Journal writing challenge

January 28, 2014

I am taking a Family History Class from my good friend, Ann Lewis.  It is every Tuesday morning at 10:00. Today's class was on Journals and I lifted my hand to the square and promised that I would write in my journal every day for 8 minutes for the duration of the class.  I'm glad I have a sense of honor or I would be in bed right now.

In order to take the class I had to weigh my options.  She teaches the same class three times, 10, 1, and 6. We serve in the Provo Temple as Ordinance Workers and need to be there at 10:30 for prayer meeting.  I called the shift coordinator and told her the last part of December that I was going to take the class but the only time that would work out for us was at 10.  I said I would be happy to work on Thursdays so I wouldn't put a strain on the shift on Tuesday by not being there for an hour and a half but she told me they would be happy to work with me.  So I drop Barry off at the front door and drive to class.  It ends at 12:00 and I jump back in the car and hustle back to the Temple eating my lunch the entire way.  Fly in the door, change my clothes and report for duty at 12:25!  I don't take a lunch so in reality I'm only missing one hour!

This is beautiful Ann Lewis my friend and FH teacher!

I really love the class!  Jean and Wayne were there today and Cathy came too.  I think Tom was going to be at the 6:00 class.  I hope so.  He would love it.

Has it been 8 minutes since I started writing?  I think so.  I also updated Bryce's Missionary blog today as well so that should take care of it.

I'm doing a cleanse that lasts for 21 days.  I am on day two and already feel a difference.  I can slip my rings on and off easily!  I slept really soundly last night and I hope that will be the case again tonight.  Two more days of the same foods I've eaten the last two, veggies only.  Not too bad.  I've done a lot worse.  I hope I will be fabulously healthy, I'm planning on it.

Jan. 26, 2014

Hi Brycer!

How is everything going?  Have you received the package I sent from home yet?  Maybe this week?  Dad and I were saying today we cannot believe that Christmas was a month ago!  It seems like Januarys always fly right past in a blur!  This one has been cold, teens at night and rarely over 39 days.  We've been able to run down at the river at least once a week so that's been nice.  The days it's too cold or the air is too bad I just go get on the treadmill.  I have the "Gym Box" which has all kinds of workouts you can do and not have to pay a gym membership.  I did a treadmill workout last week and the instructor about killed me!  Wow that's a workout.

We had another fun but busy week.  It seems like we're always doing something we have to get ready for and run out the door.  I'm so thankful!  I would be way too bored sitting around all the time!  I know Dad is looking forward to being able to get outdoors and putter around.  We have been washing walls and I took down the curtains in the dinning room and tv room and am contemplating what I will do   It's always fun to spiff things up a little bit.

Nancy and Terry spent Monday through Thursday at the Marriott in Provo receiving their medical training.  They came back to their house Thursday night. They are getting set apart as missionaries tonight at 6:00 so we will be going along with Casey and his family and Scott and maybe Erica.  Lance and Fae and their kids are on their way to Disneyland for a week!  

Casey's 33 Birthday party at Orb 6 20 Jan 2014

Back to what Nancy and Terry reported to us as the number one reasons missionaries get sick is they don't drink enough water.  They said that they get stomach concerns.  So Bryce my question to you is are you drinking good water, lots of it every day and how is your digestive tract doing?  Keep taking those oils and keep things in good working order OK?  Also you need to get adequate sleep.  You need to remain really healthy and strong to have the stamina to get this work done!  She said they need to work out too.'' I'm guessing all of your walking is taking care of that aspect for you right?

Monday night we were going to have a family birthday party for Dad and Casey but as night came it looked like Lance wouldn't be able to break away from work because of an important project they were working on at Orb 6 so we loaded everything up and took it over to their office so he could be there!  We had lasagna, garlic bread, salad and Casey's favorite, lemon meringue pie with ice cream!  It was a lot of fun and great because then Lance could be with us.  Their businesses are really growing great!  So great that Casey, Byron and Daniel are all flying back to 

NY to the Super Bowl next Sunday.  They have really good seats, on the 14 yardline in the end zone!  Byron paid a lot for them.  He just had them both pay $2,000 each.  They have frequent flyer miles and get to stay free at the Marriott because they stay there so much as they travel. So that will be a once-in-a lifetime experience for Casey.  Byron also gave him a cool new gun.  I have no idea what it s but everyone was having a fit over it!

Casey's Birthday party

Tuesday is our day in the temple and it is just so wonderful!  We love it so much!  I am taking a wonderful Family History class from my good friend Ann Lewis who lives in Orem.  I go every morning to the Temple, drop Dad off and scoot over there for two glorious hours of instruction from 10 till 12.  Then I hurry back to join my shift.  Sister Ashton the Temple Matron took the class last fall and loved it.  Anyway, it's all about truly knowing your family and getting to know their histories etc.  

