Henry's Missionary Letter No. 1

This is Gwen.  I am putting Henry's first missionary letter here!  Soon we make a separate blog so that friends/other family can see his letters.

Hello from the MTC, family! (Mimi included, of course)  

The first two-and-a-half days have been awesome here at the MTC.  I'm really enjoying the classes and my district and companionship.  Since I speak German already, I was put in the international branch.  My district has 6 other missionaries.  Elder Baloaloa [Ball-Wall-Wa] (said with very pure, German sounding vowels) is my companion.  He and Elder Castro are both from the Philippines.  Elder Baloaloa is going to San Diego Tagalog speaking, and Elder Castro is going to Anchorage, Alaska Tagalog speaking.  Elder Castro's companion and my other very good friend is Elder Wilson from Samoa.  He is going to Anchorage, Alaska Samoan speaking.  They are all awesome, and I love them all so much.  We keep on joking with Elder Castro and Elder Wilson that they will freeze to death when they go to Alaska, and they're actually pretty scared of that .  There is a picture near the cafeteria of a missionary baptizing a new member in an icy lake, and we keep telling Elder Wilson that that's him.  He always says "no, no, no is bad" and covers his eyes.  None of them speak perfect English, but they are all quite good, and we can understand each other well (with me translating English to English sometimes).  We all room together, and we are having a great time together.  I am so glad I am in the international branch, and I'm really excited for Sunday.  The other people in our district are sisters.  Sister Pirreda from Italy is going to serve in the temple square mission; Sister Qaqa from Fiji is going to serve in the Okland, New Zealand visitor's center; and Sister Melendez from Belize is going to serve in the London, England mission.

Anyway, now for some journaling/goings on.  On Wednesday when we very first got here, our foursome of Elders didn't really have companionships yet.  We all kind of walked around together, and we all got to get really close with each other.  I'm the only American that I know of in the international branch, and every thinks it's really funny that I live in Provo, and I could practically see my house from the MTC if there weren't trees in the way.  We had a good time joking about my drive from my house (which took about 5 minutes), when all the other members of my district had to take really long flights to get here.  I am already feeling the blessings of serving a mission.  I feel stronger and more committed to my own conversion and love of the gospel.  It really strengthens my testimony to be with the humble international elders and sisters and hear their testimonies in non-perfect English.  The days are so jam-packed!!! It's crazy!  I knew that a missionary's schedule was tight, but we never have a time between 6:30 AM and 10:30 PM when we aren't doing something.  My mind is always focused and I feel good.  I have also met up with some German elders and sisters and gotten to speak some German with them.  They all have complimented me and told me my German was good.  I have also seen a few people I know from Timpview and otherwise in the MTC.  Elder Checketts is awesome, and I got to talk with him and his district (who are all going to Frankfurt).  Life is good.  I miss you guys, but I haven't really had too much time to wallow because I'm super busy.  I haven't even had time to read all of your letters yet.  Right now I am writing from a crowded laundry room for a few minutes since it's P-Day.  I have P-Day onFriday in the MTC, but I don't know if that will change while I am in the field.

This morning I had a wonderful experience with Elder Baloaloa.  I got to be the escort for him as he went through the Endowment for the first time.  Elder Baloaloa is one of the most humble and kindest guys I have met, and I am so grateful that I am him companion.  He has been assigned to be our District Leader, and I am his senior companion.  We had an incredible experience in the temple, and Elder Baloaloa loved it.  During the endowment session, he got to listen in Tagalog on a headset.  After he went through the initiatory and before we went to the endowment, the Temple President talked with him for a while, and that was really nice to hear him talk about the temple.  I remembered again a lot of the blessings that the temple brings and that I am entitled to.  I was extremely touched as we were waiting for the Temple President and Elder Baloaloa had the hymnbook open to Hymn 219 "Because I Have Been Given Much."  Elder Baloaloa isn't wealthy, but he is grateful and he loves his life and the Gospel.  In the temple, I saw both President Reineer and Brother Dodge!!  It was fun to see them and introduce them to Elder Baloaloa.  After we got out of the temple, I saw Mom!!!  That was awesome.  I have a sneaking suspicion that Brother Dodge might have called her and told her I would be there, but maybe it was just the Lord intervening haha .

