Covid everywhere

 Good morning Jacob!

I sure hope this letter finds you well and I hope you’re looking forward to a good day. Sundays around here are a little weird with church not starting till two. I got up late and took forever to get ready. I thought we were going to go hear grandmas talk, but mom never came home from her meeting. I wish I had gone to support grandma anyway.

I’ve become addicted to a YouTube channel where these two young kids, they look your age, get mangled cars that have been totaled and they rebuild them in their garage. They are fearless, they look like they’re having a riot, they work super hard, and they seem happy. Mostly though, they do cool cars. So far I watched them build a giant ford f-450 (I’m not really sure how that hooked me in, but it did), a really cool bright red Jeep gladiator rubicon (had me kinda wishing I had bought one of those instead of the 4Runner), and now they’re building a Ram TRX, which is like a cross between a dodge hellcat and a ford raptor. It’s amazing how destroyed these things are and how cool they look after. I wonder if they come out reliable at all of if they’re sketchy after. Anyway, it’s very entertaining in a boring dad video type of way.

Mom was asleep when I came to bed and she just woke up from a nightmare. She dreamt she had Covid. That’s a real worry because I know so many people with it right now. Artie and max and now Camille from my side of the family, uncle Steven’s family and uncle David and aunt Laurie and wade from mom’s side of the family, two people at work, a guy I used to work with who is in bad shape in icu on a ventilator, bishop Marchant and his family, and mom said that half the young women in the ward were out with it. What kills me jacob is that there are still so many people that are denying it, or not getting vaccinated, or refusing to wear masks. Today in sacrament meeting the bishopric was handing masks to the aaronic priesthood. They all seemed to be okay with it. Then bishop Snarr read a letter from the stake presidency asking people to be vaccinated, to remember the message from the first presidency regarding Covid and vaccinations and masks, and to just be careful. Then one deacon, the kid of the crazy anti mask family got up and left his row and didn’t pass. All that came to mind was that some people are following voices that are directly contrary to our prophet and leaders. These are people we’ve sustained to follow. Seems like more and more in my life I’m seeing people follow other voices until they’re left the gospel. I guess if you are involved in church for the community of it, or because it’s part of your culture and not because it is your religion it’s easy to follow other voices. But if you believe that Christ is leading the church, then you gotta be more careful about those other voices.

Ben starts school tomorrow. I just co-signed on his first student loan. I really don’t want you guys to have debt, but I’m not always going to be able to help. In my day, I worked a ton, and while I think ben could work a little more, it’s not the same as it was, I’m not sure he could close that gap nowadays. He has kept his grades way up, and his scholarships. So I’m very proud of that. As I tell you this I don’t want you to worry or even think about that for yourself. You’ll know what to do when it’s time. We’ll know how to help you. If you pray about it now just ask Heavenly Father to guide you when it’s time. Right now pray for those people who you serve and pray to grow as a missionary. I do look forward to taking ben to and from trax. But now, there’s no football to discuss.

Speaking of, Washington state beat the Utes yesterday. We didn’t go, I didn’t listen, I didn’t even follow it. I got so discouraged when the team just eased up early in the second half. I know kitskoviak wasn’t the greatest coach, or even coached to his pay level. But While I remember his teams getting beat, I don’t recall them quitting. It really bugs me and I don’t plan on going to any more games this year. I hope they change my mind, but the Washington teams should not sweep you at home, not the Utes I grew up watching. 

I started a house project yesterday. You know that nook by the stairs? I want to trim that out an make a place to put ofrenda style pictures up. But before i do that mom wants me to extend the trim price on the kitchen side. And since I’m doing that I want to do some trim at the top of the stairs. And now mom’s getting excited about me making a bigger fireplace mantle, and on-and-on. I’ll probably do it in sections because, well, all of that is a crap ton of work. 

We got a bunch of new priests in quorum today, some are ninth graders, so they’ll be in for a while. I have a way to go before I’m comfortable in this calling. Bishop Snarr does seem to need my help in there, so I’m glad I can help that way.

I sure love you Jacob,

Pops