November 3rd week

November 22, 2009
Dear Elder Strong,
How was your transfer? We are still waiting for your new address. Your contacts are here, and I would like to send you a little package.

Well, my birthday was fun. I had to work, but it was great being the center of attention – Jr. High kids all hugging me and 2 classes sang to me. I got home EC cookies and candy bars. Jason got me the New Moon CD and dad took me out Saturday night. Of course the celebration continues.

We got a new elder this week and luck would have it they were slated to speak in Sacrament Meeting. So, this elder who has been out the same number of weeks as you had to speak last minute to our ward, he did a great job. He spoke on the atonement from Preach My Gospel. Jill asked me if you were in church this morning in Michigan. I told her yes, and that you probably got to speak or at least tell a hundred times your life story in a nutshell.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? The more I think about it, the more I am tempted to ditch Woodruff and take the family and volunteer at a soup kitchen or something. I will make dinner, just for our family another day. Maybe tomorrow.

Jason went and cut wood with Kim Shelley yesterday. He has a career in wood cutting. He enjoys splitting the wood and we are set for the winter. He got some great news this week, he tried out for the School musical, My Fair Lady and got the lead! He will play Professor Higgins opposite Lindsay Larsen who will play Eliza Doolittle. It will be in the spring, but they start learning their songs and lines now.

Michael has opted to not play a sport this season, which maybe will bring up his grades. He has played in a band with some friends.

I talked to a guy who has committed to be baptized next week, he is so excited. He works for Aunt Sis – you might remember him. His name is Jr. He said that the missionaries contacted him on the street and he knew that Aunt Sis was a Mormon so he invited them to come and teach him. Bishop has challenged us to give a pass along card away this Christmas. I really think I will do it. I do love the Gospel. I am so thankful for all that we've been given. Elder Seth Hord wrote a note to me for my birthday recalling that it was just 4 years ago in Fairfax that we shared Thanksgiving and I called his family to get a favorite recipe. (They just said TONS of Mashed potatoes.) I hope that you have as good of experiences with members in your area. Remember to thank the host and hostess and to offer to pitch in for clean up.

You make me so proud. I would love to hear about your new area and about the people that you teach. I love you, we continue to pray for you, and we'll all be going to the Temple instead of shopping the day after Thanksgiving – Uncle Marlin will be here too. I will remember you there.
Love,
Mom and the family.

PS, email addresses and regular addresses will follow in a separate note.

November week 2

November 8, 2009

Dear Elder Strong,

Happy Birthday to Steven, Uncle Pat and Aunt Sis. It’s the beginning of all the November Birthdays. I ordered your contacts this week, from Dr. Stuarts’ office and then I will have to mail them. I did that because you hadn’t used your insurance up for the year and it was just easier, financially. And you’ll be getting a package for Thanksgiving cooking. If there is anything that you want included, let me know.
The boys won their game at the State semi-finals. Jason played most the game; he had a crucial tackle and was named by the announcers several times. I didn’t go, but Dad did. It was held in Apache Junction, down by Mesa. Saturday, they will play Heber aka Mogollon High again. I will be glad when Football is over, but it has been a fun season. Michael ordered me a hoodie when he ordered his.
It’s been a good week, we keep busy. There were 2 fall concerts, the band and then the choirs’, I have worked a lot. I did accept a part-time position where I will teach for the Jr. High 5 days a week, just in the afternoons. That job will begin this coming week. Dad had jury duty on Friday. Jared’s dad was the judge. We just keep plugging away.
Today, and last night, we had Stake Conference. It was very uplifting and I feel renewed in Spirit and desire to improve. I sang in the Choir and it was a deeply spiritual experience. The choir was led by Sr. Linda Hunt, and the piano was played by Terrie Farnes. They both have battled cancer and there was such a feeling of love and sisterhood felt among us all. I am so glad I had that experience.
We talked to Papa and he is planning on coming the week before Christmas. It will be good to see him again. Bess will still be in school, so she won’t be able to come.
Of course, I am no where near ready for the holidays, and with the days in the 70’s it doesn’t seem like it should be nearing winter. I will complain in March or so that it seems like it will never be Spring.
I really have missed you, we continue to pray for you. I know that you are working hard and that it will result in many blessings for those you are serving. Remember how important it is to love and serve the members and to work well with the Bishops. President Hancock gave a great talk on the keys of the priesthood. He spoke of specific keys that are given for the gathering of Israel and that missionaries, not bishops, have the keys to determine worthiness of investigators before baptism. He also said it wasn’t the Temple president’s job to determine worthiness of a member to attend the Temple, but a Bishops and Stake president’s. He is so practical and yet so doctrinal at the same time. We are blessed to have such great leaders. President Hancock of the Temple presidency also spoke – he was the guy that gave you the ties and cufflinks. He is pretty cool.
I love you and pray for you and trust that you are serving God with all your heart. I know that you will make us proud, and that you are a great asset to the missionary work there. Tell your companion hello from us, and let us know if you need anything.

