Dear Son,
We heard back from the Leduc Arts Foundation that Ben received a $1000 scholarship to help pay for music lessons next year. I sat in the van marvelling at the tender mercies of the Lord. Ben certainly earned it but what a relief on our budget! Also, Dad's office is undergoing some big changes and many people were laid off. Luckily, Dad was NOT one of them and he also got a promotion, which includes a raise of a few more hundred dollars a month.
We were so worried that when we moved to the acreage, we would not be able to handle the added expenses, but we moved forward anyway and we have been truly blessed. My humility is increasing every day.
Think about this quote from Teryl Givens:
"When dissonance and distress set in, we should trust in the Spirit to find the hidden God of scripture, the One who knows us by name, who weeps with us in our pain, and who has graven us in the palms of his hands."
So, I'm learning that when I worry, I just need to act in faith and it somehow triggers miracles to happen. We believe in a God who loves us and works silently for our benefit but the important thing for us is to move our feet. Example, we do not have any extra money for anything concerning the acreage. The garage is partially built but we have to finance the rest of it ourselves as the money the bank loaned us is completely used up. Well, we really could use a ride on lawn mower but I didn't know how to make it happen. I remembered that Steve said he inherited an old one but he didn't need it. I called him and he sold it to us for $250 (compared to $5000 for a new one). So, one step at a time, we are slowly getting to a place of comfortable country living.
Life is pretty awesome in that way and I know you are probably learning these lessons as well on your mission. We love hearing about your tender mercies and miracles that you see every now and then.
Is there anyone you would like for us to include in our prayers?
How is your garment and clothing situation? Do you need any more socks?
Did you receive your license yet?
We had a good week enjoying the summer.
Classic Fort Edmonton Park
The River
Garage Building
Life is keeping us busy. Dad and the boys returned from Scout Camp with sunburned faces and a few stories to tell, but happy. Abby is leaving today for her first Young Women Camp. I'm not sure what Mia is going to do without her! But we plan on meeting Steve and Taylie and their kids at the Calgary Zoo so hopefully that will give her something to think about. Sam gets his wisdom teeth out on Thursday. Wish him luck! Then his papers can go in.
And everything is humming along here. Life is really good.
Love you forever,
Mom 😊
From Josh: It is DEFINITELY summer
I barely survived this week of 115 degrees about 48 degrees in Canada, we knocked through it all and everyone we talked to would open the door and stare at us for 5 seconds before declaring that we were completely nuts. we would agree and get a good laugh out of them then explain the reason why we are out is such brutal heat, most of the time they would politely decline learning more but offer water, we must have gotten fifty waters yesterday and the few days before, but me and my new companion Elder Bergeron (who is from northern Vermont thirty minutes away from the Canadian border) were dying most of the day the heat just drains every ounce of energy you may have during the day. The importance of eating a big breakfast.
To let worries rest, I have received my license and I am the designated driver at the moment, Tiwi support is a device that checks your driving, you can't drive too much over the speed limit, start or stop too fast, or anything so I am definitely revising my driving so that I am "Driving like a grandma" just like mom would tell me all the time ;)
I have been having a heck of a time with Elder Bergeron, he is basically everything I am not, meaning we are almost complete opposites, he doesn't like to think about things but go and do to get it done, he loves physical exertion, his favorite pass time is working out, and every snack he likes is basically part of a diet, he makes maple syrup and is pretty confident. I love him a lot it is just taking a little to get used to his attitude and feelings towards things.
Thanks for the pictures it helps me feel connected to all of you, I am super excited for everything going on in your lives and it feels weird that I will be part of it all in less then six months. Time goes way to fast, don't let a minute pass you by, learn when you aren't doing, and do when you have something to accomplish, set goals, make plans, steadily work so that you are improving take every positive experience and every chance to experience more. Make friends with everyone you can. My mission president gave me this counsel, "Embrace the awkward" and I have set a goal to walk up to everyone who we see on the street, even when it is hard, some people see us coming and get this annoyed look on their faces that I don't like, but either way we need to give every chance to everyone around us. It takes 11 touches of the Gospel in peoples lives to accept it, think of who you can touch this week to be one of those touches.
Something cool that happened this week is when we were knocking this lady opened up and looked dumbfounded at how we could be knocking in such heat, but we talked with her for a bit and started trying to teach, it was really awkward until her little daughter walked out. She is 6 and we started teaching the message of the restoration at her level, and it was cool because she was super engaged and so was her mother, we used terms that would keep a 6 year old fascinated, the cool thing about it was that it was that the mother needed too but you can't just teach someone older then you like they have a 6 year old understanding, it makes them feel stupid, but when we did it with her daughter they both felt the spirit and loved the message, after Brittany the six year old turned to her mother and asked when we would be coming back, and it was cool to see her willingness to learn and love the gospel. It really added to my understanding of how we need to become like a little child just like Jesus Christ counciled us to be.
I love you all and all this work, stay faithful and loving, it is said that out of 60.000 missionaries, 20.000 of them will go less active. Don't let that happen to you, build your testimonies, grow in the gospel, love it enough to stay with it no matter what happens.
Love
Josh
115 weather
fun license plate
found a mini fridge
me and Elder Bergeron
updating plans.
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