Update on Visa's

Will (on the right) at the MTC

Last Monday, three of the ten Visa's finally arrived at the MTC. Those Elders will leave soon. Will is one of the seven whose Visa's did not arrive. They are fasting and praying that things will move quickly.

Will says that they are no longer on the regular schedule of taking classes each day etc. He has been going to the Temple each day and studying the scriptures and Spanish on his own and with his companion. He is being really productive but says he is very anxious to get to Colombia and start the "real" work. He has just about finished the Book of Mormon for a second time in the last 2 months alone. Also, he is spending time at the Referral Center. It is where they make calls to people around the country who have requested LDS literature. He loves doing it. He says that they are now calling Spanish contacts around the country and he has had some amazing experiences. It is really good practice. I think it is amazing that they can already understand the basics after only two months of Spanish classes. I know that it will be difficult to understand things when they get to Colombia because people will speak much faster, but they will get the hang of it. He feels a strong spirit with him when he bears his testimony to them. Six of his contacts have requested the missionaries to come and teach them. We are so proud of what he is doing. In each letter, he bears a beautiful, strong testimony of the gospel.

Will was asked to say the closing prayer at a devotional in which Richard G Scott, one of the Twelve, spoke. They ask the Elders to say the prayers several weeks prior to the devotionals so I guess they can be prepared. Will waited excitedly for two weeks to have this opportunity. There are about 2400 people at the devotionals. He said, "I got to sit up on the stand the whole time and it was very cool to be so close to him. I was able to shake his hand after. He gave one of the strongest testimonies I have ever heard. I could definitely feel an amazingly strong spirit there."

Happy Birthday Luke

Luke Benjamin Bates is one of a kind. He is now five years old. I remember when he was born on October 25, 2003. Bruce, Will and I travelled to Rexburg, Id. and were fortunate enough to be present at the hospital when he was born. What a special experience. He was a cute little blond haired baby. I knew that he was going to be a boy because I was with Angie when she had a sonogram. She and Ben did not want to know, but I did. Angie agreed that I could find out if I kept it quiet, so the technician told me. It was very hard to keep it a secret for the remaining months. I do not want to do that again. Anyway, Angie and Ben were shocked when he turned out to be a boy. They really thought that they were having a girl. He was their third child - Cameryn, Jesse and then Luke.

He is all boy. He loves everything his Dad does. Ben owns his own business and once in awhile he will let Luke go with him to work. He loves watching the crews work and the big machines around the work site. Of course, Ben watches him very carefully. He is a sweet brother to his three siblings. He is very solicitous and kind with his baby sister, Caroline. He helps her with a lot of things. He loves to play with Jesse and Cameryn. We love you Luke.

Here are some pictures of our birthday boy.

Visa's Delayed

Bruce and I were working out in the yard. When we came in the house, Bruce checked and we had a message on the answering machine. It was from WILL. We felt so bad and disappointed that we were not here to talk to him directly. We haven't heard his voice in two months. As you know, they are not allowed to call us, except at Christmas and on Mother's Day. We knew it had to be important and it was. He and the nine other Elders going to Colombia were set to leave on Tuesday morning, October 21. The church had sent out all their Visa's some time ago. They had not arrived back at the MTC, so they cancelled their flights. Apparently, they will stay at the MTC for up to two weeks. If the Visa's don't come within that time period, then they will be sent somewhere in the U.S. until they do come. He said that his zone is fasting and praying that they will come quickly. They are all so disappointed.
Here are some pictures of Will and his friends at the MTC. We had to laugh at his hair. He has never parted his hair in his life so I'm sure he really has to gel it down.


Will studying Spanish at the MTC.


Will and the Elders from his District at the Provo Temple.

B.J.'s Birthday

B.J. loves birthdays - especially his own. Actually, he LOVES ANY celebrations. He takes such great joy in life. I don't think that he is ever unhappy. He loves to start a countdown until the next one. The day after Christmas he will say, "Only 364 days until Christmas."

We have had a great day. B.J. got some nice presents. He is very hard to find things for because he is so content with what he already has. He doesn't want the newest or latest gadgets etc. He usually ends up with some new clothes and a game or joke book. The present that he loves the most is spending quality time with his family.

Bruce and I took him to dinner to his place of choice. He chose Don Pedro's Restaurant where he ordered his favorite dinner there - Enchiladas a la Crema. They surprised him by coming around after we had finished the main course and putting a huge Mexican hat on his head. They then sang Happy Birthday. He was grinning from ear to ear when they placed a beautiful dessert of Fried Ice Cream with chocolate syrup on the top, in front of him. He could hardly wait for the Birthday song to be over with before he dug into the ice cream.

What a fun day and hey - it's only 364 days until his next birthday.

Happy Birthday Sis

It will soon be my sister Debbie Sutor's birthday. She and her daughter came to visit us just before Will left on his mission so I was able to take some pictures. Debbie and her husband Greg live in Calgary. He is a Landscape Architect for a large firm and she is a great Elementary School Teacher. They have two children.

Taylor, the oldest, is currently serving a mission in Georgia. He spent the first part in Atlanta and is now in smaller towns. He loves it and the people there.

McKenzie is looking forward to college next year. All of the grandchildren love McKenzie. She is so sweet and kind and loved to play with them while she was here.

Two Sweet Girls

"Every girl's life is a Fairy Tale written by God's finger."
by Hans Christian Anderson

I love this picture of Amy and Angie. We lived in Des Moines when I had this picture taken. Amy had just turned three and Angie was 16 months old. They have always been close sisters and best friends. They have always supported each other, even through their teen years. Even though they are thousands of miles apart they still maintain a really close relationship. Isn't it wonderful to have a sister?

I scrap booked this layout using a digital kit and idea from Lorrie Davison. I just love her designs. I used to love fairy tales as a little girl and I haven't changed. It is wonderful to have the digital graphics available to scrapbook and design our own fairy tales with.