I miss you guys a lot, and I love you so much.  I pray for you all every night.  Tell Leah thanks for the package, and that I will write them a real letter as soon as I can.  I will probably go after this and write another letter to you guys and include some more letters to give to people because I am running out of computer time.  I love you guys so much!  Show this e-mail to Mimi as well.  Mimi, I love you so much too!!!  Thank you, everyone for your letters, and I will hopefully reply to them on paper soon.  I love you all, and I love Roose!  I'll communicate with you again soon!  The first two days of the mission have been awesome.  I know it might get discouraging at times, but I am loving it right now!

-Elder Henry Davis

You Can Never Have Too Many Eagles

I just came across this gem on eBay and it made me think of watching "A Thousand Clowns" at Grandma and Grandpa's house. "Mac, you can never have too many eagles."

Also, notice that this eagle is not gilt, but that is has guilt about gold, apparently. :)

We came home yesterday afternoon from a three day camping trip to Fish Lake, which is down in the southeast part of Utah.  It is a huge lake high in the mountains, and very beautiful.  The aspens were all turning colors and it was chilly at night so we really enjoyed the warmth of our new trailer.

We went down with Linda and Alan Keele.  They have a pickup with a camper and took a camp site next to ours.  They also have a beautiful, 22 ft.  boat.  The photo above was taken just after we arrived and shows Alan just pulling off the boat trailer and getting ready to dock the boat.

We went out on the lake two mornings.

Alan taught me how to steer the boat (but only when we were trolling--not when he went at full speed)so he and Dad could fish. They caught a lot of nice trout and Linda filleted the fish and fried them in butter--just seasoned with salt, pepper and a little lemon pepper. That is the best trout dinner I have ever had.  She taught me how to do it and I plan to cook trout that way from now on.  Now Dad is afraid I'll make him throw back the small trout and only bring back the big ones when we are at Christmas Meadows.  Now it is time to winterize the trailer and settle down to Fall and Winter. Hope you are all well.

We love you all,  Mom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

news from the north

We are glad to hear that most of ypu are golng to be commlng up next summer! It should be a lot of fun. I dont think we have heard from Lori, Eric, and Bill. Gay is looking forward to getting some good pictures of Caitlin. So our big news is that we were selected to help the Fish and Wildife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service review a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Susitna River. So we are the ones helping to determine the impact to salmon from the largest dam to be built in the last 50years! Amzing what youcan do from your cabin in the woods these days.

Gays sister Lin and her husband are in Lesotho in South Africa working for the Peace Corps so we are hoping to get over there next year.

Well thats all for now.

Jeff and Gay

Hi family,
I thought I would report on what we did last week. Sunday a week ago, we left for Idaho early in the morning. We drove to Shelley, Idaho and went to church with Freddy Bunce and his family. Then we had dinner with them. Here is a photo of Freddy and his family in front of their home:

For those who don't know the connection, Freddy is Aunt Betty's grandson--the son of Michael Bunce.  He would be a second cousin to our grandchilden.  They are a very fun family.  We then drove on to Betty and Art's for a couple of nights.  Art is holding in there.  Each time we visit, he is able to do less than he could on the last visit.  Grandpa talked him into driving the golf cart while we played nine holes at the Challis golf course. He liked doing that, but he can't play golf any more.  It was very smokey in Challis because of a big forest fire around Salmon.  The air was clear in the early morning, but was horrible by the afternoon. 

