Desi's Birthday

Dearest Family,

Happy birthday, Desi, on Wednesday. We're so excited that the Eliasons will be there to celebrate it with you. With Julie, Jason, Melody and Brandon coming for the weekend you'll have a full house but what a wonderul time together. We'll be eager to hear all about your time together. We're thrilled that you will be together. We're on baby-watch with Keith and Kim here. Kira will be induced on May 30 but Kim would be grateful if she came sooner. Talisa will stay with Kim's mom while they are in the hospital then Keith will have four weeks paternity leave to help with the baby.

We've had a good week. John finished teaching the institute classes to the young missionaries. It has kept him very busy preparing the lessons but he has enjoyed it, especially getting to know the young men and women. He has come to know many of them by name and situation and really feels close to them. One commented, "I'm so grateful I was called to teach in the training zone. It has changed my whole perspective about my mission and what I'm going to accomplish." We are short a lot of trainers in the zone so we have "rented" some of them to come and help and they are remarkable! With these tough economic times we are having fewer full-time missionaries (we're down by 80 people!) but more service missionaries are coming who serve part time. They don't have the restrictions of the full-time missionaries and perform great service. In the past we have been training 25-30 full-time missionaries for two weeks a month and about that many service volunteers for one week. Now we have 16-20 full time missionaries and intermix the service missionaries. It works out all right because the training is done one-on-one but getting their security clearance, tours, health lectures, interviews with the presidency, make sceduling a nightmare. We have have appreciation for our zone leader, Elder Kucher. He is so upbeat and positive no matter what is asked of him and the zone. Someone referred to the missionaries as being "church-broke." They will do anything assignment they are asked to do the best they can without complaining. This month we also have people from the Orem Digital Imaging facility. We are losing trainers because of transfers and a couple that are going to be working full time with their stakes to get them up to speed with New FamilySearch. Though most of the training is for genealogy, a couple of the trainers teach other programs for those assigned to secretarial positions. With programs changing and all the new resources available a common phrase is that a trainer just has to be "one click ahead of his student." However, with some of these smart young missionaries, sometimes I just ask them to come and help with situations loading info onto laptops, etc. I love the spirit of helpfulness. Everyone is there to help everyone else success. There isn't fault-finding or jockeying for position. It is just fun to be there though frankly it is a lot of hard work and intense searching for answers.

It has been enjoyable to visit individually with many of you this week. I loved talking to everyone over the Mother's Day weekend. Julie spent Monday with Kristilyn and the twins at the zoo then came over here in the evening for dinner. Kristilyn brought the twins over on Friday night and they all slept here because Mark was in Cincinnati for a preparation seminar for his medical boards in August. Saturday afternoon Keith, Kim, and Talisa came over for a visit and we just enjoyed being with them. We love having everyone together but we love having you come separately so we can focus on your individual lives. It means a great deal to us that you spend time and keep in contact with us because we cherish and value you each so much. I'm certain we have the best twelve children and the cutest grandchildren in the whole world!!!

John continues keep the lawn beautiful. We planted some tomatoes, cucumbers, and a squash plant. The tulips are gone but the iris, lilacs, snowballs, sweet peas, and poppies are starting to bloom.

Katrina has spent many hours on the telephone looking for help and answers regarding Anna. Anna has started to sleep a little better and isn't needing Tylenol so much. Her head-size is diminishing. Her pediatrician in Olean and the school district working on early intervention have been very helpful. We'll be eager to hear how things are going there.

Mary Hanson has been called to be the Young Women's president in the River First Ward. Both her daughters are now in YW. Chris Roberts, Cary and Cherrie's son, is getting married in the Salt Lake Temple of Wednesday, May 20, to Lindsay Knudsen. Rob Bailey got a serious infection that nearly cost him his life and required a tracheotomy and put him in the hospital for eight days. He is doing better now. Barry Naus was t-boned by a drunk driver and had his white truck totaled. Fortunately he was alone and was hit on the passenger side. He is all right nwo and they have a new red truck but it was very traumatic.

I love this quote Julie shared with me by Elder Neal A. Maxwell:
"Our perfect Father does not expect us to be perfect children yet. He had only one such child. Meanwhile, therefore, sometimes with smudges on our cheeks, dirt on our hands and shoes untied stammeringly but smilingly we present God with a dandelion--as if it were an orchid or a rose! If for now the dandelion is the best we have to offer, He receives it, knowing what we may later place on the altar. It is good to remember how young we are spiritually."

We love you very much. Keep doing the good things you are doing. We are so pleased with the way you are living your lives.

Love,
Mom and Dad