Josh- Letter 11

Sun 10/7/2018, 11:27 PM

Joshua Williams

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Hi sweet boy!  I hope and pray you are happy and sustained and dry and fed and dealing with grace all the various challenges a mission can hand you!  You are so loved and I know how much Heavenly Father is proud of the young man you are!!!!  You are a shining star to him!

So, I have watched 10 hours of General Conf. in two days.  I feel like you must at times- a titch of over-saturation, even of good stuff, like over-eating at Thanksgiving (we NEVER do that!)  When it was first announced that the 2 hour block would be instigated, I admit, I cried.  I mean, REALLY I cried.  By the end of the first session I was on board but I do have to admit, I don't have faith in all of us (the church and us) that we can be entrusted with another hour on Sunday.  I LOVE Sunday School!  I LOVE Relief Society.  But mostly I love being taught the scriptures in a classroom setting where I can hear the experiences and ideas of others.  That is the hardest part of this new calling is that I feel like I don't get stimulated in gospel doctrine in Sacrament and the Young Men's meeting since all are in "basic mode."  It's not that I can't learn there (here) but I thrive on hearing well educated scriptorians in our Ward share what they love in the scriptures.  I recently read a blogcast addressed to single adults in New York or somewhere.  It was a question type thing.  They talked about singles not feeling a part of things because they didn't "have an eternal mate" or the people that fall away because of support for homosexual family members, or all the other challenges of life.  I see that lots of times when marriages fall apart, temple marriages, the ex-spouses act like they have never made covenants in the temple- not as married people but one on one with the Lord.  This is an excerpt from that talk- what I would wave a magic wand to embed in every person’s heart if I could. 

 

While single, I attended a fireside in Manhattan where Elder Bednar took questions the whole meeting along with Whitney Clayton.

Someone asked, "What is the greatest problem facing our generation?" This was about 8 years ago. Whitney Clayton said that social media is keeping us from forming eternal families (this is prophecy in itself, right? I’m still blown away at how often I see this in action).  

Elder Bednar said, "A lack of being

DOCTRINALLY GROUNDED."

He went on to challenge the person to look at it from a doctrinal perspective and find the answers that way.

 

 

I'm so thankful that for 20 years I was able to attend CES classes from wonderful instructors that gave me such wonderful insight into the scriptures- not just what they were teaching but how in the spirit, my heart just opened up to personal revelation.  I worry about those who never have that awesome opportunity.

 I sent out a message to all the family that Grandpa and I need to step up to the plate on helping our family develop a firm foundation in the gospel and asked how we can help.  I also suggested a monthly Sunday dinner and home evening for the whole family.  You are the designated speaker in about 21 months!  Start preparing!

Nothing exciting going on.  I had the MRI on my shoulder on Friday so I still haven't received any new news.  I have made Halloween baskets to take around to all the kiddos.  I know your mom (and dad?) aren't big Halloween fans but I love any occasion where we can play and be happy and silly and EAT YUMMIES!  Hopefully your mom will forgive me.....

Brandi and Doug and the girls came over last night after a wedding.  They said they saw a huge skunk and 3 raccoons strutting across our yard or driveway.  I thought we just had to "buy" the Skunkinator and our problems would be solved.

 

I've been singing "I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" to get in the practice of not being  a Mormon or LDS after all these years.  I understand the directions but old habits are....OLD HABITS for a reason!  Love our prophet- the man is ON FIRE!  I feel like I'm eating Pop Rocks all through conference!

Well, guess I'll go make some phone calls.  Love you so much!  Wish your sibs were coming to play games today😩

Grandma W.

Joshua- Letter 10

Grandma Letter Ten

Marilyn Williams

Mon 10/1/2018

Your family came over and we took our best scary faces for you.  One of these faces is NOT like the others!