Dad and the boys

Wednesday morning as I have been going through everything imaginable your Patriarchal Blessings surfaced and Dad and I read through them.  It was the sweetest birthday gift for him to see how your lives have unfolded through the choices you have made.  

I loved the part in Casey's that states... your worthiness many blessings will be realized many times and in many countries."  "There have been many, many blessings realized in your behalf by your family pertaining to your existence upon this earth.  Be grateful for these blessings.  Be proud of the name that you bear and the heritage that is yours.  Become more acquainted with your progenitors. Honor them. Study their lives.  Gain an understanding as to why you are what you are. Be proud of it and build upon it. Build your character upon the admirable qualities that you find and know about those who have gone before you."    

I wonder if that would have had the impact it had on me as I read through it if not for that wonderful class!  I feel an even heavier responsibility to make sure that information is gathered and available so you and your children can know and love your ancestors even more!  Bryce, read through Alma 37:1-20 and apply what Alma is teaching Helaman to Family History.  I'm going to forward you the class notes she gave us which would be a fabulous talk if you ever need a really good subject! The part about the "Myths" of Family History are especially good. If I'm not mistaken, I don't believe any of us are excused from doing this important work.  So check it out and see what you think.

Bryce, we are praying for your investigators especially that you can find the Lord's elect and that they will have a strong desire to attend church so they can feel the spirit there in rich abundance. Send their names to us and we will pray specifically for them.  I wanted to tell you, last night we had our Sat. night session of Stake Conference and Elder Lewis who just returned from Mexico City, you might know him...anyway he said how Elder Bednar taught them on Christmas day at the MTC when he had just arrived that "If you are truly converted you will never fall away."  He told a story about a Brother Alvarez who had been a member since he was 22 yrs old and was then 65 yrs old.  He lived in a tiny little house. He and his companion had been teaching a family who were being targeted by the drug lords down there and they had to move immediately out of their house for their safety.  They had no place to go so this dear kind brother told them they could move into his house and he would sleep outside in a tin shed.  He was so worried that they would move out of the area and that their lessons would stop and they wouldn't be able to progress in their lessons with the missionaries!  For TWO months he slept outside and freely shared with this little family.  Elder Lewis said that a year later he was able to go back to that area and go with them as they were sealed in the Mexico City Temple!  He said that peace and joy are to be found in this work.  We will see miracles in ourselves and others as we serve.  Through missionary work we can all be converted and never fall away!  

Then right after that a dear father, mother and their teenage daughter all spoke.  They had been married in the temple 21 years ago and stopped coming to church.  Their daughter's friend's parents asked if she could go to church with them.  She then wanted to be baptized but her dad didn't think it would be a good idea.  Anyway, they had the missionaries in their home teaching the daughter and they brought such a sweet spirit it softened the heart of the dad and he met with the Bishop and was able to baptize her.  He said last night was the first and only time he had ever spoken in church!  Talk about courage!  It made me cry my little eyes out to see him so humble and so much like every single one of the members in our ward!  What they are now and what they could be, an eternal family just like his if they would only come unto Christ and be healed by his matchless power!  

This is probably, no, for sure long enough!  I'll dear elder it to you so you can read it later.

 That baby looks exactly like Corrin, right? But it is her grandfather!!  Grandpa Barry!

Love you ever so much!

Mama 

Pictures:

Corrin and Cade who always grits his little teeth and smiles that funny smile

when he has his picture taken!

Casey, Kindra and Corrin, other kids off playing!

Raedene Warner passed away on January 1, 2013

I loved Raedene!  She always had a smile on her face and was ready to laugh.  She is one you could definitely say had a cheerful disposition.

She was always willing to help out.  Always ready to serve and lighten the load.  My boys spent a lot of time with hers and they remembered her as being very kind and gentle.

I worked part time for a few years and she tended Scott for me. He loved being at her home and I was always so thankful to have a good friend and neighbor whom I could trust and who would treat my son as her own.

I admired her industry.  Raedene was always outside busy in the garden or preserving the harvest in hundreds of glass jars in her kitchen each fall.  When she moved she offered those glass jars to anyone who could use them.  I feel it a privilege to be the steward over those I received from her. To me they represent countless hours of a faithful woman who loved her family.  Who loved being a wife and mother and every year for years and years would prepare her garden, plant, weed, water, harvest, preserve and finally present the fruits of her labors to her family as they gathered around her table.  We would all do well to follow in her footsteps and live our lives as she did hers.  And now, she is no doubt reaping the rewards of the seeds of the gospel of Jesus Christ that were planted deep in her heart her whole life, as she hears these precious words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Rain

"http://myrainlife.com/beth"

It's ALL in the SEED!

