't kill Sabertooth in the first movie, and only Wolverine has to be the one to kill Sabertooth, not Cyclopse.

 

You know what I really like---Mountains. And serving a mission is a lot like climbing a mountain. There are a lot of times when you just want to quit and go home. And life is hard and miserable.  But you keep climibing up because you know that once you get to the top, the sight and sense of accomplishment will make every cut and scratch, every fall and sharp rock worth every mile of it. So you drudge on one step at a time trying not to fall and trying to hold on.  Doing your best and climbing to hopefully accomplish something and the whole way up trying to sing a song or find something to laugh at to make the climb more enjoyable. But once you reach the top, you'll understand why you did it and you'll know it was all worth it and you'd do it all again, all just to get to the top.

I didn't tell you all my epiphany last week on elders! I must tell you all this! So I was thinking as I was sitting on the toilet, why is it that Elders go strait home and get married so quickly and the answer came.  Kyle, have you ever know a time in your life when you were happier being as miserable as you are now? No I don't believe I do. When you go home are you going to be misserable? No life will be good. In otherwords, when Elders come home, life is too perfect!  And over the course of the last two years they have come to associate misery with happiness. When they are miserably serving their missions they're happily passing the time away. So in thier minds they need problems to be happy. So they come home and when everything is just too perfect they turn to women so they can have problems again and when they find someone who creates a lot of problems then they marry her so that their problems can last and they can be miserably happy for the rest of their lives! =) Well that's the story of my life for this week and now I'm going to go fishing! Take it easy everyone.  Enjoy life and remember to have a good time!  Love you all! =) Peace out!
Elder Lund

The Story of my Life:

So the story of my life can be described as such, I regularly have these epically amazzing awsome incredible ideas occur in my brain that I can't resist. These epically amazzing ideas are followed by smaller stupid ideas to help make the great epic ideas more epic! These small stupid ideas are encourage by groups of friends who are edged on by the prospect of seeing soemthing really funny. Then these small stupid funny ideas are followed by consequences... Many people have and will look at me and ask, "didn't you learn anything from the first few stupid ideas that you had and the consequences they brought you?" My response, "Why yes, I learned that a week after the consequences they make for great stories. And I have a lot of great stories! =)

 

So that bomb thing sounds just like...awesome....lol Yeah I like Joe! =) So pretty much everytime anyone here in Brazil says try, the missionaries respond, "The Devil, tries!"

"Do, or Do Not! There is no try!"

 

And no Brazil doesn't celebrate halloween, or anything like it, but I believe that previous missionaries have converted the Franca members because they are going to do something tomorrow kind like it, but I'm pretty sure they're gonna give away candy...not ask for it...very anti-American! lol

 

So you tell me about Darren and the first thing that came to my mind was my taller brother running down a corridor and running into a wall, and then I thought hey, maybe it looked a little like Napolian Dynomite and before I even finished reading what you had written I started laughing really loud and it was really funny! lol I want a picture of that! lol I bet it looks really funny too! I love you D, but I just cant see how it's not funny.  If anyone else had done it you and I both would be laughing especailly if it had been me!! lol

 

Okay if you send me paperwork I'll work on it.

 

Work here is going slowly, we really don't have any progressing investigators which I'm not used to.  So I'm trying to figure out how to turn what have become social calls back into lessons and scripture study, but it's going slowly =P and since I spent so much time debating with my father, I really don't have time to write anything else becaue I have to go email President. Sorry. Hope you enjoy the letter and my many sarcasticly rude remarks that flew to personal emails today, because I sure DID! =)  Love you all

Até Mais

Elder Lund

A Breath of Fresh Air.......Transfers!

Yes you do, apparently if you don't send it now I'll get it in March. Every Elder is having their packages sent now. So that was a good call. Also I forgot to ask for two things if they fit with everything. I would love HONEY! in one of those little squeeze bears or three or four of em lol. If you can send it honey comb would be ammazxzing and roasted almonds. =) Once again though I don't expect everything just more ideas =)

 

Well this week was the longest week ever! I did talk to President about everything in interviews and afterward he burned the crap out of my companion and after that my companion didn't talk to me for the rest of the week. He then proceeded to try and make as many last minuet changes as possible and exclude me whenever we had members around, and especially when we had investigators. He also sent me on divisions which he got to last more than the expected time so I wound up in Mirassole for three days with one shirt one pair of pants and two garments until I could get back to my area. I also didn't get to say goodbye to anyone personally because he was angry and didn't want to do anything I wanted to do. So to say the least when I heard that I was being transferred, and it was official, I raised my arms and yelled, "WWWHHOOOOOOOOOOOO YEAH!"