Hi sweetie!  Yikes, the week goes by so fast for us!  We actually went to our Olsen friend's cabin for the weekend and just got home in time for me to go to my old Ward's Relief Society where they had the 3 of us that are serving service missionaries to talk a bit about our mission.  It was awesome to be with all those women I love.  You know how that feels- that missing.  The other two shared about serving with the girls and I basically talked about serving in general although I told a few funny highlights-

1- I have been thinking about when the Lord was asked what was the greatest commandment and He said, "Love God, your neighbors and your enemies."  I told them first of all I love the Lord.  I have lst Person Faith in him and would do anything he asked me to do. Right now it is this mission and I will do it!  Then neighbors included them all and I expressed how much I loved all of them and their influence in my live.  And how the sisters I worked with at the temple became my new neighbors and how much I love and miss them.  But one of them said, "How awesome it is that you have been able to be God's hands and voice in the temple...and now you will continue to be His voice to these young men."  That's true for you and us!  Then enemy has many meanings- not just those who fight against us or have injured or offended us, but includes those who are different than us, that we may shun because of how they look or act.   Kind of like your gutter people.  God puts it a different way- he calls them "the least of these"- and by no means does that mean they are least to Him.  I loved hearing how your heart has turned to the homeless people and applaud your sweet service.  Last Sunday- the part of my letter that I deleted was that I had just prepared two of the sausage strata's to take to our RS president because my old Ward (I still want to be included) was going that morning to serve breakfast to the homeless.  What a wonderful opportunity and we really need to seek out those opportunities even more.

• I also said that our sideways boys have a baseball team and play against 1A teams.  They played this past week against a team from Orem and I wasn't familiar with the school.  David said it was a school like ours.  I asked if we won or lost and David said we won.  "Na,na,na- our bad boys are better than their bad boys!!!!"

-When we went this weekend, we were able to see all the terrible fires that have been ravishing Spanish Fork Canyon for miles and miles.  It has been devastating.  As I saw acre upon acre of burnt trees, I thought of how long it would take to regrow.  When we had a fire here in the gully, I wanted to cut down all the black ghost trees that were left standing.  I didn't realize that their decomposition actually is what contributes to regrowth and beauty once again and it made me thing of the atonement and how when we mess up in life, and partake of the atonement, those negative things become positive in our lives, because we have a stronger testimony of those principles.  It reminds me of that wonderful conference talk about the tabernacle in Provo, burning- but what we thought was devastation, the Lord saw as an opportunity to build it up again as a temple.  Better than even before!  That's what the atonement does for our lives as well!

So, Tuesday is our mission day this week.  I'm teaching the same lesson I taught last week only to the older boys.  I hope it will be receptive but I realize that most teenage boys aren't excited to sit and listen to gospel-centered lessons.  I wasn't either at that age.  But my prayer is that they will fill the Savior's love and just one spark may stay with them in their lives to look back on.  Our role really isn't to baptize anyone- but really to bear witness of God's love and for us to love them as well.  We can do that.

I'm probably having an MRI on my arm this week to see if I'll need surgery on my arm.  That will stink if I do.  This is all from when I fell the week after Lake Powell.  I've gone to therapy for two months for tendonitis but it doesn't get better.

Addi has been having health problems for many months and finally was diagnosed with Hashimotos and also with a bowel obstruction.  I feel so bad for her to have to deal with all of that at such a young age!

Your mom and sibs came Thursday and swam and played games.  We had such a good time.  Above is the picture we took of everyone goofing off.  Well, almost everyone!  Your Ward had their annual Father's and Son's activity here Friday night.  I hope it went well since we weren't here.  I hope there are good memories for all.

Love you dearly!  Have a good week and know that we fasted for you today and pray for you always and I still put your name in the temple!  So excited tomorrow to get your weekly letter! You are a light! (maybe a drenched light but a light nonetheless!)  Grandma 

p.s.  T and T's family got a darling puppy this week.  I don't know what it is but furry and adorable.  It doesn't smell like a dog yet.  The kids are in heaven!  Tenille, not so much!