Love Mom and the family.

A new year, in October

I haven't found my niche for writing posts. I want to share about the family without the exposing too much of us. I've decided that for now I will post bits and pieces of letters to and from the missionary son. That will give the reader insight into our family life. We continually grow and learn, and a year is too long to wait for a post.
Yours truly,
The Strong Family

Star Trek Security

Getting to know Jill

For the first 15 years of motherhood, I only knew what it was like to have boys, and then we were graced by the arrival of Jill. She is all girl – a veritable whirlwind of pink and perfume. She has been exploring the world around her and taken to trying out future professions. Lately they have gotten more and more elaborate. There was interior decorator. She re-did my bedroom with all of Jeff’s Spiderman memorabilia. She carefully draped coordinating red and blue fabrics to balance the bed-side of the room which was redone with a Spiderman throw and plush toys. Then there was the restaurant. She made it clear it was a fancy restaurant, the kind you had to be quiet in. She had menus that were hand colored, matching cloth napkins and flower arrangements. She was the chef and the maître di, and owner. They only had special pancakes that day. With two kinds of syrup. Lately, however, she has become a newspaper magnate. She actually takes the photos, does the layout and prints the papers. She has been taping typing papers together to make a full page lay and she has been reporting the news around the house. Most current events revolve around family dinners and chores. She has a photo (hand drawn) to highlight our recent visit to Woodruff and prominently features Granny, for the front page of today’s paper. Other careers she has recently tried out are: Singer, bus driver, teacher, portrait artist, Star Trek Science officer, princess, cosmetic Chemist, and of course, baker/ pastry chef. When I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up she said, “Fireman.” Really? I talked to her all day about the risks and what firemen do, saying that they get really dirty, the heat at times is unbearable and they risk their lives. After all day she said, “I really wish I could be a fireman NOW, even as a little girl.” “Do they let little girls be firemen?” She had her hopes up, and said “Because I can’t wait to fly and say – FLAME ON!!!” I finally figured out that she was talking about being Johnny Storm, the Human Torch from Marvel Comics.

Prize Mother

Last Saturday there was a rodeo and a chili cook-off. I entered the chili cook off, not because I make the best chili in the world, but because I felt that was one way I could contribute to the family-oriented activity and ensure that such fun activities would be successful. I did however get competitive about it. I carefully diced up an entire 7lb. chuck roast and simmer it with home roasted chili peppers and just picked from the garden onions. I secretly hoped that it would be the best chili there. I soaked beans from my food storage, and simmered them for 4 hours, only to find that they were still hard and dark. I threw them out and added the un-mentionable to the large pot of perfect chili ingredients - CANNED beans. It was just a few hours to the cook off, and I needed to get it there in time to feed the crowds. I was sad that it would not be the best chili there and the most discerning of palets would know that my chili was fake. I sent it and didn't worry about it further. But it was wonderful to know that my boys and Jeff, carefully guarded the leftovers, bringing them home and begging to have chili again that night. They went on and on how it was the best chili there and that they didn't even have a second taste of any other chili, so they would have room for more of the best chili in the world. I hope they know how great that makes me feel. After all, their's is the only opinion that counts in my book. By Sunday night, they had eaten every bite.

I'm not sure I'm a blogger

I have a hard time sitting down and putting my feelings into words, then so much time goes by and I would have to write a novel to update things, and I just give up and read Steven's and Alicia's blogs. I guess I am better off just jotting down a few observations. Jeff just got through writing his life story to be included in a book that his sister is publishing. We had to look up old photographs and I am so in love with Jeff. It was amazing to see how the boys and Jill have grown, how life has turned out for the Strong family. I never thought of myself ( closing in on 6 feet tall) as little or petite, but next to my teenage boys- I am tiny.