Isaac Week 15

 Isaac is doing good. He is in freezing cold tempts and it gets darker early so that makes it hard. He was able to spend time with a family for Thanksgiving. Here is what he said about that:

"Thanksgiving was good, just a normal day of work and we went to the Kemptons for dinner. They are an awesome family. They butchered a deer with us that their daughter shot, which was interesting, but you get used to it by the end. I always feel bad because I eat like double my companions combined… just out here clearing peoples pantries but man when you are hungry all day and get a banging dinner ohhh I feel like I fizzle out of existence like that one avenger or whatever when batman used his gauntlet on him and I hit the level of Light again." He also said he saw the "sickest" gun he has ever seen. 

Here are a few of the pictures from his week. Man, they sure do have some beautiful sunsets!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Justin and I weren't sure we would have anyone at our house for thanksgiving this year but we ended up having a full house and we loved it! My parents come to town a day early to help with all the baking. We made rolls and pies.

We watched a Hallmark movie while the rolls were rising/cooking. Hope thought the perfect spot was right on my mom. It was pretty funny as she is probably the one person who would not have picked Hope to have her sit by her. She got a lot of good pets.

We made coconut cream, key lime, cherry and pumpkin pie from scratch and razzleberry and lemon mirengue were Marie Calendars. Almost a pie per person.

Nathan came home bringing Lauren Moran and Rylan with him. We had a fun time trying to guess whether Nathan and Lauren were just friends or dating. Even after the two days  we were not sure. Ha. Dinner was yummy!

Hope is never too far away from what is going on in the kitchen. Always hoping someone will drop something. 

Hannah kept trying to get Millie to eat her dinner too. Hope was more than willing to eat it for her.

After dinner I asked Lauren to take a couple pictures of our family for our Christmas card. It was quite comical trying to get pictures with two dogs.

We tried to get a group picture using the timer but it focused too much on the piece of grass in front of the camera.

We enjoyed playing games and mom, Hannah and I worked on a puzzle. Later, the kids all played video games in the basement. It was a great day.

Nathan, Lauren and Rylan headed back to school the next morning and Hannah and Jacob went ice fishing. Hannah is a good sport. Millie probably helped keep her legs warmer!

Justin and I had gotten tickets to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Hale Center for mom and dad's Christmas present so we went and saw that in the afternoon. It was so good. Mom and dad loved it and are already talking about coming down next year for another show.

I am so thankful for my family. I hope we get to see more of each other next year!

Hannah and Jacob's 1st Christmas Tree

 Hannah and Jacob (and Millie) went to get their Christmas tree. They were excited to get it home and decorate it. It is so cute and fits perfect in their condo.

Isaac Week 14

 Isaac is doing great. He said they had winds around 70 miles an hour all week with gusts up to 90. In a month or so that will make for being really cold! His email came in really late. He said they ran into some trouble and didn't get home until late. When I asked him what happened, he shared this:

"We kinda got locked outside of the car and the keys were back at the apartment an hour away. It let us drive with no keys in the car and then auto locked. We couldn't get ahold of anyone and we were an hour away from Sidney. Start your car and then throw the keys out the window and drive an hour, that's basically what happened but the keys were in the apartment back where we started it. This is where we got abandoned." 

Beautiful but definitely chilly as the sun went down. They finally got ahold of someone to come and give them a ride to get the keys and back to get the car. Of course, they had been there fishing. He is loving fishing on p-days! He is enjoying doing service work and learning to be a ranch had at the same time.

They came across a very docile deer. They are lucky they didn't get kicked or stabbed with that rack!

Nathan and My New Skinny Tree

 We get Nathan two weekends in a row! He came down this weekend and will be coming down again for Thanksgiving next week. It is a little weird to have him be the only kid in the house. 

Hannah bought a skinny Christmas tree last year and I thought it was so cute for a small room so I bought one for myself when Michaels had their 50% off sale. I decided that I needed to have it up longer so I bought a few Fall decorations and put white lights on it. I love it!

Isaac week 13

 Isaac is definitely seeing a whole new world on his mission. He had some crazy experiences this week. Here is a little from his email along with pictures.