From Challis, we drove to Bend, Oregon and then to the Sunriver Resort.  We met 6 other couples--all friends we knew in Junior High and High School in Ashland, Oregon.  Each morning the men played golf at some nearby golf course.  The prettiest is called Crooked River golf course and is very beautiful.  One day I went with them and took along a friend.  She doesn't golf, but she drove the cart for me.  I'm not a great or even good golfer, but I made a spectacular par of one hole.  The first ball went far to the right when it should have gone straight down the fareway.  The next ball (hit from beneath a tree), hit the golf car trail (which is asphalt) not far from me, but bounced high in the air and landed on the side of the hill going up to the green.  I "chipped" up on the green and the ball went flying in the air.  I yellled "too hard!"  But the ball landed squarely on the green and rolled into the cup.  No one was more surprised than I.

After we played golf that day, my friend Carol, her husband Bob Delsman, Garold and I drove into Bend and ate at the Pine Tavern.  This is actually a nice restaurant with a good sized bar.  We ate out on the terrace overlooking the river.  It was wonderful.  After we ate, we walked around the park along the river.  Beautiful homes are all along the shores.  I've added a picture of us below.

I really have enjoyed my new Kindle.  I've read several mysteries by Josephine Tey.  They are very good.  The best one in my opinion is not available on Kindle.  It is Brat Farrer.  But they are all good.  I read a new novel--actually a kind of autobiography by Carolyn Jourdan titled "Heart in the Right Place."  It is about a woman who goes back to her hometown in Tennessee for a few days to help her father who is a country doctor.  The very best book I have read was published in 1943.  I don't know why I have never read it before.  It is titled "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith.  It was a big hit when it came out and a movie was made based on the story.  I never saw the movie either.  Both the Jourdan and the Smith books are loanable if any of you who own a Kindle are interessted. 

Well, that's my report, What have you been doing lately?  Love you all, Grandma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



News About Caitlin

Hello, Dear Family!

It’s been a busy and fun summer for me. I stuck around Provo for most of May and June so I could take a six week German reading comprehension class. For the art history MA I’m expected to be proficient in a second language, and be able to translate in a third. German has to be one of those languages, since a lot of early art history was written in German, which is convenient for me as a large part of my research will be in German. Less convenient for me is that I always thought I’d work on French art and went ahead and became fluent in that. I also worked during spring term as a TA for Art History 201 which discusses art from ancient times until the Renaissance.

At the end of June I travelled to Alaska and met Jason there. He had already been there for a week or so working with Jeff and Gay. We had so much fun there and hope to return often. We are really looking forward to the family reunion there next summer and demand that everyone go! While in Alaska we went on hikes with Kari, hung out at Jeff and Gay’s (unbelievably amazing) cabin, went on boat rides on the Susitna river, camped and hiked in Denali, explored Talkeetna, and had new food experiences, including eating caribou prepared by Gay and moose grilled by Jensen (and for a couple of vegetarians, we really loved them!).

Gay kept trying to avoid having her picture taken, but I snapped a good one!

Jason on Jeff and Gay's new boat on the Susitna river, AKA, the Davis's back yard

On top of a mountain in Denali Park

Shortly after returning from Alaska mom and I traveled to Great Britain. We flew in and out of Glasgow, which was a fun new experience. While in Glasgow I was able to see a lot of art by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret MacDonald Mackintosh, who were good friends with the Viennese artists I’m studying for my master’s thesis. That was so much fun. Then we travelled down to the east coast in northern England to a town called Newcastle-upon-Tyne and began our 6 day, 84 mile walk along Hadrian’s Wall. We had such a great time! It was the rainiest summer on record, so much of the trail, which ran through cow and sheep pastures, had become nearly impassable after turning into manure-filled bogs. We got to our hotel each evening aching and covered in what we called “not-mud,” but we still had so much fun! I bought lots of souvenirs in Britain, mostly relating not to the Romans, but to the royal family, particularly Will and Kate, whom I adore.

A spectacular high tea at Edinburgh Castle

Golden fields on day one

One of the boggy bits

Not-mud

We crossed many stiles!

We made friends with some Roman legionaries

A good view of the wall and the "Robin Hood tree," featured in the Morgan Freeman and Kevin Costner movie

On top of the world!