 

It did make me sad to go though because I Love Anchieta but there is no way |I could do another 6 weeks with him! I did get up in testimony meeting and tell everyone how glad I was to be there and how much I love them all, but there were people that were really special that weren't at church and I didn't get to say anything to them before I left....I spent Saturday night singing the song from Winnie the Pooh's Grand Adventure when he misses Christopher Robin and is singing to the stars in the tree cause that's pretty much how I felt for most of the week.

 

BUT Elder B Anderson received in his package a bottle of honey in a bear and we were together in Mirassole, and I thought to myself, "Kyle when was the last time you had a honey sandwich? idk. goll, I was probably 10....Kyle You need a honey sandwich again! Okay!" I I went and got some Bread and stuff and Elder B Anderson and I made home made rootbeer floats and honey sandwiches and laughed the night away! =) I pretty much ate the entire bottle of honey in one night! fortunetly for me he was okay with that. =)

 

AND On my way to my new area I got to see Elders Larett and Lau, who are some of my favorite people in the whole world!! They're the elders I was in the CTM with and It was so good to see them! =) Elder Lau has been called as the new financial secretary and Elder Larett in in Ribierão Preto. it was really great to see them again! =) And Now I'm in a new house that's bigger, with a new companion who everyone has said works hard and obeys the rules and our house is CLEAN!!!!!! I'm in Franca now! Aeroporto 2, is the name of our branch and everyone who I trust has told me it's one of the best places in the Mission! =) So I'm very excited to be here glad to be away from my old companion and ready to get back to work since we didn't work at all last week. But we did have the Baptisms Marcela and her two sons were the last baptisms I had in Anchieta. I taught them for two months with 5 other Elders and I was so happy when they got baptized! they were really great! =) well that's pretty much been my life. Summary of Anchieta, In one of the strongest wards I have ever seen with some of the best people I have ever meet we had 8 baptisms with 1 family, 4 of whom can or already have received the priesthood, and more stories than I have time to write. All thanks to the blessings of the Lord.

 

Hey, I know someone else who didn't like reading when he started...lol I love you Jojo!

Yupe, that's Spencer, I also know someone else who's explosive, he's My little brother, we're two of a kind! =) Love ya shorty! That's nifty...I have no interest in the cello but boa sorte Ally! =) love ya little sis! Daniel! I Love you too! Cause AR's ligit 2 ligit to quit! love ya Jacob and ...yeah....|I don't believe that last part...=P Love ya D Tell Dr. Cody I said HI Back and I said Hi to everyone else too! =) I'm going to send you a picture and some words later if it's okay so you can make me Christmas cards and send them to ppl cause I really don't have the time to do that....and would you mind checking on my bank account for me I've had to use my card when our mission had problems getting missionary's the monthly money and for my medicine as well....I have received reimbursements from the mission for the medicine, but that all goes to the mission account so I'd like to know how much I still have on the card. and I have no idea where I left my tie, I thought it was in the trunk of Dad's car...anyways I've got to go now talk to you all late, take it easy and remember to laugh cause if your not laughing your not living!

Até Mais

Elder Lund

Transfers coming up...

