Week 7

Received an email from Kyle today.  He has had a tough week and is feeling a bit discouraged.  He said that he has struggled with his companion and that one of his investigators that he thought for sure would committ to baptism cancelled on them.  He also expressed that he was feeling like he had been forgotten.  He said that for the first time ever he dropped to his knees and cried.  He said that after finishing his prayer he literally felt chills and he felt like he was being hugged.  He said that this experience has really changed his outlook on his mission and that it was a real faith builder.  He said that he has a few more investigators lined up for this week and a couple of them are Jehovah Witnesses so they are going to be especially tough.  He said that he went and got his first haircut since leaving home and he totally misses Peggy.  The barber cut it with a #4 and it is way short....he feels bald.  So...he said that he had to go and buy an Angel's hat.  I figure he would find any excuse he can to purchase a hat.  He has recently met a man named Tony who converted to the church 4 years ago.  Kyle and his companion are currently teaching Tony's 2 daughters....one who is 9 and one who is 10.  He says that their attention spans are worse than Kellen's so they are struggling with teaching them the lessons.  He says that Tony is very kind to them. Kyle says that he is currently serving in a fairly wealthy area.  He says that his Bishop (Bishop Braithwaite) is the owner of two major hospitals in California.  He also said that a week or so ago he was able to do exchanges in Laguna Niguel which is one of the richest areas of his mission.  He says that transfers are tomorrow and that he excited for what lies ahead. 

1 month down!

It is honestly hard to believe that 1 month has already passed since Kyle has left.  We miss him terribly but it is so exciting to hear of his experiences and all that he is accomplishing and learning.  We look forward to each Monday when it is his P-Day and we can email for a little while with him.  He reports that he is doing well.  He says that he too enjoys Monday so that he can talk with us a bit.  He gets a little homesick but his Mondays get him through the rest of week.  He says that the rest of the week he stays crazy busy.  He is currently serving in Laguna Niguel.  He reports that him and his companion are white-washing the area.  The other day, Kyle spent 24 hours with his zone leader.  While with his zone leader, they caught a mischevious racoon in their back yard.  He said that was pretty cool.  He has told his Dad and I that they have dinner appointments every night and that he is actually eating things that he probably never would have tried at home.  In fact the other day he said he ate squid and actually liked it.  Kyle is the designated driver and from the looks of the picture above, it looks like he is still sporting his swag!  He was excited to report yesterday that they would be meeting with an investigator on Tuesday and he was thinking that there is a really good possiblity that he may get his first baptism committment.  He also mentioned to his Dad that Danny Ainge showed up at his ward and that his zone leader has had 2 BBQ's with Eric Weddle.  Kyle seems to be making the most of things.  We are proud of him and for his desire to serve.

Small Tender Moments

Kyle has now been out for a little over 3 weeks.  For the most part it hasn't been too bad, but I wouldn't be a mom if I didn't have my days where I miss him terribly.  What has amazed me is when I am having one of those days, I find myself experiencing a small tender moment that puts a smile on my face and helps me see the big picture.  Kyle left the MTC on the 23rd of July.  Someone had told us that we should have sent him a calling card because they usually get to call home when they get to the airport.  Unfortunately, I wasn't  told about this until Sunday and Kyle was leaving on Tuesday so sending one in the mail was not going to happen.  I thought to myself...no big deal he will call collect.  Ya right...he probably doesn't even know what a collect call is.  Anyway...I didn't get a call.  So Thursday, I was feeling a little down.  I wanted to know how he was, if he had made it to California, was he happy.  Basically I wanted to know as a Mom was he ok.  I was playing around in Facebook and something told me that I needed to update and look at Kyle's facebook account.  So I did.  There were a few friend requests that I accepted and there was also a message that Von Orgil (Kyle's Mission President) had accepted him as a friend.  I thought to myself...great I'm going to go check out his page.  So I did and in doing so, I came across a post with a picture.  The post said, "First set of 30 missionaries arriving in Irvine, California".  I clicked on the picture.  It was a picture of missionaries coming down the escalator at the airport and President Orgil and his wife were at the bottom of the escalator ready to greet them.  There in the middle of the escalator was my son with a huge smile on his face.  That was all I needed that day.  I knew my son had arrived in California safely and that he was happy.  Another week went by and again I was having one of those days.  This time was a little better.  I was just sitting on the couch wondering how he was doing...just thinking about him.  My telephone rang and it was Jay Zundel.  Jay called just to tell me an interesting story.  Earlier he had received a telephone call from a grade school friend that he hasn't spoken to in years.  His friend called because he had noticed that Jay had put a comment on a facebook picture that I had posted of Kyle, his mission president, and his wife.  Anyway...the friend asked Jay how he knew Elder Hess.  Jay told him that his son Kyle and Elder Hess were really good friends, that he had been Elder Hess' bishop for the last 5 years, and that he was also Elder Hess' baseball coach since he was 10 years old.  Jay then asked his friend how he knew Elder Hess.  His friend replied, "I don't know Elder Hess but I know his trainer/companion. His trainer/companion is my son".  What a small world!  Life is good and I love these little moments that put a smile on my face.

Presiden Orgil, his wife, and Elder Hess