Yet another email received Apr 28, 2010

(written 4/19/10)(Yeah I know, confusing.)

We got to go to part of Youth Conference last last week, it took place over several days. On Fri (the 9th?) they had a musical/spiritual speaker thing (a capella group - check out the final song AWESOME!!!!!) (Editor's note: It's at the bottom of this post.) then a carnival in the church parking lot; Sat morning was the service project; Sat night was an awesome multi-stake formal for Priests and Laurels; Sun morning was a sepcial testimony meeting.

Carnival pics

This last Fri/Sat (16/17) was the stake play; in previous years they've done Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Ark, this year they did kind of a Broadway review loosely tied together with a spiritual message...loosely. But it was Amazing!!! We were so glad we had several people to invite so we just had to go both nights, oh the sacrifice - really it was, I've been humming the tunes all weekend...some of them have spiritual messages.

1. Hairspray

2. Annie

3. Just one song from Footloose, but it was so high energy and fun, it just stole the show the first night (the main singer is in one of our wards)

4. Wicked (the two girls are sisters, how cool would that be!)

5. Les Miserables (                 no words, absolutely no words)

6. Mary Poppins (they had so much fun with the last song I just had to capture a little bit of the coreography) (Editor's note: The embedded video has the sides cut off, to see the whole image, including what the guy on the right is doing, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg_1D9GFooc. Also, they're spelling supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It took me a while to figure that out.)

7. Almost Dr. Dexter - the vehicle (or excuse) for presenting such a variety of musicals.

This has been such a weird two weeks with transfers and the temple so I've been bad at writing everything down that I want to remember to tell you, I can either go in depth on a few things or just briefy mention a dozen. And now I'm running out of time. To continue our Broadway theme a young girl we're teaching in one ward was in Guys and Dolls at her Catholic Junior High and we got to go to support her (we stood in line behind probably the only other LDS people here, it was great). It was very well done, and again we still find ourselves humming the tunes (she's the one in the blue dress on the right end of the middle row.)

We are without a car for an unknown amount of time due to very good reasons on our part - one of the new elders in our district had his appendix out his first day in the MTC and his second day in the mission field he passed out, fell off his bike, and landed in the hospital for two days; needless to say, his mother wasn't very happy so we gave up our car to him and his companion until further notice; better to do it now when we can still walk around outside than in July when we're all puddles. Did a Sis Powell ever call to get Aunt Kathy's info? I just happened to sit next to her the first night of the stake play and she recognized my name - only the second person I've met who actually knows someone I know (and it's always Uncle Bob's family.)

Hmmm, what else, oh at Zone Meeting yesterday Sis Johnson and I got asked to volunteer for an object lesson: she was the missionary who had to teach and guide me (the investigator) to make a pancake that looked like the example pancake. I was blindfolded the entire time (mixing, baking, and decorating). The topic was that our investigators can't see the end result and we have to be able to guide them through the whole process. I think our pancake looked pretty good, and I didn't even get my jacket dirty (mine's on the left, the original is on the right).

I'm enjoying being in a trio again, though it's a bit of a squish in the apartment - it was just perfect for two, now Sis Knuteson has a fold-out bed that only fits in front of the door. But it'll be great for stories when we get home!! Gotta go - Don't forget to read your scriptures every day and try to spend at least 15 minutes outside, it really will make a difference!!

-Sis Cloward


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"A cappella song"

Another email received Apr 28, 2010 (pics & vid)

Pics since Fallon

(Sorry these aren't formatted pretty, blogger is not arrange-your-pictures-nice friendly. And I just don't feel like fighting with it to make them look nice, like I did last time.)

Sister sandwich

Hanging with my old district in South Zone (of course, none of these people were there when I was. We got to go down because Sis Vomocil just came from this area and this was her last baptism.)

Southern Sisters: Cockrell, Beeston, Todd, Johnson, Kim, Me!

So excited to receive mail!

(Editor's note: These are the letters and postcards Amy, Tasha and I sent her during our Spring Break week in Stanley, ID.)

Easter - cool & casual vs.

super excited (love that timer!)

Our new apartment in Vegas. The batteries died so I started over, but that one's too long :(

Email received Apr 28, 2010

Okay, I started a letter last week, but I didn't get very far so I might as well just write it all in an email so you can all get it together instead of missing your flight by mere hours. (In response to the news that Amy gets to go to Indonesia with Mom and Dad.) (Exciting realisation about Amy going to Indonesia: that must mean she's finally got a passport. Yay!!! Now we don't have to leave her behind when the rest of us evacuate to Canada or Scotland or northern Siberia.) The #1 thing I should have asked last week is did anyone by any chance do my taxes? Also, don't know if you read the jokes on the candy that went in my Easter bag, but this was my favorite: How do you get the water into watermelon? Plant it in the spring! Ahahahahahahahaha Ahahahahahahahahha Hahahahaha...Ohhh...sigh. Sister Johnson doesn't always get the word-play jokes.

