Max in the MTC

We dropped Max off at the Provo MTC on Wednesday, September 20. We have been happy to talk to him each Wednesday since then as he has been learning Spanish and how to preach the gospel. 

He is scheduled to leave the MTC on October 26. As he waits for his Bolivian Visa, he has been temporarily reassigned to the New Mexico Albuquerque Mission. His whole district seems to be heading to various stateside assignments for the time being. This will be good, he will learn more Spanish and we can mail him things and he won't have to handwash his clothes in a bucket for a little while longer!

Any time these goodbye pictures come up again, I get a little choked up. I wish things could go super easy for him and he would be spared hard things, or that we didn't miss him so so much  -- but then were would the sacrifice be? Where would the learning be? And the coming closer to the Savior? 

We went to In-N-Out for lunch that Wednesday, then stopped at the Provo City Center Temple to walk on the grounds for a little bit.

Then we went to the Provo MTC. They direct all the cars down the ramp into the parking garage and where to line up. A missionary ran up to greet us and took this picture.

Then we all got a last hug.

This is the poloroid picture we took on the grounds.

And the poloroid of the brothers the night before he left.

Max was able to find his best friend Andy in the MTC, they overlapped by a couple of days. He also found a few more friends there. It's packed with missionaries right now.

On the evening of Tuesday, October 3, the Young Women General President gave the MTC devotional. Because I am assigned to cover the women leaders in the Church News, I got to go to write about it. I found Max right away and got the biggest hug. I met his whole district.

He joined the choir and they sounded incredible. This is the photographer's picture that we put in the Church News about when Sister Freeman was sharing the sign in ASL for repentance. 

Out of the thousand missionaries there, I also met the son of one of the women I interviewed while I was on Maui. That was such a tender moment -- I kept feeling drawn to that area of the floor after the devotional and drawn to that young man. I was able to send his smiling picture to his grateful mother. I don't believe it was a coincidence!

We pray for Max that he will be helped along his way right now and that his visa will come in due time. 

Hawaii trip

I was sent to the island of Maui in Hawaii to cover the deadly and devastating wildfires for the Church News. I got there Wednesday night, Aug. 17, and flew home Monday night, Aug. 21. While there I also wrote and reported for the Deseret News, Church Newsroom and KSL Radio, so it was a very tiring trip — and very emotional. 

On my same flight from California to Maui were about 60 urban search and rescue team members from California. 

Our photographers (one for Deseret News and one for the Church) took incredible photographs. All of these in this post are just snippets of things I saw around the island.

Here's the newspaper the next morning in the store.

A chicken in the parking lot on my walk from the hotel the first morning to get some food.

We drove to go see Lahaina. This was a view from the hill.

And a view from the town. 

Downed power lines.

The beach nearby.

A view of the Lahaina 2nd Ward building. To the left and right out of view are burned homes.

The grounds of the Lahaina 1st Ward building. The chapels did not burn but around them did. I talked to a firefighter who is a member of the Church about how the winds took the flames around the buildings, and the parking lots acted like firebreaks.

In Kahului, the stake center gym became a shelter.

The governor and other state leaders toured the Church's shelter while I was there and were impressed by the organization and volunteer reponse.

This room of donations at the stake center became a giving room, and is still helping people to this day.

Elder Mark A. Bragg came on Saturday and spoke to the Church members in many meetings where they were staying around the island. The interviews I did this day and the moments spent with the members were so touching. I couldn't help but cry.

Bishop W. Christopher Waddell came Saturday and went to many organizations to see how the Church could help -- like the food bank, where I took a picture of these bananas.

Here's a Facetime with Millie. All my other trips, I've been ahead of Utah time. Maui is four hours behind.

On Sunday we were out and about a lot, in meetings and interviews. But I was able to have this chicken and rice bowl that made me quite happy.

Here's what the photographer caught of me working on the hood of a car.

And then working on the beach to file my story about a major donation.

At the end of the day, my hair was bigger with the humidity.

Monday I did some last work in the morning and then waited for my flight by walking on the beach and wishing my family was with me.

The airport bathroom.

The view from my window on the Maui-Honolulu flight. 

I made it home at 6 a.m. Utah time, and was able to see my children off on their first day of school!

We have a missionary!

The summer stretched before us when Max got his mission call back in April. September seemed so far away. But the last few weeks sped up.

On July 27, he turned 18.

He's stayed busy all summer, painting houses and washing windows and mowing lawns. He's also been spending time with friends before they leave on missions. But JB and I have both also been trying to spend time with him. JB has been golfing, and playing tennis and pickleball with him.

I brought him as a guest to BYU Education Week where he came with me to the media area.

On Aug. 30, he received the Melchizedek Priesthood, and on Tuesday, Aug. 1, he went through the Bountiful Temple for his endowment. We had a lot of family members there and it was so inspiring and comforting for me.

He has been back to the temple to do sessions many times since then, sometimes with us, sometimes with friends. 

On Sunday morning, Sept. 10, he reported to our stake high council and he talked about how he and his friends, Colin and Andy, had made it a goal in the spring when they were preparing their mission papers that they would go to the temple once a week. How grateful I am for these two friends. Andy is now serving in California and Colin is heading to Argentina soon.  This is before Andy left.

And this was Sunday morning with our stake president.

Then on Sunday, Max gave his farewell talk in sacrament meeting and he spoke about God's love. We were so thankful for all the family and friends and neighbors who came to hear him and support him. So many people who have been there since he was a baby! And many thanks to those who brought food and helped dish and clean up.

JB and I grabbed some photos when we remembered. Here he is with cousins Emily and Jane and Jack.

With a bunch of his friends from Highland High.

With our dear dear friends, Linda and Jeanine (Linda is his best friend Andy's mom, and Jeanine was his tennis coach. She changed his life!)

With JB's sister Sarah's family, who came from Idaho.

With a dear Young Men's leader and longtime friend Tim.

With my brother Peter's family.

With sweet sweet Jill, who taught him in Primary.

Cousins Millie and Millie and Kaylee being silly as they eat under a table.

Trying to get cute cousin Lou to smile for the camera.

Then Sunday evening, our stake president set him apart as a full-time missionary in our home.

This morning he starts his classes and studies with the home missionary training program, and next week, he enters the Provo MTC!