Okay, so My favorite talk was hands down Elder Uchtdorf's. Why because my companion is lucky to be alive right now with how frustrated he's made me over the last 5 weeks and he has no idea how close to dieing he has really come. President Uchtodorf's talk reminded me that I'm not going to be perfect in following any of the rules ever, perfection is the goal, but I cant let my frustration stop me from having a good time and having the spirit with me. The only thing I can do is play the hand I've been dealt the best I can and then pray the lord forgives my short comings and makes up the rest. However transfers end this week, and hopefully things will improve. Whether that means change or not, I don't know. But we have interviews with our President on Wednesday and there are some things that I will be talking to the President about. So This week we had two more baptisms, Vinicius and Gilereamy, 10 and 9 years old. They are the two sons of Marcella who will be baptized as well this Wednesday! I'm so Excited for her and her family! I've been working with them for two months with three different companions, teaching and bring to activities, and spending time with their family. And they're finally ready! =) I'm so excited! her husband will need some more time, but I think in a few years he will come around as well. =) She has stopped smoking and is making her way through the BoM from start to finish and has been attending church for about a month and an half and now she has friends in the church as well, and I just can't even begin to say how happy I am for her and her two sons! =)
Summary of this week was Conference, Baptism and ASTHMA! =P three days this week I was completely out of everything because of my Asthma, I cleaned the house and Have been struggling with breathing ever since. two days I couldn't even walk to the door or do dishes without being out of breath. The Doctor in São Paulo has me on Medication and an inhaler, but it's different than an American inhaler, and I would really like an American albuterol inhaler that is very strong! If you could some how have Jeff prescribe one for me and send it down here I would Love IT! If you do send it down here, do NOT mark it on the Box when you send it. They may confiscate it or make me pay a few hundred R$ to get it and the inhalers down here are very expensive and harder to use.
I do have my Christmas list if you would like it, Side note if when you send a box the contents add up to more than 50 dollars I will have to pay ridiculous taxes for the box and it would have been a waste. For Christmas I would like Barley! they don't have it down here and I would love some barley. If you send 50 dollars worth of Barley I would Love you! however then nothing else would fit in the box. The other things I can't gt down here are deodorant, and shaving cream. If you send deodorant I would like either Nike degree or right guard stick, my Old Spice stains my garments blue...=P I also REALLYYY want three other things Cosmo, Fudge and toffee! Would be AMAZING! =) as would socks garments and ties, especially my purple tie you got me for Christmas last year, but I left it in Dad's car after our trip to Oregon and didn't bring it to Brazil with me...=P Razor blades would also be nice. Now I don't want you to send all of these things, these are just some Ideas that I would really like and enjoy. There is one request though that I really really really want, but I want it for my Birthday and I will Probably end up buying it here in Brazil. I want the Lion King on DVD with English and Portuguese languages. There is a bookstore here in town where some of the members think I can go and get it and then have it sent to my house until I come home. and I know it's in Disney's vault but I really want it to be waiting for me when I get home and next year I want the second Lion King. So I'm going to go and see if I can find those today for my Birthday and then have them sent to the house to wait for me! =)
Anyways that's enough about what I want to indulge myself with. Please Send the Barley and inhaler! And thank you for the Pictures! =) This week has been really frustrating because of my Asthma and then while I'm studying my companion watches movies and listens to hard music and it's been really frustrating, but it's all good. But we do only have one more week until the transfer is over and I've been hanging out with Elder Campbell a lot, neither of our comps wanted to go to Conference Saturday so I went with Elder Campbell and  we've been together for most of the week end....I was going to say something else too, but I can't remember...It'll probably come back to me as soon as I get off. Oh well, hope everything is going well for every one Love you all, take it easy and have a good one and no I still haven't received your letters lol
Elder Lund

Conference is COMING!!

lol ur silly! Well your letter was really long, but i was happy when I realized that most of it was a conference talk I've alreay read twice so I didn't have to read all of it =) because now I have time to respond lol =) Love ya mom, However, I will NOT be watching conference in Portuguese, they will have an english transmition set up for me to listen to. We were taught very specifically in the CTM NOT to study in Portuguese unless you're studying the language because other wise you spend more time translating and working with Portuguese then you would listening to the Spirit and understanding. So that will be in English for me! =)

That's ligit that Dad spoke with Joe Cherry in sacrament meeting. Man that was forever ago!  The last time I saw Joe, I was at Aaronic Priesthood encampment just before my senior year of high school. That's ligit! I had to talk in Sacrament Meeting too, only mine was the week before I just didn't tell you cause I was not in a talking mood then. But that went well. I was supposed to talk for 10 minuets but I spoke for 20. I like talking it's fun. It was really good for me, I had been really nervous because I still don't conjugate everything the way it should be and portugues is all about accent so I can say the words and conjugate perfectly and some people still won't understand what I'm saying, And then once I hit a word I can't translate and can't simplify I get really stuck too, but I was sitting during the sacrament trying to figure out how to communicate everything I wanted to say and a picture came to my mind. I saw myself playing basketball trying my hardest with all the fury I could muster and falling short, and then I saw myself playing without a care because I loved the game and saw myslef doing amazing things. Then I heard the words Dad would say, "Play the Game." with the addition you play it because it's what you love to do not because you want to be good at it. So I stopped caring, started smiling and when it was my turn I stood up and spoke for ten minuets more than I was supposed to and gave a talk just like it was in english. It was ligit! "the only thing anyone can do, is get on your knees and pray. Then get up and get to work" ~President Hinkley.

One of my favorite quotes is, "A musician must make Music, and artist must Paint, and a poet must Write. If these needs are not meet the person feels restless, on edge, tense and lacking something." ~Manslow.  It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing, we need to be who we are. You can't be somthing your not, and trying to be will only lead to a life of disappontments. I love when we were watching the Incredibles and Dad pointed out that it doesn't matter what's going on around us we're always happier when we act like who we are. Who we were before we came to earth.

 

Well I have to go, my time is just about up. Take it easy and remember to take the side road once in a while just to see where it goes. Love you all!