Here are all the thoughts I've written/thought in the last two weeks organized into a somewhat logical stream. (Editor's note: The next two paragraphs are in reference to a difficult experience that someone we are close to is going through.) I've already decided I'd never go home - even for a death (sorry) (Name removed) has an excellent support system, I'm here to help others who don't know where to go to find that hope. This is not my experience, the Lord gave it to me so I can strengthen others. I almost can't believe it's real, but I don't think I'm in denial, I think I've just actually developed that much faith and trust in the Lord. Sure, I regret the circumstances that brought it about, but when I look at the future, all I feel is joy and peace. I don't even see it as a trial that may/will turn into a blessing - I just see what a wonderful gift it is - for (****) and the whole family, I don't know how or when, but I just know (****) are so blessed to be able to go through this situation, that the Lord trusts (****) enough to take it on.

I wondered only briefly what I could have done differently to prevent this, then recalled how many witnesses I've received that I am exactly where the Lord intended me to be right now, so I obviously was not meant to be home for this. Whatever the implications of that may be, it's wonderfully freeing to see the Lord's hand and feel free of guilt - and that's not just me, I'm close to the spirit here so you have to believe what I tell you and I tell you I have felt the Lord in no way holds any of you accountable for this - even (****) - He's blessing you!

I admit it, I'm behind on my scripture study, ever since the beginning of the last transfer I just haven't been able to catch up, I keep trying though; I've got more than half of the book to go, and if not, I do have an extra week in August before I start the D&C - good planning. But I saw the hand of God in it the week after you called; I spent that entire week studying Alma 21-24 Here are some of my insights: I am here because I know the power of the Atonement is real and everyone must know or they will live forever in misery and I can't bear that thought.

It's not about your faith bringing a level of blessing - it's about having the faith to accept whatever the Lord's will is with a grateful heart. We may complain about a small sting that lasts a moment when we can't see the enormous pain we just avoided. Why do we complain about the pinpricks when we can't see the epidemics we're spared.

What is the difference between those who stumble and are lost and those who stumble yet remain faithful? John 16:33 says "ye shall have tribulations" not maybe, shall, but we can rely on the Savior for comfort and guidance. Each time you fall, you can get back up and try again - the gospel offers unlimited pitches & innings, if you don't hit the ball, just keep swinging!

Email received Apr 19, 2010

Just a quick note~

I'm gonna be in another trio! We pick up our new comp tonight (did I tell you about serving with Sis Knuteson for a day while I was between comps in Fallon? Now we get to be real comps!) and we're planning on a little library time tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be able to finish the novel I'm writing in another window and get it sent then. -Sis Cloward

Emails received Apr 12, 2010 (pics)

PICS AND VIDS GALORE!!!

The results of Makeover Session #3 - just wanted to show the beautiful, completely accidental color scheme

Garden sign for Mom                Caught...hehehe

(It says "Grow Dammit")

...All my winter gear put to good use...what else can I say?

What we thought was incredible bounty at Thanksgiving...nothing compared to Christmas!

Christmas Eve
....
...

               Look familiar?

(Editor's note: Our van is identical.)

Just a little bit of what the natives call pogonip - it's so pretty (this was taken right outside our apartment looking SE, you can see the jr high straight ahead, the used book store to the right, and behind the little shed on the left is the library)

Twinsies (our car and the Spanish elders' car, sometimes I couldn't tell which one was ours)

We got this puzzle at the Dollar Store 'cuz it was so pretty - it took us an entire month to finish!

Pretty rainbow

Well...that's Fallon

Another great Zone Meeting

The wise man built his house upon the rock

Photographic evidence that sisters can do anything in a skirt (there's also video footage)

The ward had a cake auction to raise money for Boy Scouts, these are some of the highlights

One of our Fallon Zone Leaders went home last transfer, so at the request of his comp, we made him an updated planner. (This is only one page, we did several) (Editor's note: I can't read it very well either, but it looks like 'marriage' is one of the goals.)

The first time I saw these I knew I had to take a pic for Sarah  (Editor's note: Just looking
at it makes me happy. :D )

 Time to change our Jesus. The one on the left is brand new, the middle was in the LR window facing east, and the right was in the bedroom window facing south...don't know how long they'd been there. The funny thing is, I actually prefer the one in the center.

Goodbye Fallon fridge!