Joshua- Letter 8

Mon 9/10/2018, 5:32 AM

Joshua Williams

I just was ready to say my prayers and crawl into bed (actually, I was listening to my scriptures-I haven't been steady this past week so I'm behind) (listening to Christ still talking to the Nephites/Lamanites in 3rd Nephi about going to talk to other sheep of his fold that had never heard of him.  I wonder where he visited and won't those records be awesome to read someday!)-anyways, almost hopping into bed and realized that I almost FORGOT my weekly letter!!!!!  (The weekly letter is "y"- Y has my life been so busy this week?  Many reasons but I won't go into that!)

But I wanted to send you a little funny (oh, I LOVED hearing about Tolkien's skunk adventures!  What a dog!)  (we haven't gotten the skunkinator out of the box yet....) (can't wait to hear about your new companion and all the happenings in Texas!)

little story about Grandpa (from my journal.)

You know you are an old cowboy....when you are at a roping and need to go do something at the office at the arena.  You could walk all the way around the arena or you could just high tail it over a pretty tall fence.    You know, in jeans and cowboy boots and all the hoopla.  Opps!  You drop your water bottle and it is retrieved by a 19-year-old cowboy.  "Thanks," you say.  And the kid replies, "Man, I hope I can scale a fence like you did when I'm old like you!!!!"

I think that was a compliment.    (and I must mention that he won over $1000.00 bucks in the roping and he always splits his earnings with me.....and again less in another roping this week!  Woot!  Woot!)


Love you, Cowboy Elder!  Have a wonderful week!!!!!!  Smooches!  Grandma

Joshua- Letter 7

Mon 9/3/2018, 1:17 AM

Joshua Williams

Hi Our Awesome Grandson!

The week flies by until it is Sunday and it seems like it is Sunday about every 4 days!  Today was our first Testimony meeting with our new Branch.  I was worried to death about what it would be like- the boys were awesome and bore some tender testimonies about hard life- and only one girl was off base.  But if I had her life, my thoughts would be off base as well.  We are loving our calling.  I taught the Jr. High boys this week and they were great- so much better than our last Primary class!!!

We decided that we are going to retire from our temple assignment.  It's been almost 3 years but we can be patrons and also get some family history center stuff done.  We will work for two more weeks.

Grandpa and I just went for a nice walk in the gulley.   It has been 11 months since I committed after last October Conference to not watch t.v. on Sundays....and I can't believe it is still so hard for me.  So, writing to you and now a Sunday walk are my sweet counters to my addiction.  (Not really an addiction but a nice quiet way to unwind.)

Can't wait to hear how things went this week with you and each week I put your and Elder Peterson's name on the prayer roll along with all those you are teaching. (actually I put "and Josh's prayer roll!")

So, I'm going to include a journal entry I recently made:

David surprised me with an awesome present yesterday.  I've been buggin him for about two years now.

 

Doesn't every wife ask for a Skunkinator?????

 

 

 

We are getting a plethora of skunks.  And the skunks are having baby skunks that are growing up and having more baby skunks.  They look kind of cute trailing behind the Momma Skunk acting like they own the place.

 

But it's like neighbor Tom Gwilliam used to say when I would get baby hungry- "Marilyn, kittens grow up to be cats!"  That usually got me off my cloud.

 

 

The trap is low so they can't raise their tail.  David asked me what I was going to do when they were trapped.  I said that I thought he would take them somewhere in the mountains and untrap them.  He said that it was my present and that I would have to deal with it on my own.

 

 

Ohhhh, a present with a darkside.

 

 

I'm hoping animal control with deal with it for me but maybe I should call first just to make sure.

 

 

I love that the nights are turning chilly.  I love that sweet, crisp air while sleeping. I LOVE sleeping with the window open.  Last night in the middle of the night, another skunk tooted.  It's so horrible it wakes me up.

 

I TOTALLY could think of some unsavory ways to do away with them!!!!

 

Sometime in the past month, David and his fellas were down at our arena roping.  David's brother was here roping and backed a tractor over a  baby skunk.  For some reason, it didn't smell.  David, of course, always being one for a prank- put the dead skunk in son Travis's truck the next time he was here.  Travis about lost it when he opened his door and found that skunk in there!!!!! And it was smelling!