 

Elder Lund

New Address

Missão Ribeirão Preto

Rua São Sebastião, 1003

Centro

Ribeirão Preto – Sp

14015-040

MTC Photos

Kyle's MTC Photos

Kyle's missionary photos (MTC)

Still difficult...

HAHAHAHA, The whole seminary class is going to follow his sleeing example! lol =) Love ya D lol This week was Better, Dificult but better! I have learned something this week. Every Problem I have had on my short mission can be traced back to not carring if the house is clean or dirty. If the House is clean I have no problems, everytime the house is a mess so is my work...lol funny how that works. So we cleaned the house, at least part of it. I really dont have time to clean everything, but I make sure there is nothing on the ground, the garbage is taken out, the floor is swept and I'm the only one who really does the dishes. and when those things are good so is life! =) Moral of this week, The way you care for the blessing heavenly father gives you is the way that he will help you in your times of need. His spirit can not dwell in a dirty place.

Why did Richard stop by? That's nifty that he did! =)

Love YOu JOSHUA!!!

um...yup that sounds likd Johnathan...he would forget to activate his card...glad that you finaly heard from him, he only writes after I write to him and say "yeah thanks for writing...." lol then he writes lol Brilliant in Science and Math and all this crap I dont care about. lacking the inititive to pay attention in everything I do care about lol

 Hope Everything is going well I'm going to go to the book store and get a dictionary! =) I LOVE BOOKS! They make me SMILE! =) Love you all, take it easy and have a good week!

Elder Lund

Hard Week

Kyle has had a really difficult week.  Please keep him in your prayers.  Here is his email:

To some it is given to run and play
To some it is given in a later day
Some people know that joys of life
While other try not to take spite
Some know beaches sun and moon
Others know only the sound of gloom

The world spins round like a ball

But some only understand the fall
This life is greener on the other side
Why oh why then do we abide
And sit through times of grief and pain

Unless for some other reason we do remain
To give heed to our masters call

"Come follow me, I know how to climb this wall
I have been through here before

I know it please, oh please do not ignore"

If we heed to him ahead
We will find love about our bed
And at night when we lay down to sleep
Knowing that love surrounds us deep
This life is but a short time of despair and grief

And then lifted up to meet our Master, King and Chief

Then with loving tongue and words so kind

we will hear the words, "blessed be thou child of Mine"
And then greater joy than all the earth we'll know
As we have followed Him who traveled down below
And by his side we shall stand
Oh, blessed be the Masters Hand!


~the Artist of Words~

For today....

Yup, those are my Brothers! =) Great Line Josh! And Cookies do solve EVERY Problem! =] I should know, u just cant be upset when your eatting a cookie, its not possible. We made cookies twice this last week...Elder Bernards hurt his back (shhh dont tell his mom that) and our leaders got mad at him when he tried to keep working so we were out for a few days and one of them we went over to a members house and made cookies and then the second time we made them for Bia and her family. And Daniel would spend the whole day in the hospital...again! lol Glad ally's talk went well =) Well We had another Baptism this week, three total for my first Transfer. Marlon is his name and hes ligit, his mom tried a few times to talk him out of it, she wasnt prhibiting him, but wanted him to study more and attend church more first, but he presented the delema to her like this, "Mom can I be baptised...you need to give me an answer quick cause we're having the baptism on sunday and if you say yes then we're good and if you say no then we're still having the baptism on sunday and your welcome to come. =) " He's ligit! We're also teaching Marcela and her family she has two sons one is 10 and the other is 9, idk how to spell their names...=( and her husband as well. They're really cool, everyone has a book of mormon and the kids read it too and put stickers on theirs and then they love to goof around and I play with them kinda like they're my brothers. I Love thier family hopefully they'll be baptized soon! My Companion was DEAD this week he got on a bus to strat his journey home today and im not going to lie the last two weeks have been really difficult as he wanted to work less and less, but its all good I loved having him around. My new comp shows up today around three and so we'll have to go pick him up and take him back to the house, he's brazilian so I will not be speaking anymore english for a while...it'll be good for my português. Did learn a few good thigs lately, like condensed milk...did you know that it has milk in it...well I figured that out when I couldnt breath a few weeks ago, but it taste really good! =) No I havent gotten your letters yet, but they could be in Ribierão Preto, everything goes there and then they bring it to us. Yeah you could just mailem to me it's just that them I have to have them printed out here, but that should work just fine...and yeah pictures of EVERYONE like family and friends especially Richard and Edy and Rhys and Isa and Haley...if you have em lol =) Thanks Mom Love You all Elder Lund