In August, Jason and I went to Portland, where Jason was presenting his research at the convention of the Ecological Society of America. He presented a great poster displaying the effects of fires on the biological soil crusts in the Utah deserts. While he was at the conference every day I explored Portland on my own. I went to historical houses, gardens, museums, bookstores, restaurants and became an expert on driving through strange cities without the use of GPS, as well as the Portland public transport system. A highlight was a tour the Hat Museum which was led by a very eccentric woman who played an original song about hats on a mandolin as part of the tour. Jason and I both bought hats in the gift shop. J After Portland Jason and I travelled down the Oregon coast, stopping anywhere that promised a fun time. This included seeing the band Smashmouth (a middle school favorite of mine) at the Tillamook county fair, and a walk-through safari where I rode a camel and we played with a baby cougar, bobcat, bear and fox, among other things. We then went down the coast of northern California, drove through a redwood tree, and visited some all-sea glass beaches, which became my new Happy Place.

Then we went camping at Christmas Meadows, which has already been recounted by Grandma, but we had a blast and sorely missed those who weren’t there.

The best news I got this summer was that I am a recipient of a very generous Graduate Research Fellowship, so I’ll be getting paid, not only to go to school and do research here, but to travel to Vienna and do original archival research! I’m planning on going in January, which is maybe not the best tourism time, but probably a good sit-in-museums-and-libraries-all-day-and-research-and-write time. I’m really looking forward to it, but am also nervous! Any of my German-speaking family care to accompany me and be my translator? Another big school-related bit of news is that last week I took my comprehensive qualifying exam for my master’s program, wherein I was shown 25 slides from any time period and had to write as much as I could about them for 5 minutes each, showing my knowledge of the artist, date, period, style, cultural and historical context, influences, etc. It was so, so intimidating, but I just found out that I passed! Hallelujah!

This semester I’m taking a seminar on European Primitivism and working like crazy on my thesis research. I’m planning on writing about the women of the Wiener Werkstätte, an art group that I fell in love with while visiting Grandma and Grandpa on their mission in Vienna. I’m interested in the women artists of the group, but also the roles of women in Vienna at the beginning of the 20^th century and the importance of decorative and craft arts.

I had a wonderful birthday on Thursday which included my favorite foods, wonderful gifts, a stressful meeting with my thesis advisor, shopping at Target, a (somewhat rainy) birthday party at the park set up by my school friends, and bowling with Jason. Lots of fun! Thanks, everyone for the lovely birthday wishes. I love you all! I’ll try to keep future updates a bit shorter. J

We have a lot to be thankful for as a family.  Most recently for the "clean bill of health" Lori's doctors have given her after months of worrying that cancer might be showing up on her scans in a new place.  I am thankful for all five of our children and our wonderful 14 grandchildren--plus three new great additions through marriage, Jason, Kia and Stephanie.  We are also blessed that Chase has returned home safe and sound from two hard working years of service in Taiwan.

Our atrium in bloom

Just to let all of you know that next week we are going on a an extended trip.  We'll start first of all on Sunday to be with Betty's grandson Freddy Bunce and his family.  We'll go to church with them in Shelley, Idaho and have dinner at their house.  Then we'll go to see Betty and Art in Challis for a couple of days.  After that, we will drive to Bend, Oregon and stay at the Sun River Resort with a group of high school friends for the rest of the week.  Early every morning the men play a round of golf.  Then we get together for lunch and dinner with the whole group.  In the meantime, those who don't play golf can go swimming, take walks along the beautiful paths through the woods in the resort, or anything else we think of to do.  Mostly, it is a chance to get together and renew good friendships.

Today is Caitlin's birthday. Happy Birthday Caitlin. I was still unpacking from our from our week of camping and didn't think to recognize on the Grandpa Garold Herald that Lori's was on the 19th. We love you all and are grateful for your good lives. 

Live is good.  We love you all,
Grandma