 

Travis was mad.  I think he was mad because he didn't find the skunk first....so he could have (and would have) put it in his dad's truck first!

Joshua- letter 6

Marilyn Williams

Mon 8/20/2018, 12:36 AM

Joshua Williams

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Hi, it is a Saturday night and Grandpa went to a roping all day (and all night) in Pocatello so I'm a little lonely and bored.  (I've read my scriptures tonight already- it is the mass destruction in 3rd Nephi- the 3 days of darkness.  Christ speaks tomorrow- I wanted to wait until Sunday (tomorrow) to read that!) and I've watched mindless t.v. and really want to go to bed (but it is even early for ME!)  So I thought I would write you a note.

I have a friend who is serving in the Long Beach Mission with her husband.  Quentin L. Cook was there this week and they had wonderful meetings.  He along with Elder Ballard are the ones who oversaw the Preach My Gospel manual.  He shared a couple of things that I thought I would pass on-

 

“When Elder Ballard and I were compiling it, the First Presidency emphasized that we should write it so that it could not be memorized.  “I want the doctrine in your HEARTS!”  I want you to think of WHO you are teaching. Adapt the lessons to THEIR needs. Teach out of order. MEET their needs.  Don’t be a fire hydrant dispensing knowledge.  They will only remember how they FELT while you were talking.  Don’t worry about covering every point. Testify of Jesus Christ and God’s appearance to Joseph Smith.  Some people need the second lesson first (if the person has recently lost a loved one, for example…)  The missionary being called in D&C 31:7 was told, “I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church BY YOUR HAND.”  Who will establish a church by whose hand? The people with open hearts will receive you.  If they harden their hearts, they won’t receive the Holy Ghost.  D&C 29:7 “The gathering of mine elect” and “the elect harden not their hearts.”

Watch for things that soften people’s hearts – illness, death, births.  Sometimes these cause people’s hearts to get hardened as well.  But be on the watch for softened hearts…

He told about visiting two wards on the same Sunday. At the first ward, the missionaries were there, but they just sat in the congregation.  They had no interaction with the ward members.  At the second ward, the missionaries stood behind the greeters at the door into the chapel, they smiled, were warm and gracious as they conversed with the members, and in general, were in the “fabric of the lives of the people.”  As I left I thought, “Weren’t those missionaries incredible?  I would feel comfortable referring anyone to them!”

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Yesterday I had my second cataract surgery.  It went well- although the drops I have to put in it 4 times a day kind of make my eyesight murky so vision isn't perfect yet.  Tomorrow will be Grandpa and my first time in our new Ward assignment.  I have no idea what to expect- what our duties will be, if we will be serving with girls or boys.  One of Doug's friends is the principal of the school there.  The facility has a huge campus- with ball fields and gymnasiums and separate boy and girl's living areas.  I'm sure I'll have more to share tomorrow after our first visit.

Okay- it is Sunday evening and waiting for you guys to come and play games?  Frowny face.  I don't even know who is watching the kids while your folks are in Hawaii????  We miss you all coming!

Today was interesting and we are still shellshocked as it is an ever-changing program without firm direction.  We teach but we can't teach.  We can't be too LDS but we are LDS.  We will work with the boys (they have about 36 right now and less than half that with the girls).  We will also serve on Tuesdays which will be our real service day.  This week we will just be observing.  Wish us well and keep US in your prayers (last week in the temple, I put on the prayer roll- Elder Joshua Williams and his entire prayer list.  I think that works! lol)

Can't wait to hear your letter tomorrow.  That is a highlight of our day!  We love you so much!  Grandma M.

Joshua- letter 4

Grandma's 4th letter

Marilyn Williams

Mon 8/6/2018, 5:03 AM

Joshua Williams

Dear Josh-

Here it is- Sunday morning about 11:30 and I probably should start getting ready for church but I thought I’d start this letter, remembering that you P-day is tomorrow instead of Thursday.