Nifty experience yesterday, I was asked to speak at the baptism and when I got up there I started talking, and then after my companion said that He couldnt understand a word I said, but everyone understood what I meant thanks to the spirit. It was really ligit!
Some times I can speak Português really well, and other times I can't say a word for my life, but if I start a lesson with a prayer ask for the spirit to be there and then speak to keep him there with us everyone understands what I'm trying to say even though I cant say it. A very comforting thought =) Thought I'd add that to the letter too =)
 

New Address

OK Friends and Family,
Kyle has a new address.  Here it is.  It is different from the one the mission president sent us just two weeks ago and it looks like it takes affect today, Aug. 30, 2010.  So, letters and packages to this address:

Missão Ribeirão Preto

Rua São Sebastião, 1003

Centro

Ribeirão Preto – Sp

14015-040

Baptisms in the beginning

Solid! thats ligit! Well Bias Baptism went well, I was the one doing the baptism and so I was nervous, and it didnt help that they gave me the wrong prayer to memorize...They gave me the prayer in 3rd Nephi, but the actual prayer that we use today is in D&C 20 so that we great and they had to correct me five times, but I only dunked Bia once. Here mom and her Step Dad and her friend came and after the Baptism here friend wants to be baptised and so were going to teach her on Tuseday, and Bias step dad described how he felt as he watched bia get baptised and he flet the spirit really strongly and it completely over came it it was AWESOME!! Elder Bernards taught them and things are looking like they will get married and baptised along with Bias brother Jean which would be sweet, but her Brother Allen we dont think is interested and he didnt want Bia to get bapised either...was dificult it was, but theith family likes us and we really enjoy them, we were over every day last week to help Bia before she was baptised =) I was going to send pictures but these computers arent equimpt with a drive for the cameras memory card so maybe another day. So my companion goes home in two weeks and as such he talks about home quite a bit and it can be very distraction and I really missed having brothers around to wrestle with and a tank to slap and a sister to bug and and a father to argue with and bigger brothers to hit and joke with and a mother to cook all of my food! =P 'twas not the best of weeks for me. I love Elder Bernards and we have great times together, but Ill be excited once he goes home and stops talking about it! lol As far as Português goes I understand almost everything that I read without translating and I understand people a lot better too when they speak without translating and meny times this week I had conversations with brasilians without translating they spoke português and I responded like it was english 'twas nifty 'twas! I have also learned that when I don't have the spirit with me I undertand Português similarly to how I understand chinees. It makes a HUGE difference! But Plino asked me earier how my Português was comming and I said "so so" but from the other room my companion yelled "BETTER!" So I guess there is some improvement lol But it took me 4 months total before I could start understanding and responding in the Language...that is when they don't use slang or sur or only pronounce a part of the word. When people speak properly I understand everything, not every word, but what they're saying. And then there are people who speak and I don't even catch the word Elder =P lol It's all good, it's fun! =) So This morning Was FREEEZZZZING!!! We Woke up and it was SOOOO cold outside!!! our feet were numb and we could almost See our BREATH!! We thought we were going to DIE!! So seriously when I do get home Im going to cook you all out! I think that is everything for now! Até Mais Elder Lund

 

PS~if my brothers and sister want to write e-mails they can because I ave more time and I still havent recieved your letters, and are you going to be abel to send pictures? just ourious if your not I can figure something out =)

First Field Assignment---Anchieta

Momma? I have never said momma...when did u start talking like a hick? I thought you had a college degree? (nothing against anyone who says momma incase you decide to post this online) but what the crackerjacks is up with that? Anyways Para freckin Bens to Jojo! way to Read! Tell Shorty I still havent recieved his letter, or anyone elses for that matter (plus all mail is to go to the Mission Home not to our addresses so I will only be recieving mail every 6 weeks aproximately) You should have Rhys and Isa Shoot me an E-mail to let me know what their address is so I can write them, I would appreciate that. Hope everyone is doing well, I do have a new companion, his name is Elder Bernards he goes home at the end of this transfer. We are both new to this area, we replaced two Sisters. We are in Anchieta (area) it is the North East part of the City São José Rio Preto...I dont think were in the state of São Paulo anymore.Our Appartment is small, but clean which is good. We dont have a lto of room so were living out of our suitcases and hanging clothes outside to dry and then leaving them there till we need them. We have breakfast every Morning and then aftermemers provide lunches for us...(Everyone Drinks Soda, its pretty much unavoidable which is afful, but this soda doesnt have highfrutoscornsyrup and i think my body is used to it again =P )  I had my First Brazilina BBQ on Sunday, we were at a members house who was very well off and it being a birthday there was more food than a tulmaou BBQ it was really good! =) Im getting better at Português, my comp says ive improved a lot in just my first week. We had to bear our testimonies em reuião do sacramento, and I was pretty much scared out of my pants, but everyone said I did well. We work hard and reached the mission goal of making 160 contacts even though we were short of days because of my coming from the CTM.  Rio Preto is a Mais Quente que São Paulo então im not used to it yet =P but it is good my favorite part of the day is after 430 when the sun begins to set and leave us alone, but the whole day is good. Weve had some really frustrating days, especially me, but each day is new and all you can do is get back to work until you get it right. Still dont quite have a schedule down yet, for sundays or p-day so ill have to work on those, but its been good my body has needed the rest today. We area also allowed to play Soccer out here, which is pretty much the coolest thing EVER!! and I LOVE IT!!! it is a completely different kind of game, but its good. We have to go now. Hope everything is going well for everyone, and wish everyone good luck with school in a month! Elder Lund