Some views of Fallon

The story behind the Meth sign: there are several of these signs throughout the area, one time while driving past this one I suddenly said to Sis K "MATH ATTACKS EVERYONE! ...Math?" I think you know what I was trying to say, but now it's even more hilarious.

Enough pics, I actually had a lot I wanted to say, but it was just so nice to be able to finally send all these pictures! Maybe I'll try to organize my thoughts in a letter.

  -Sis Cloward

Emails received Apr 12, 2010 (vids)

I'm sending all the videos that are small enough to be sent, of course all the really good ones are too long...so sad.

Sister Moreno and I playing with Coby at the park



Me and Sis Chapman in South



Bi-Zone (South & Vegas) P-Day activity last September (when I was in South)




Just documenting my ride up north - for most of the eight hours I was the only one awake...besides the driver.



Melting pogonip



Tracting at Christmastime

Email received Apr 5, 2010

We had Zone Conference this week (did you get the pictures? I can only ever remember Sarah's email address when I'm not on the comp), and it was absolutely amazing! The Assistants gave a training about how spiritual wounds prevent us from being fully obedient and it was just so inspiring, the spirit was so strong. The wonderful thing is seeing how when I'm working on discovering and learning about a principle, the Lord surrounds me with opportunities for further growth. As evidenced in Zone Conf and again in General Conf when those speaking talked about and gave more detail on things I was only beginning to understand in myself, and sometimes wasn't even aware I was developing until they started to talk about them and state them in such clear words. 1 Cor. 11:28,31-32 - If we're putting in the effort to keep ourselves humble and learn and draw ever closer to God, He will bless our efforts; if we wait for Him to do the humbling, it's a lot more painful, but it will be done, because He loves us (thank you to the elder that gave the analogy of the immunizations!) It just makes me so sad to see that others (including missionaries) don't have that internal strength to be fully obedient (and may I say, trust in the Lord) even when those around them (including missionaries) are supporting decisions not in line with direct counsel.

Sarah - Okay, totally random thing just happened and I know you will appreciate this, I was working on another email in a different tab and my finger slipped and I learned a very valuable secret: you can flip between tabs with a keyboard shortcut!!!!! (Editor's note: Ever since tabbed browsing came out she and I have been trying to figure out how to find an ALT+TAB type shortcut to switch between them. (For those who don't know, ALT+TAB switches between your open windows.) It's so frustrating when your used to hitting the keyboard shortcut to flip back to the other window you were looking at, only to realize what you wanted is in the same window, just a different tab. While I discovered, through the same means, that CTRL+TAB switched between the tabs (which I haven't told her yet) I had not discovered the CTRL+# shortcut that she describes. So yes, it's very exciting.) So I've played around a bit and the best I can figure is: ctrl 1 is the first tab, ctrl 2 is the second and so on, ctrl 9 is the last tab; if you only have two tabs it's 1 and 9 and then the other numbers fill in between. Okay just had to get that total geek moment out, I've just been wanting that super-power for a few years now, I hope it's not just on whatever version of windows this is but that you can also bask in the joy of easy transitions. Have I mentioned recently how much I love you? Oh, another question, what is the best way (if any) to compress a file enough to send a video through email? Should I just zip it ten times, or is that bad for a file? (Editor's note: I don't know the answer to this. If any of you have knowledge that would help please let me know.)

Mom & Dad - So how much time is actually passing when you're flying through the twilight zone? (Editor's note: On their return trip from Japan they travelled backwards through time zones, which allowed them to leave Japan around 4:30pm Monday, travel some 20-30 hours, and arrive in Houston around 4:30pm Monday.) Does it add to your age, or do you get to be 21 forever? You are 21 right? p.s. I just wanted to let you know that you've both done an excellent job at being parents, I love you very much and I'm so grateful I got to be your caboose.

I got my Easter package mid-week and my poor companion was amazed that I waited until Sunday to open it (well, I opened the box, I just set the bag aside) I almost broke when she got hers on Sat, luckily we had somewhere to go so we didn't have much time. We came home after conference on Sunday to take pictures of our Easter, I'll probably put together a whole list of pics and send them all next week, it will take me a while to write descriptions for each one. Sis Johnson is requesting a pic of me with my long hair, don't know if there's a good one lying around somewhere. And could you also maybe make a copy of the music for I Heard Him Come? Thanks. I would still love an address for the Allens and if you can find one for Lauren and Davina as well that'd be super!

Random thoughts: 1. Did I tell you how much I love my Official Mission Pen? (Editor's note: A Christmas gift from Amy.) It's writes so nicely! I used it to take my notes for Gen Conf. 2. I noticed this in the MTC and it's held true up to now, I've written the word 'receive' more in the last few months than ever before in my life - crazy random, huh?

The caboose