This has been a busy week.  As I’m sure I told you last week, I had physical therapy this past week and will have it twice a week for awhile for my tendonidist in my upper right arm.  Actually I have some in my left as well.  I’m to do exercises several times a day and for a slug like me- it requires stepping out of my comfort zone.  Not really.  They are easy although my arm hurts later.  Then on Wed., I had cataract surgery on my right eye.  It was a longer prep time (1 hour- getting into the gown, IV and blood stuff.) than the actual surgery (about 15-20 minutes.)  I need to be careful until it heals and put two different drops in it 4 times a day but that just works into my physical therapy routine!  It’s the pits getting old!

 

But how amazing medical procedures are!  I couldn’t see very well and voila!  I have 20/20 vision in that eye!  Maybe you can perform surgery on anyone you are teaching- immediately give them better vision (although they need to keep doing things to protect that vision like the eye drops….)

Today the Sunday School lesson is on Elijah (my favorite stories in the Old Testament) (his battle with the priests of Baal, the immediate switch of loyalties with the wicked people, his running away and hiding- and learning about “the still small voice.” Ahhhh- I love the whole thing.  Your parents picked great namesakes for you all.  I love all the brave stories of Joshua as well!

 

I will write better next week.  Parker came by this week and we actually had a wonderful, normal conversation.  Progress!!!!  He has his last surgery on his nose in a few weeks.  Keep him in your prayers!

 

Love you- Grandma

Joshua- Letter

Mon 8/6/2018, 5:03 AM

Joshua Williams

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Dear Josh-

Here it is- Sunday morning about 11:30 and I probably should start getting ready for church but I thought I’d start this letter, remembering that you P-day is tomorrow instead of Thursday.

This has been a busy week.  As I’m sure I told you last week, I had physical therapy this past week and will have it twice a week for awhile for my tendonidist in my upper right arm.  Actually I have some in my left as well.  I’m to do exercises several times a day and for a slug like me- it requires stepping out of my comfort zone.  Not really.  They are easy although my arm hurts later.  Then on Wed., I had cataract surgery on my right eye.  It was a longer prep time (1 hour- getting into the gown, IV and blood stuff.) than the actual surgery (about 15-20 minutes.)  I need to be careful until it heals and put two different drops in it 4 times a day but that just works into my physical therapy routine!  It’s the pits getting old!

 

But how amazing medical procedures are!  I couldn’t see very well and voila!  I have 20/20 vision in that eye!  Maybe you can perform surgery on anyone you are teaching- immediately give them better vision (although they need to keep doing things to protect that vision like the eye drops….)

Today the Sunday School lesson is on Elijah (my favorite stories in the Old Testament) (his battle with the priests of Baal, the immediate switch of loyalties with the wicked people, his running away and hiding- and learning about “the still small voice.” Ahhhh- I love the whole thing.  Your parents picked great namesakes for you all.  I love all the brave stories of Joshua as well!

 

I will write better next week.  Parker came by this week and we actually had a wonderful, normal conversation.  Progress!!!!  He has his last surgery on his nose in a few weeks.  Keep him in your prayers!

 

Love you- Grandma

Joshua- Letter 3

Marilyn Williams

Thu 7/26/2018, 2:28 AM

Joshua Williams

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I was so excited for tomorrow to come to get your latest letter but then your mom said you're in Texas without the same P-Day!  Bummer!

You mom and the kiddos dropped by after a hike in one of the canyons and had a swim.  I am sick AGAIN- flu, I guess, besides my inflamed arm that I have an appointment for Physical Therapy.  I'm feeling like our houseboat....

 

Annee was in the Days of 47 parade with her horse drill team.  It's a pretty fun thing for her.

 

Can't wait to hear all about your dad's and Elijah's trip to Guat.  Good stuff!

 

I didn't go to the temple today because of being sick but I'm substituting for another shift on Friday, then we are off two weeks for temple cleaning.

My cousin's daughter (Kristin Dahlquist Nelson) posted this on Facebook about her little boy.  I thought it was precious and I want you to "fink" about all of Jesus too!