Finally........a photo!

We haven't heard from Kyle this week.....he should have left the CTM and be headed out to the field!!  We are expecting to hear from him on Monday!  He sure looks happy in his ORANGE tie........don't remember him leaving with that one!

Letter from this week!!

You guys still havent gotten which letter? Im so confused....we went out to eat today at a resurant It was AMAZZING!! It was all you can eat meat, and I mean ALL YOU CAN EAT! they brought us meat on the scewers they had cooked it on and then they would cut us eacha slice and then leave and then someone else would come by with a different kind of meat, It was SO GOOD!!! We all ate way too much and im really tired. Fun Story, Brasil Played yesterday and as we were practicing teaching our teachers (all of them from all three or four classes) were huddled around someones phone from which they were watching the game...then later when we were eating dinner we randomly hear the kitcken staff - who I thought werent there due to my lack of visual contact - yelling goal from the back of the kitcken at which point the entire cafetiera then erupted into a choras of cheers and celebrations over Brasils third goal! It was definatly and exciting day! lol Speaking is going really well, I can speak the language now, but I sometimes have to repeat myself, or realize that waht I said wasnt a word and have to rephrase, but Im getting better at it. =) idk if ive already told you guys, but we get two new elders from Provo this week, two of them go theri visas so they will be joining us tomorrow....were not that excited about it, but were all going to fake a smile and act like were happy to see them...lol its going to be an interseting week! weve been on our own for the last six and we do everything together and now were going to have others and they wount be able to do everything with us or understand any of our inside jokes....its going to be a GREAT week! and were all going to have to work hard at everything just like the first three week! =)  Cool story ill let ya know how it goes in a week lol Elder Lund

Letters from last week (I was at camp!)

Thanks Dad, Yeah i did know about Brasil lol I wrote about it in my letters, but idk when youll get them, on game day we hear the horns for 4 hours before the game starts and everytime they score we hear it throughout the CTM its sweet. My district doesnt like it, but I love it! Some of the Elders are set to go tracting in downtown São Paulo but since Brasil Playes Portugal that day theyre changing things. Ive heard two stories, one is that they are going to go tracting with us here around the CTM and the other is that theyre going to downtown untill the game starts, either way though President Clark does not want them in down town for the game. Ive also heard that USA tied with England and with Slivania, Mexico kicked italy out...I think...Mexico beat italy, but I dont remember if its was itally~s first or second loss...=P Repeat for LA, thats AWESOME!!! Over half way done we have four of nine weeks left and I can read in the language without an english translation and i speak and teach in the language, but I still run into ideas that I dont know how to say and then i have to stop speaking and try and simplify my language to where I can comunicate. But im improving and yeah thats pretty much it I study for 11+ hours a day eat and exercise...lol hope everythinkg is going well Elder Lund

We go tracting this friday, not last friday so we havent been yet I wrote about Elder Anderson a little bit in my letter so...yeah lol it was good =) lol Hes ligit and his wife is really nice. Thats sweet Edy got that, shed better write me about it or Im gona complain! lol mom should be at Girls Camp now if I understood correctly so yeah lol she better have mailed those letters, cause I cant write spencer back yet till I get his letter! Tell joshua i said "cool story!"  Tell DAniel good luck with his puppy! =) Tell Ally I love her, and tell my other brothers, to ply nice with the other kids, unlsee of couse one of the other kids wants to fight, then they have to kick the other kids butt! hope mom does well with her contest! =) Fun Fact, Ive written so much in my journal that Im not sure how long it will last me, but I had a cool idea, since I only write on one page, once I fill the book, Im going to flip it upside down and write the other way! =) Take it Easy Elder Lund PS I like how this letter is titled World Cup and then has nothing to do with the World Cup lol

Brazil ROCKS!!

