September ‘01

Hi everybody.  I was glad some of you were on the ball and wrote on Fast
Sunday, because I forgot.   But as I read your letters today, I will send
something out.  I liked your web  page Dave Jensen.  It would work well I
think.  Clair taught me how to set up a contact list of you all so that when
I send this out I only send it once through a group contact with all of your
addresses on it. (I hope that makes sense)  ANyway, it is convenient also so
that I don't have to mail it separately to everyone.  TIme has flown by.  We
had a wonderful trip to Illinois and Missouri finishing our church history
tour before Brian leaves on his mission.  I came to love Nauvoo. There was
such a peaceful feeling there.  I came to love the pioneers and respect
their sacrifices.  Compared to them, I feel like we don't sacrifice at all.
We are not asked to leave our homes, only to keep our yards tidy.  We are
not asked to leave our families and go on missions, only to share the gospel
with a friend.  We are not asked to build temples, only to go to the temple.
Some of these things are difficult for us also though.  Our sacrifices are
different. The thing that I came away the most with was a love for Joseph
Smith.  He did so much for many.  It is amazing to me that both him and
Christ took so much persecution, never fighting back, just taking everything
given to them.  Even the fact that Joseph SMith would turn himself in, even
though innocent.  If there was a warrant for his arrest on false charges, he
would turn himself in, and of course many times he was released.  Except of
course at Carthage.  We were able to drive through Adam-Ondi-Ahman also,
which I thought was cool.  "The land where Adam dwelt".  Anyway, we are all
settled back into school now and everyone is fairly happy.  Our stake
president has Brian's mission papers and has his final interview next
Sunday, then they will get sent in.  Maybe by our next newsletter we can
tell everyone where he is going.  Of course if we find out sooner, we
probably won't be able to keep it a secret for that long.  We are thinking
he will leave in December or January.  Most boys here just getting their
calls are leaving the beginning of December.  He is excited and taking a
missionary prep. class at the institute.  He is taking an art appreciation
class at Dixie and his teacher is Del Parson, he is the artist who painted
the famous picture of Christ.  It is a bust type picture with him in a red
robe.  Melanie has some fun classes this year too.  Derek is starting
football and very excited.  He is into fantasy football and is hooked.  He
has to check everyones trades and see what is
happening everyday.  Heidi will be 12 on Saturday and can't wait to be out
of primary and on to Young Women.  Clair had a fun Priest outing at Havasupi
which is a ten mile hike down a canyon near the Grand Canyon.  About 12
priests went, so it was a good turn out and they all seemed to have fun.
They opted to pay a little more and have their packs carried out by mules
after knowing how challenging it was just to hike down.  THey were glad that
the bishop was with them so that he could make that financial decision.  As
for me, Not much is new.  Just the same old mom stuff.  We will look forward
to hearing from all of you.  I read that Rachel is getting bigger, how about
you AMy?  Are you starting to wear maternity clothes yet?

Linda Buchanan