Love you cute boy.  Can't wait to hear all about Texas!!!!!!  Stay away from the border patrol!  Hugs- Grandma

It is, without question, his favorite part of the meeting. In the past, he’s been known to take his piece of bread, wait until it advances to the bench behind us, and then before anyone can stop him, like a lightening bolt he turns around and swipes another piece, squirreling it away for later. This time he decided to seize the moment while the tray was in passing, stuffing his mouth with no less than 7 pieces of Grandma Sycamores. I quietly scolded him and told him we can only partake of one piece each week. To this he responded, “But Mom! I want to ‘fink’ of ALL of Jesus, not just a piece of Him!” ❤️

Joshua- Letter 2

Tue 7/17/2018, 10:21 PM

Joshua Williams

Elder Williams!  Oh, how I love you!  I can think about you without crying finally so that is good.  Now I'm just ready for the good part.

First of all your letter!  What a way to start off your MTC experience with receiving direct (like you said "very directly, bluntly) personal revelation concerning your talk!  I was so touched!  It never ceases to amaze me the power and revelation that we are able to tap into in our lives.  After I taught my last RS lesson, a wonderful sister came up to me and said, "Would you teach me how to do that?"  I asked "what?" and she said, "Receive personal revelation."  I was astounded!  I realize that what she needed was to learn how to "recognize" personal revelation- she is a wonderful woman who serves constantly and I know Heavenly Father guides that service.

I had a good snort laugh about the Elder that may be coming to Utah with his feigned language skills.  Noah will call him on it- like he did Grandpa for not rolling his "r's" (ha ha) (Grrrracias!)

It is so hot here (about 100)- and our power went out for 3 hours (who knows why.)  I have had Brandi's girls for the past week.  We have

shopped, and had cooking classes and Addi's ridden with Grandpa lots, and played games (big surprise but I'm almost sick of games!) and they got to take friends to Draper Days and more eating and swimming and then to a cool candle making place in Ogden yesterday (Rylee came with us yesterday- Heidi shopped with us on Friday)….and I can't even remember all we did but, I'm telling you, TOO MUCH FUN IS EXHAUSTING!  We had a great time and made new memories (I taught them how to hide dead bodies along the side of the road in case they ever needed to.  They were shocked.) (I love that I can still shock my grands!)  I took them home today.  Brandi and Doug are in Alaska with Connor and will be home tomorrow.  Tonight the girls have a youth activity to read all of Alma from 5-11:30 tonight.  I told them to ask for specific guidance and that they could receive it.

Grandpa just walked in and asked what I was doing and said to say hi.  He's been horsing around in Delta today and came home and straight down to rope.  Do you know I didn't marry a cowboy when we got married...and horses weren't a part of our lives for like 30 years!  It's still a shock to my system.

So, I'm in Helaman in my slow/pondering/commitment after conference- two times ago- to re-read the Bk of Mormon by next October Conf.  I love to think about it everyday- I listen to it on my phone before I go to bed half the time, then try to go back and make notes.  I am getting really close to Christ's birth and the people are soooo wicked!  Helaman (Helaman's son) cries that he wished he had been born when they first came from Jerusalem because the people were willing to listen then.  Really?  Pretty sure Laman and Lemuel and their followers didn't but I guess we can't imagine the wickedness of these Gadianton robber lovers so the earlier Lamanites looked pretty good. 
God chooses us to live now, serve now, serve here and I guess that's what we need to realize.  So thankful for God's guidance in my life.

Don't feel bad about not having time to write a personal letter.  I will love the group letter and realize you have a limited time.

While we were shopping, Parker called and was happy to hear we were shopping because his clothes are falling apart. I picked him up a couple of pair of jeans and a shirt and need to go get them mailed.  I will take any way I can serve him (bribes, cash, whatever.)

I planned on stopping at temple square yesterday to pick up the Bk of Mormon in Viet Namese but we ran out of time.  I 'm following through with my OYM I did with a gal that was giving me a pedicure.  It was such a good experience for me.

Love you, sweet boy.  Have a great week in that spiritual haven.  I imagine you are exhausted but at least you are exhausted in righteousness!!!!  Carry on!   Hugs- Grandma M.