Oui Familia. Eu quero vocês para sabem que Eu AMA Brasil! (sorry if the congigations are off...lol)  A Cupa do Mundo Started this week and the entire country has been abblazz! especailly since Brasil plays South Korea to day in an hour. In every stroe you walk into A Cupa do Mundo is playing on a television or radio and everyone is blowwing on a horn and wearing soccer jerseys, its the best thing EVER! My entire district is hating all the excitement since we can all hear the horns that people blow on the streets everywear no CTM. But while its driving them all crazy im having the time of my life, there seriously isnt a better country anywear! =) - Glad that you got my letter, maybe now you~ll be getting them on a regular basis. ive sent the family and richard and edy letters every week, but i dont have anyone elses address so I havent sent any other letters...=P Im doing really well with português i dont know a lot of vocabulary, but i know the grammer and sentece structure. and Ive been reading a lot in Português and Im understanding a lot more than I was so thats a good sign =) Sorry these messages arent very intertaining I write most of what I want to say in the letters. and then I run out of things to say...we still only have 4 ppl in out distric, but were good with that we have great times =) we gor prosyliting next friday for our first time, but thats not till next week and everyone is trying to make sure everything is perfect for when Elder Anderson comes on thursday, but other than that we just do the samethings eeryday..mostly study, with 11 hours of that. um...yeah lol that really it lol fun side note- one of the elders in our branch recieved a pacage this week, His mom spent 35 dollars in the states to send it, and then he had to spend 68 haies to get the package. So if you do send something make sure its USED, Wear it or OPEN it first then clame it NOT NEW or w/e lol but even that may be more expencive than just putting money on the debit card....which is nifty. =) Thats really all lol I study all day and talk about soccer when Im not studying lol hope everything is going well! Say hi to everyone for me  Tell my brothers that if they dont go to Brasil, Im sure their missions will be good for then, but mine is/will be/and always be THE BEST!            Elder Lund                         

                              PS     Obrigao por o Filemeos address. Good Luck with Girls Camp. Badmitten isnt a girls sport its an old ppl sport.

Letter from Kyle

um...to start I didnt send anything priority mail...everything ive mailed has been in exactly the same way three stamps and in the box...so u should have gotten the other letter, cause i mailed one to the family with the one to richard and edy and then i mailed another two the following week and this week i only mailed one cause so far ive only written the families letter but ill send a letter out with the other elders tomorrow. were not allowed to send mail any day other than P-day, but we can write it stap it and give it to the other missionaries and they can drop it off. Also Elder Laret and i, (my companion) did the math and a letter sent from Cal gets here in 7 days. idk how long it takes to get to cal, but after 7 buisness days it will get here. um...the mission is the same thing everyday...lol 8 hours of language and gospel and 3 hours of food and another 4 hours of studying an hour of gym and....sleep...i think...lol its good! there are only 4 of us in our district, Me Elder Chandler and Elder Lau and Elder Laret. so we pretty much do everything together, its pretty amazzing! The Provo Elders will show up whenever they get their visas...right now there are 39 Elders in Provo waiting for visas, but only 16 will be in our district if they actually get out here for any of the ctm experience..we dont really mind not having them around lol we like our small group and we have a routine of things already =) Girls camp should be fun! i wouldnt know but you always have a good time and then talk about it for the next two months so I assume youll enjoy it. lol Cool story, I wrote this in the letter that I sent today, but since u wont be able to appreciate it as much when the letter arives, Elder Anderson from the quorum of the twelve is supposed to be here on the 17...that should be pretty sweet! Elder Lau has been asked to lead the choir when he comes...Elder Lau is really good at music...um i really dont like writing things twice so Im sorry that i dont really say much but I wrote a lot in my letters and they had better get there soon...so yeah...lol um...the language is really good were moving really fast Irmão Nascimento (our morning teacher told us yesterday that we were on lesson 30/35 and normaly hes teaching lesson 16 at this point in the elders CTM experiance. were technically not allowed to speak english anymore...I wrote this all in the letters but since you asked. I can read it pretty well and understand what Im reading, but Im not so good at the whole talking thing...but were all getting better and such. i really dont know what else to say since i wrote just about everything else in the letters and we do the same thing everyday here at the CTM so while Im here there really isnt anything to talk about other than basketball, we play ball 5 times a week, its sweet!!! I do however want to know who won the NBA finals...I heard it was the Lakers and the Celtics that was the last update I got, and I would love updates on the Cupo do Mundo as well being as it starts 3 days and I wont be in the field for a singe day of it, I would LOVE to know who won which games and advanced in which directions, that would make my day! Thank you! =)
Hope Everything is going well, love you all!
Elder Lund

Email, at last!!