This is the MOST amazing product.  Cured my arthritis and eczema!

Love this!

Bryce's first P-Day MTC

	7/10/13
10 July 2013

So family here we are!

 

Today is our first P day and everything is going great. im going to do my best to recount the whole week and if i repeat anything from letters well lucky you:)

 

So as most of you know my best friend of all time escorted me into the MTC and that honestly made all the difference in the world. because i knew i wasnt in here alone and that someone that i knew was in here going through the exact same things. so i got checked in and everything. the guys in my room are all super cool. we literally just hung out in our room two nights ago and just laughed for like twenty minutes. there are so many funny jokes and stuff to tell its crazy. like this one kid. Elder Morrin. he will be telling a story and finish it in the funniest way. like he was telling us about his AP psychology teacher and how it was really hard and how his buddy would just say dumb things and mess with her head. like she would say. ok now on this test do not use a pen. pencils only. and this kid would raise his hand and be like hey so can i use my pen? like thats ok right?? and she would get all confused and say no i just said that!!! it was just dumb stuff like that that elder morrin kept saying. but at the end he did a big sigh and was like yeah.... then she got pneumonia and died... hahahahahaha i honestly laugh everytime i hear that. even just barely when i wrote that i just laughed and everyone in my district did when i told them why. its our big joke now. even though its sad that lady died and stuff... but still funny.

   So everyone has been askin how my companion is. And so far i am getting along with him pretty well. he is from missouri and just lost his dad and grandpa in a plane crash this november. so he has gone through a lot. he is a really cool guy and we can talk and laugh so thats been nice. he is really good at spanish and teaching so its nice when we do our lessons cause if my topic gets shot down he can talk about stuff for a while. but he also cuts me off and cuts our teacher off. which bugs me sometimes. but overall i like him.  i like it when we are in the residence halls cause i can just get away and go talk with my other friends in the building. it is so weird having someone be with you ALL THE TIME. like there is a drinking fountain just down the hall from our prison cell(classroom) we seriously spend ten hours a day in there. anyway. the drinking fountain is right there and every time you wanna go get a drink you have to take someone with you!! and like its not a big deal but i seriously miss just sitting in our basement by myself. but all the guys in my district are really cool. haha ok nevermind. so i loved everyone right until we got these three new kids. they came in the same day i did but they just moved into my class room cause we are the intermediate class. and this one kid. i seriously have absolutely nothing in common with him. he loves band and grammar and stuff like that. hahah so as Scott knows we say "like" a lot. and this kid had been in our class for honestly five minutes and was like "seriously if you say "like" one more time im going to go crazy" hahaha oh my gosh and then he corrected dude!!! so yeah me and that kid are gonna have some problems. but i will manage to find somethin to talk about. i always do.

   ok so did you guys know that when you put salt in Sprite. it fizzes back up again like no other!!!! i found that out on accident when i was playing with my food after lunch one day. and it blew my mind hole. so if anyone knows why that happened let me know. cause elder clarke (my companion) has a theory and i dont buy it. he also has a theory on gravity that is about the dumbest thing ever. that everything is expanding constantly. but yeah. that bugged me all last night. hahaha but he reminds me a lot of uncle terry. he knows something about everything and its really funny.

   so our first sunday here was fast sunday and that was about the hardest thing i have ever done. we fastest basically a full 24 hours. and the dinner line that night was ginormous. so while in line i ate a salad a bowl of cereal and an ice cream bar. then! we abandoned that line to go get the same meal at another one. and right when i was about there. they closed it down!!! so i went to the one next to it and right when i was about there. there were no rolls!! so yeah ive had some pretty rough trials. the worst was the roll. hands down;) but i havent had that big break down that every one talks about. im doing just dandy. everytime i get a little home sick or think there is no way i can do this i just say shut up dude. you got this. and i get back to work.

   i miss all of you and mom. that sticky note with the dogs hair. that was hilarious. oh and that yogurt got here pretty cold. and holy cow with the packages:) im good for a while :) but keep the letters coming. getting a letter is the highlight of every day. its like christmas when you get one and when you dont its kinda poopy. haha but yeah thanks for sending everything. i will tell you everything i need in the email i will write when i come back this afternoon.

 

Much Loves

 

Elder Whitaker

 

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Beth Whitaker <bbwhitaker@gmail.com>	7/10/13
to Bryce

Hey Bryce are you still there??

