Meatloaf

Oh hi mister elder Joseph,

Just to get this out of the way, love you.

So, what’s the transfer news? How do you feel about it? How was Zone Conference? I saw your pictures, you are looking healthy, you are lookin happy. How was your interview with the Mission President?

As I mentioned earlier, this was a rough week at work. Two of my designers were laid off. Apparently, they were given good severance packages, but it’s going to be a challenge to keep up with the workload. I’ve felt pretty down about it all week, including no small amount of anxiety. I just figure this is one of those challenges that life gives so that you can be grateful for what we have, to draw us closer to God in prayer, to work harder, and to find the opportunities in the challenges. I found out about this Friday before I went to the temple with your brothers And I put their names in, I fasted for them and us on Fast Sunday. I lost three pounds and plenty of sleep. 

This week was, for us here in Zion, a somewhat eventful missionary week. We met with the sisters and went over a long list of people they might meet, they currently aren’t teaching anyone and I can tell it’s frustrating for them. The recent convert sister in our ward asked for scriptures to share with her sister, who loves in Taos (so close to your mission) so your mom and I dropped them off to her and chatted for a long time. Her boyfriend is asking for the missionaries and I’ve got that referral in. And we’re starting a Gospel Essentials Class for them next Sunday. I’ll teach the first one, then we’ll mix it up a little. I’m hoping to get your brother’s in on teaching a lesson, and if we’re still doing it when you get home, I’d love your help. It’s funny how some parts of your life can be stressful and others so good.

Also this week mom had an actual few days off and we got to spend a little time together. You’re mother is the best. I sometimes get jealous when she’s so busy. I sometimes wonder when I’m ever going to grow up.

Friday night we took of for an overnight camping trip up to the Uintah Mountains. There’s this over look that’s popular with instagramers that I wanted to see. Plus I’ve been accused of favoring the desert or red rock over alpine surrounds. I think the reason is because the mountains don’t clear of snow until June, late June this year, then they are heavy with mosquitoes for all of July, and since they are close the are really crowded all summer. We found a few good roads but every quarter mile or so the was a big camp of multiple rvs, campers, and atvs. Your brothers noticed that most of them had flag poles and generators. So we ended up driving random roads looking for seclusion among the trees. My strategy was to only follow roads either climbing or getting rougher. It paid off because we found a place in the trees, with a view and a good fire ring. We could hear atvs, a generator, but at least we couldn’t really see them. My favorite part was sitting around the fire chatting with your brothers and uncle Aaron. After all the stress of the week I was super relaxed and slept in until after eight. Kind of embarrassing, but super restful. Yesterday we found the famous cliffs and took some decently challenging roads on the way home.

Today Jacob and I got up for a 7:00 am for a stake priesthood meeting. Jacob was not impressed but I’ll let him tell you about the talk that really triggered him. We went to grandmas for dinner tonight for the first time in a long time. She made her meatloaf, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, Rhodes rolls, Caesar’s salad, ice cream, chocolate chip casserole, and, homemade oatmeal raisin cookies. Holy crap was that good. Uncle Tim and aunt Lithia came to. It was fun. 

Well, that’s about it for this week. Lyity,

Pops