When you think of Indian reservations you probably think a nice community of Indians. Nah the chief called....He said that ain't it. It is basically a trailer park in the middle of nowhere with lots of crime and drugs and a very hood vibe. So this girl names Kim, that actually doesn't flake on us, which is nice when it's an hour drive to Fort Peck and even more to Poplar (mom don't look that one up). Anyways, we walk up to her door as 10 dogs come out of nowhere and surround us, but you know the spirit do be smelling nice and juicy to the pups so they follow us to the door trying to get inside cause it was freezing that day. This girl said that her neighbor's kids are getting in her attic and she confessed that she is getting a gun and going to take matters into her own hands and kill the family. We are over here like nah bru, Jesus be all you needs, you feel me? So she is praying and reading the BOM, She has been baptized in the church believe it or not but she told us, "There are little people in my walls that are condemning me of my sins and the only way to turn my life around is the follow Jesus Christ." We were like....hmm yes. Also skin walkers, ever heard of them? They are shape shifters (devils, possessed people) res people are very sensitive about it and honestly could be real. The more I am on the mish I realize Satan is very real and the things you hear about in the Bible about people being possessed and evil spirits, I'm pretty sure it is a real thing and is really terrifying. We gave her a blessing saying something along the lines of for the evil spirit residing in this body leave and never abide here again. I cannot make this up. Right after I hear a voice and feeling saying, "May I enter your body" and I immediately just said no in my head and all of us look at each other. We get to the car and we all heard the same voice. Guys the things you heard about in the New and Old testament are true in today's world. I'm not saying you have to believe me but the stories and experiences like that make me sure of it and for other missionaries reading this, remember how much power you have as a missionary. 

 I got some drop dead gorgeous pics for y'all this week. I love the area I am in, the fresh air, the skies, the miles of nothing, the hardworking boots. I have been in the Bainville, MT high school a couple times. The town is so small. Haha, reminds me of what I envision my parents' schools looking like. Anyway, love you all and remember to keep pushing so you can fulfil the glorious image God has for you.

Sister Sherid's Text

The best texts a missionary mom can get!  

"We had the opportunity to have these fellas out for dinner and visiting tonight! It was such a fun evening."

Yellow Fork Canyon

 Tammy and I decided to hike Yellow Fork Canyon. We had snow shoed there last winter and knew there was a loop you could do that went up one canyon and down another so we wanted to see where it was. After doing it, I'm not sure we could find the loop in the snow considering we got a little off track without it. Ha. It had a really cool view of the copper mine.

I talked Justin into going back with me today to see the last of the Fall colors. We did the lower flat loop. Hope had a great time too. It started out a little gross as I was trying to put my glove on and didn't have hope tight on the leash. She had found a deer head in some trees and was sniffing it. Yuck! 

Week 12 for Isaac

 Here are some of my favorite parts of Isaac's letter for the week along with some pictures. I would sure love to see those evenings skies in person! Beautiful. 

 I think I have seen more guns and bullets in the last week than I have ever seen in my life which is saying something. Sadly it's against mission rules to lay lead but the amount of times someone has whipped out a gun that let's just say, the NRA would not be too fancy of, is hilarious. I'm over here like yeah that's a federal law, but not like enough people live here to care, haha. It's funny we will go over to a member's house and everyone is just passing around bullets talking about it which is pretty normal for me but still funny. Also I gotta tell you we were driving with a member in Gainesville Montana and the guy pulls out a 22 LR pistol, sticks it out his window and goes you see that bird… shoots… not even kidding, bird drops. Pure luck. I was shocked.. ha. It was wicked. 

We were literally like 5 seconds away from getting a plane ride. We were tracting and I knock on this guys door and he walks out of his garage like I don't need no Book of Mormon but ya'll wanna ride on a plane, I got 3 extra seats. So me and the comps walk with him, You will see the plane in the pics. We were definitely gonna send it but it specifically says in the handbook no private planes or boats which kind of stinks cause it would be so pretty. He said we could go to Fort Peck or wherever we wanted to go so we are gonna try and pull some strings with the old pres and see if we can get special permission but Idk if it will happen.

This week we made a bunch of rules to help us be even more obedient. For example, when the alarm goes off at 630 the last person to touch the counter top has to take a cold shower but that got violent so it's just we have to touch it in 5 seconds and stuff like, if you get caught lacking you get a slingshot to your favored butt cheek.

We have seen lots of miracles. We were able to put 4 people on date for baptism and plan on 2 more for next week. I hope all goes well and I can be here for the baptisms

Oh wait I almost forgot lol, just a reminder mom, incase I die, save these emails.