Beth Whitaker <bbwhitaker@gmail.com>	7/10/13
to Bryce

Hi Bryce,

It was so good to hear from you!  You sound like you're really doing great!
I loved that you said you were "dandy".  YAY!  Just what I wanted to hear.
I've been praying so hard for you for that very thing.  And didn't I tell you
that you would have companions that would be less than Landon-ish?"
They are sent to help with your refinement process, never forget that!
And vice versa.  They will learn patience because of you as well, dear son.
:)

Dad wanted to know your daily schedule, what you do and what it's like?  He got your
cross bars up on your shed :)  Also he wanted to know how the Spanish is coming?
How are the investigators teaching sessions coming along?  We hope you are
feeling the spirit over there.  It sounds like you are.

#1 thing...we got your missionary plaque form and didn't know exactly which
verse of scripture you wanted?  So please reply with that OK.

#2 Are you getting enough to eat?  I am worried that you are going to bed
hungry!  So let me know and I'm sure you'll tell me what food you want in
your next package.  I'm thinking of a surprise that I can send over but
am worried that it might not be able to say hot enough long enough.
What time did you get your package Monday?  Did you get it Monday? 
We dropped it off in Springville at the Same Day Missionary delivery place at 2:15
so if you let me know what time you actually get your package I might
try to send something hot right at the last minute.  The last time you can
drop things off is at 3:00 so if you get the package within a couple of hours
I think I can wrap it up a ton so it's well insulated and send it and it will
still be OK.  So let me know.  (you will love it!)

Dixie misses you, see attached picture.  She and I went for a 5 mile run again
this morning.  Scott says she is looking ripped.  Scott has been running and
working out.

We are all going over to an OLWZ game tonight to celebrate Cade's birthday
in June!  Just catching up.  Will use your Target gift cards to let him pick out
a gift.  My bet is a Lego set.  He's developing fine motor skills for sure with all
those tiny pieces.

Oh and I LOVE MY NEW IPHONE!  Oh my goodness, Bryce!  Why didn't you
hide my android from me?  I don't know if I can ever forgive you!  :)  Texting!!!
LOVE!!  I am free at last!!  Notice how fun the pictures are attached to this email!
So much easier!  But do I need a password to your voice mail?  Just in case the
one I set up doesn't work??

OK so #1 scripture for plaque
#2 What time do you get your packages?
#3 Did you like your bread?  Too much butter? Too much strawberry jam?  Did
I send enough so you could share?
#4 voicemail password??

We miss you but it's getting better.  We know you are exactly where you need to
be.  We could never do this for you, no one could ever replicate the experiences
you are having and will have over the next two years.  We are so proud of you
and thank you again for being the kind of son who had the integrity, fortitude
and faith to qualify yourself to get over to the MTC and get this figured out
for yourself.  No amount of anything we could do would have gotten you to
where you are today if you had decided otherwise.  We love you for who you
are and, my goodness, who the Lord knows you are!  I read through your
patriarchal blessing last night and was struck with the future you have ahead
of you.  Remember you are filling your mission honorably for your darling
wife and your children to come.  They will honor you as a great husband and
father because of your priorities and faithfulness.

Thought for today.  "In your journal, record each night the ways the Lord has blessed
your life and the things that you are thankful for. You will learn more faster if you
will write things down.  You will feel the Spirit more if you will write things down.

Love you so much!!

Momma  ;)

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Bryce Whitaker <bryce.whitaker@myldsmail.net>	7/10/13
to me

i cant really remember right now what my scripture is. just ask grandpa what his is. and thats what i want.

im getting enough to eat. i have put on like five pounds already. and those packages were huge!!!! so yeah

they are way fun to get but i am good for a while;) letters and stuff are great. it is just nice to get something

when the mail comes.

the bread was awesome. we ate the whole thing that night. we have half a stick of butter left. and most of that

jam is still in there. and my voicemail shouldnt have a password. so i dont really know. but what bout

3589 or 3895 that might work. other wise i dont know.

 

Can you please figure out how to look up my AP scores!!!!!! and i found those shorts.

also deer hunting pictures and pictures of dixie would be dope.

uh my face is way oily over here and thats been weird. i just wash my face now and go.

i hate shaving with a passion.

uh sleeping is weird. im trying to think of what i need!! i forgot my list.

oh if you could get my a good tooth brush. not those soft kind that just lightly massage your teeth.

i want the kind that literally will take the flesh off my gums. you know what i mean?

uh. oh if you could send me like three or two more pairs of those shorter ADIDAS socks that would be

amazing. im gonna run out and we have gym time every day now.

my shoes. the mack ones are alright. im going to have to really break that one in. so thats gonna be fun.

uh. what else. but please get those AP scores. here are some pictures. if i can figure that out.

:)