Pews Update 2019

Merry Christmas! Pews Update 2019

We started out the year with a leaking bathroom upstairs into the bathroom and bedroom downstairs. During this time we were getting ready to send Izak off on the mission. It was crazy. It took months to get a plumber to come diagnose the issue. There is a construction boom going on here and no one has time for a small job! We finally found a guy who does plumbing on the side to fix it. Tim and our neighbors did the dry wall in the upstairs bathroom and the bedroom downstairs. The other bathroom is still torn apart at this writing! Life is full of surprises! We just have to learn to be flexible and patient! Here are some of the surprises we had this year!

Gwen (13) -finished 6^th grade/elementary school

-NOVA award for creative rocket, out of seashells

-first Girl's Camp, had a blast

-piano, sewing and baking classes

-started junior high at Mountain Ridge, great old friends and some great new friends, favorite class: Film Lit

-earned her Young Women Medallion which was a lot of work for one year of doing it

Zane(16)-finished Junior High

-High honor roll award

-traveled to Tennessee for Ultimate Frisbee, had a blast

-learning to drive, needs to take Driver's Ed

-went to Wyoming for Scout Camp and had a blast

-earned his Eagle Scout award, yay!

-played on Utah's Youth Club for Ultimate Frisbee the Swarm, they went to Minnesota got 3^rd in this National Tournament

-started high school at Lone Peak

-won state in mixed (co-ed) Ultimate Frisbee, was on Micah's team

-lots of great friends

Homecoming King & Junior Prince, his good friend Apollo

Micah (17-1/2)- went to Tennessee for Ultimate Frisbee, had a blast

-tore hamstring, not fun, physical therapy every week

-went with Ultimate Frisbee team to Georgia and North Carolina and watched because of hamstring

-school dances, lots of fun

-better by State tournament, got First Team All State despite barely playing all spring

-won State with team

-went to Nationals in Chicago with Ultimate Frisbee Team, got 3^rd pretty great first showing

-went to a Cubs game on trip and ate lots of pizza

-worked as a custodian all summer at the local elementary school

-enjoyed Scout Camp in Wyoming as well

-went to St. George with friends

-Homecoming King and then Mr. Talent in the Sir Knight Pageant

-Flag Football rec team won championship

-won state in mixed (co-ed) Ultimate Frisbee with Zane

-applying for college, thinking about a mission next summer

-lots of great friends

A cool photo taken of Micah at Nationals

Izak, or Elder Pew (19)-entered the MTC in January, serving in the Baltimore Maryland mission (11 months)

-has served in Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Virginia so far

-currently made Zone Leader

-learning and growing in his love of God and Christ and his fellow brothers and sisters

-enjoys calling home and catching up on our lives

Emily (22) -at BYU Provo

In Portugal

-loves her economics class

-spent spring and part of summer in Europe, mostly Italy as an au pair, teaching English to the host family's children

-Disney Paris, Notre Dame before the fire (lucky), Portugal, Venice, Rome, Milan, Florence, Switzerland are some highlights

-working at BYU all summer with a few trips here and there

-ward choir director and loving it

Alaska

Timo and Megan-at BYU Provo

-seniors, Applied Stats Bachelor & Masters combined and Conservation/Biology

-summer in Florida for Megan's internship studying dolphins, amazing!

-also a visit to Alaska to Megan's parents

-applying for jobs with graduation in spring

-ward missionary and Primary secretary

Taran and Lisa and Adrian-Taran senior at BYU Provo, Spanish major, Political Science Minor, ward organist

-Still works full-time at Nu Skin but has changed to different position since last year

-graduates in the spring

-Lisa worked part-time at Deseret Book in Orem but quit to be home for Adrian

-trip to Disneyland just the 2 of them and then helped Timo drive to Florida

-Adrian (2) busy as ever and talking up a storm, everyone's favorite

-loves big machines like excavators, garbage trucks, fire trucks...also enjoys baseball and the movie Coco

-looks forward to visiting us every Wednesday, highlight of our week

Tim and Rachelle-Tim is still at Family Search & in the Tabernacle Choir

-Rachelle started working part-time at Deseret Book in American Fork in the distribution part this fall, and loves it

-Rachelle won a trip to Disneyland for 2 so we went in February, it was a blast

-Tim traveled to Nationals in Chicago (Ultimate Frisbee) with Micah and enjoyed the experience especially seeing the Cubs play

-Tim also traveled to Minnesota with Zane for the National YCC tournament for Ultimate Frisbee, got stuck in Denver on the way home and hung out with our friends the Burnsides for couple of days and had a blast (they were great hosts)

-Tim worked every spare moment this spring on the bathrooms and Micah's bedroom, only one bathroom to go!

-looking for a new car is Tim's latest hobby as our old cars are dying off, not a fun surprise

-weekly temple trips, family history, reading, yoga and coming with projects for Tim are Rachelle's hobbies

-basketball, tennis and pickle ball keep Tim active besides hiking or snowshoeing with Rachelle

We hope this season if full joy, peace and love as we focus on our Savior Jesus Christ. He truly loves each of us and knows our sorrows so He can comfort and bless us. The focus on Him daily can bring this same joy and peace we feel during Christmas! We hope you feel His love for you daily this year!