We each sent Kyle mail this week, so he had nine notes to read!!  Guess we'll compact it a little.

 

I love to hear from you all, but I barley have time to read the messages and write back, if you wnt to talk write a letter, Ive written 4 two of them are two the family two of them are to richard and edy....I can only use the computer for 30 minuets a week, but I can write letters during MDT. However letters take a minimum of a week to get from sender to reciever and I can only send letters on my P-Day (which is Tuseday darren). Im doing Great, Never been better!!! Our District is only 4 ppl and we all get along really well! =) My companhiero is Bacanna! =) i love him to  death!!! The trip was the longest airplane ride EVER which means that I was uncofortable, I hated the food, I couldnt sleep and since i cant read on a plane, or watch the movies or listen to the music I went out of my mind! but it was good! The CTM is bacana!!! The food is AWESOME!!! I eat everything! and I have beans and rice twice a day, which is probably why I havent had the diarhea everyone complains about...lol we have gym 5 times a week, unfortunatly soccer was outlawed b4 I got here...=( but w/e I love it! um...yes dad I was aware of themeeting with the high counsli...w/e theyre called....and my companhiero heard me speaking em português  last week, which was cool...were all messed up now, sometimes we cant understand english cause were listening for português, and writing in english is getting harder and harder cause in Português its spelled like it sounds...english is muito mau!!! I love some of the teachers and stuglle with others...mainly the one taht doesnt teach us anything....but Irmão nascimento if Bacana!!! and i Love Irmão Peçanha hes the greatest....hope spence enjoyed his field trip, the beach is the best!! and tell joshua he can have my cookie, tell ally im doing fine and im working hard tell daniel that hitting ppl isnt very nice anyways!!! lolHope everyone is doing great. sory I cant go into detail with everyone and actualy talk to them I really dont have time. P-day was much better today than it was last week. Brasil is the most amazzing place ever!!! I love it, on P-day were allowed to go into the area and go o different stores and resturants and talk to ppl and enjoy the community, its SO much betteer than Provo!!! Our district has great times together, we all laugh our ways throgh the day and are constatly telling jokes. We get along well with the other elders too, but we have the most fun by ourselves....I know its kinda selfish but were all really hoping that the other 12 elders that were supposed to arrive with us stay in provo till they have to leave the ctm...lol we like out group. tell my brothers ALL OF THEM not to take anything for grantite....the ppl here have nothing compared to what we have in the states and it~s ridiculous I have to go now....   Love You All Elder Lund

And He's Off!!

Kyle was set apart on Saturday evening.  Drew's parents were able to come.  It was a wonderful experience.  We came home and took our very last family pictures where all of the children would be home.  The next time we will all be together won't be until Jacob returns home from his mission.  By then I'm sure we will have added spouses and maybe grandchildren to the group.  Kyle gave his farewell address in the single's branch.  We all drove up there to hear him.  His testimony has increased immensely.  He is ready to teach others and bear testimony.  What a wonderful parenting payday!!

Then.......it was time to pack.
It was an amazing process.  Kyle packed, unpacked, repacked, decided he needed more luggage, repacked again, shoved, rearranged, sat on luggage to close it, removed a few items, and it was all over the family room for two days.



Monday we spent the day visiting the beach (not in the water though!!) and hanging out with Kyle.  He packed the last few items.  We had our last family home evening with him here.  And as he always does, my sweet husband took time to give Kyle a blessing.  It was a bitter-sweet evening.

The Seminary class intended to fork our lawn the night before Kyle left.  It was raining, so they forked the flower bed instead! Here are a few of our favorite signs: Richard is Kyle's best friend!! And Sister Craig is the seminary teacher. What would the youth do without such fabulous seminary teachers??

Kyle boarded the plane @ 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning.  We haven't heard from him, but my understanding is that that is normal.  We look forward to hearing from our missionary and figuring out when P (Preparation) day is so we can look for our letters.  He has become a permanent part of our family prayers, night and morning, and for all of our meals.   We love you!!  We are proud of you!!!  We are praying for you!!!

New News:  We have heard from Kyle.  He is there and safe.  He says our letter is in the mail when we will know more. 

As a side note, Joshua (Kyle's younger brother) keeps asking if we will get on the computer and find out where he is going to serve his mission........Sweet!!

Visa Paperwork...........FINISHED!!

Today Elder Lund finished his paperwork for his Visa!!  Into the mail it goes.  Only immunizations to finish and clothing to gather.  The paper work deadline is March 9th.