Home MTC begins!

Sister Smith and Elder Reginald

 

On September 19, 2022 Brightyn started her Home Missionary Training.  This is a new thing the church implemented.  It started during the pandemic and they found positive results from it so they have kept it.  Brightyn has been doing zoom online classes all week.  It is kind of a nice transition into the Provo MTC because she gets to make friends and gets a feel for how the training works before she heads down to Provo for 2 weeks.  She already knows her MTC companion and her district which is nice. Brightyn has enjoyed the Home MTC minus the loooong days of just sitting.  Sweet Reggie has been a great companion.  He will sit at her feet all day while she does her learning!  So we decided to make Reggie his own missionary tag!.  haha

Elder Reginald 

It doesn't get much cuter than this!  

Brightyn is officially a full time missionary!

On Sunday September 18, 2022 Brightyn was set apart as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It was a beautiful day!  It was so fun as a family to be able to share in this day with her.  Grammy was also with us.  I made everyone take a quick family picture right afterwards because it will be 18 months before we are all together again as a family. 

My cute little missionary!  She is so beautiful inside and out!

A couple of days before Brightyn was set apart Jason took the day off work and we went to Park City to spend the day with our Brightyn Anne!  It was a fun and relaxing day.  I'm going to miss my Brightyn sooo much!  Reggie even got to come along for the adventure!

Brightyn and her best friend Emily Walk.

This is how we all feel about our Brightyn Anne leaving us.  But we are so excited and proud of her decision to serve the Lord!  I can't wait to watch her grow!

I love my Brightyn Anne!

 

Temple Dates with My Brightyn Anne!!!

I have enjoyed every minute of going to the Temple with my Brightyn!  It has been such a wonderful blessing to experience these moments with her!  

 

Brightyn's Farewell

September 11, 2022

Brightyn knocked it out of the park with her farewell talk.  She did such a beautiful job!  She brought tears to my eyes.  The Bishop even told Brightyn he made her cry.  I'm so dang proud of my Brightyn Anne!  She is ready to serve and it going to be an amazing missionary! 

I'm so grateful for everyone that showed up to support Brightyn. She has quite the fan club.  Brightyn loves people and is very loved by so many!  

I completely forgot to take pictures of the whole cute set up we had.  I was too busy worrying about the food and everything else that I spaced taking a single picture of who showed up to the house and my cute table of food.  I slaved over this stupid balloon arch and then forgot to take a completed picture of it. haha.  Oh well!  Since her farewell was in the morning I decided to do breakfast foods.  We had yogurt parfait bar, Einstein Bros. Bagels and homemade orange rolls that I made.  Everything turned out perfectly.  

I was physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of the day just like the balloons above.  haha.  But it was a wonderful day!

 

Happy 28 Years to Us!

(28 roses for 28 years from my husband of 28 years!!!)

28 years ago we made the best decision of our lives!  I really can't believe how fast the past 28 years have flown by.  I love the life we have built together all by ourselves through hard work, love courage, persistence, faith, strength, determination, trust and support of each other.  I wouldn't want to do life with anyone else.  I'm proud of how far we have come and what we have accomplished together.  Here's to another 28 years!  I love you "my husband of 28 years!"

 A little throwback to when we were dating!  haha

We basically invented the selfie!  

 Jason always keeps me laughing.  One of the many reasons I fell in love with him 30 years ago!  

My Cute Little Missionary!

Brighytn's cute friend, Kezi, took Brighytn's mission pictures for her.  They turned out so adorable.  Brightyn met Kezi down at Dixie State!

 

Brightyn's First Temple Experience!

September 1, 2022

Bountiful Utah Temple

I had the honor of being Brightyn's escort as she went through the Temple for the first time.  It was such a wonderful experience to share with her.  When you become a full-time missionary one of the requirements is that you take out your endowments in Temple before you leave.  So this one of Brightyn's first steps on her journey of becoming a full-time missionary.   It was a beautiful evening spent with some of our most beloved friends.  Michelle & Ryan Tracy, Brent & Leila Johnson and Chris and Becky Beckman came with us.  It was such a beautiful experience to share with all them. They love Brightyn and have been such wonderful influences to her in her life. 

 I'm so proud of my Brightyn Anne!