Much love, The Pews

My best Christmas, so far

This is a painting by one of my favorite artists Jorge Coco. Look him up!

I know I am not super creative or very good at writing but I have been thinking for awhile I needed to post about my Christmas. So please forgive my grammar and writing errors.

When I was little the best Christmas meant Christmas cookies, gingerbread houses, homemade fudge, making and taking neighbor gifts, watching Christmas shows on TV and getting what I really wanted for Christmas from Santa AND giving meaningful gifts to my family. Of course Jesus was a part of that but not necessarily the focus. If I had grown up in a colder place I would have also included snow for the best Christmas as well. But growing up Christmas didn't usually look like any of that for me, occasionally I got what I really wanted and we did the neighbor gift thing but it was hit and miss the rest of it. And you know that is really okay, my parents did their very best for us and I know that and I appreciate it. Jesus was definitely an important part of our celebration and THAT is the most important part of what my parents did for us at Christmas.

Last fall we had some unfortunate things happen that hurt us financially. We already had some challenges that had come up already so basically our savings was gone. In fact the money we had budgeted for Christmas and other things, gone to these expenses. I had done some Christmas shopping but not for everyone. So Tim and I decided that we wouldn't buy each other anything--well I had already bought him 2 things but nothing more. We sucked it up and were more frugal so we could meet all obligations with no debt. I thought of taking a job since seasonal work was opening up everywhere but I had made commitments to others that I didn't want jeopardize (i.e., watching my grandbaby and my volunteering commitments).  But the real bottom line is I didn't feel like it was what I should do and neither did Tim. We trusted in God because we have been faithful tithe payers and He had always helped us through difficult challenges. Now this doesn't mean I didn't ever get discouraged but you will see overall He did bless us!

Not long after this time was General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The prophet, Russell N. Nelson gave the women of the church an invitation to read  The Book of Mormon  by the end of the year, among other things (here). He asked us to mark/notice where it talks of Christ and share with our families what we are learning about Christ from the Book of Mormon. I read the Book of Mormon everyday, occasionally I might miss but it is such a wonderful part of my daily routine I try not to. It brings peace to me and confidence that everything really is going to be okay and I have noticed if I do it first thing in my day I get way more accomplished. So I stopped where I had been reading and started over. I usually don't read the Book of Mormon that quickly, I am proud to say I read it in a month once because my kids were doing it and I had never done it so I did! Anyway, I figured out if I read 7 pages a day I would finish by the end of the year. So I set out to do it. I got a brand new Book of Mormon and marked it with red pencil.

During this time we did receive tender mercies like a refund for our daughter's surgery from 2 years ago? Coincidence? I think not. And others too many to type here. Then our oven broke the day before Thanksgiving. It was discouraging but we were able to order one but it ended up not being delivered until JANUARY! We used a neighbor's oven to bake Zane's birthday cake. And made do the rest of the time but we tried not to use the stove top because the oven would go on whether or not we had it turned on so we had to turn it off at the breaker. And it was a kiln. It was crazy. But the Christmas cookies and those things didn't happen and we scaled back what we were going to get people for Christmas and extra things we do at Christmas time. Some things I had already bought ahead of our troubles so we kept those things but were very careful. We were able to get things for our kids that we hoped would be meaningful even though it wasn't a lot and they were super great about not asking for anything extravagant. They were really awesome about the whole things. One of the best things is that were all together one last time for who knows how long with missions, people graduating form college etc? During the whole Christmas season I felt so loved and close to my Savior Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. I didn't feel worried or pressure to do anything other than love others. So that's what I tried to do and it was the best! It reminded me of my mission when I was teaching people about Christ at Christmas time and that made it my best Christmas until 2018! I know it was the Book of Mormon that made a difference. I was spending more time than normal, especially in December, reading the words of Christ. Feeling the power of that book every day strengthened me in ways I am so grateful. Also people were inspired to bless me and my family in very personal ways. And I did finish the Book of Mormon before the end of the year.

This scripture came to mind when I think of  the blessings we received: "But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." 1 Nephi 1:20

So basically my best Christmas, so far is because of The Book of Mormon. I started up from where I had left off before the invitation. I finished again last night. I want you to know that I know that The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Christ. That it supports the Bible in testifying that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament. The world is going a little crazy and reading the Bible and Book of Mormon keep me grounded and at peace. God our Heavenly Father knows each of us, He allows these earthly challenges to happen so we might turn to Him that He might bless us. These challenges in life are to help us become who we are meant to be if choose to learn from them and turn outward like Jesus Christ. He was the perfect example of using challenges to bless others. His atonement and sacrifice make it possible to return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father as families. God our Heavenly Father loves all His children, every person is his child, and He has prepared blessings to all who seek Him. If you feel He is distant in your life, please don't give up. Try to put away the distractions: phones, social media, TV etc. Pray and listen and seek Him in the scriptures. I will pray for YOU! I have found Him and His Son there every time and I am no one of particular consequence or importance in the world but I know that I matter to Him and His son and so do YOU! So every year I am going to start over in the Book of Mormon, no matter where I am, in October and finish it before Christmas! And it will be the best Christmas, again, I am sure of it!