Welcome Home Elder Wride!

Today is the day! We got to welcomed Wesley home!!! Corey got first the first hug -

then Peter!

Then Katharine, then hugs all around, so many people to hug!

Video of the moment here. He flew in at 12:30 pm. Around 10:30 we cleaned up the house before our estimated departure time of 11:45. I put some music on the Bose and we started to clean up. We played songs that remind us of Wes, like "Falling for Ya". We might have done a bit more dancing that we did cleaning....

Lily said "I don't remember doing this for the others when they came home... do we just like Wes more?" Well, those homecomings were a little different (Joseph was covid, Ethan landed at 2am) After picking up Melodie from the airport, we all went out to eat after. We didn't do that this time, and it's not cause we like Mel more, it was just cause Wesley was being released at 2:30 so we had to hurry home. We've done different things so far, we'll see which traditions stick. This one is a pretty easy one to keep, so yeah, let's do this again. We'll take any reason to help the kids be motivated to clean. 

I went up to make a quick poster for Mary and Alvie to hold. Then it was time leave cause ahh his plane was arriving early! Arrival time was 12:37 but now it was 12:14. We were all pulling up at 12:16. I was worried he'd beat us to the gate and we'd miss him like we did with Mel. But we didn't have anything to worry about. We were watching and waiting....

We were almost ready to give up. 

He finally came out 12:59. See the pics at the top of this post. I got the final hug!

A lot of mixed emotions at the end of a mission.

Group picture!

Photo with Mary and Alvie!

Peter getting some brother time. 

So it's been great. We went by my parents house on the drive home, so Wes could give my parents a hug and hello. 

My mom is sick, so she gave a wave from a distance. 

When my dad saw us, he thought were there to pick him up for the museum. My dad and I had been planning on going for a few weeks to see the current exhibit before it ends this Saturday, so it's been on my to-do list. But no not yet, but maybe later! The Stake President came by from 2:30-3 and Wes was released, then we had lunch...

...then Wes opened Christmas presents and Peter and Katharine opened gifts from Wes (he got both of them cowboy boots!)

Then the kids watched some AI videos Ethan has made. It's a strange world. Funny, but strange.

We talked about plans for the next few days. We decided we would go tonight to the Church History Museum at 5, then maybe climbing after that. We picked up my dad on our way out. I thought that was a good transition activity for a recently returned missionary. Joseph Eliza & Mary, Ethan Bella & Alvie, and Hyrum, Peter and Katharine came a long too. I was glad I was able to enjoy the exhibit even with the toddlers there. Wes was nice to keep them entertained in the kid area. Wes made an epic temple. The service missionaries said it was the best one they've ever seen. 

I enjoyed the exhibit and got what I wanted out of it - some inspiration, some resolve to submit an entry someday. Dad enjoyed it, then we slowly gathered and got ready to go at 7:45 (museum closed at 8).

We parked at the conference center. I went and got the car with the marrieds, who drove in a separate car.

I got the van then picked up Dad and WPK. It was a wonderful day!

Week 98: 98%

We had a good week! We brought a friend to our ward christmas party and he loved it and said he wants to prepare to be baptized! Please add Jose Garcia to your prayers. We also had a friend come to church and bring 4 of his friends and family, so that was a blessing. Sorry to keep this email pretty brief. I have too much fun on P-days. We played Mau for too long... I shouldn't put off my emails, yall deserve a better update, lol. I'm in my last 2 weeks. If you have any wisdom or advice for me in these last days, please send me an email! I love hearing from yall

Week 97: the Final Grind

My google photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/X9ZMXpKhHh67i6L2A

It's funny that I'm so close to the end of my mission, and still have no idea what to put in my weekly. This week was good! We've just been grinding and talking to literally everyone. It's been super cool to see the amount of good and sincere people we've been able to meet. Midland is incredible. We've got a lot of good friends, and are currently on track to have a white christmas!! Please pray for us and for our friends. One of my companions did sprain his ankle today, so please pray for him and that we'll be able to still get a lot of good work done. Please also pray for our friend Angel. He was supposed to get baptized this Saturday, but he's missed church the past 2 weeks, and so that might not happen. Please pray for Jenaro, as he prepares for his baptism this December as well. Also Hiram too. Lol, just please pray for all of us! I wanna make the most of this time, so all the help we can get would be much appreciated. I love you all!

Week 95 and 96. These are the last days

So I forgot to write last week. Sorry about that, and I'm not gonna write very much today because I played too much chair soccer. I left Lubbock, which I'm really sad about, and I am now in my last area. I'm in Midland! Im back in the permain basin, and I'm loving it so much. It's so fun, and my companions are incredible. We get along so well, and they are so funny. We have a good time. I don't really know what to write, other than to ask yall to please pray for the TLM, especially this December, as we strive to reach our goal of having a baptism in every companionship. I'll be fasting for it this sunday, and I would love it if everyone reading this would fast for it as well. We need all hands on deck. Here's some pictures! The church is true and it's changed my life!! The way I'm feeling right now as my mission is coming to an end is weird. Time is running out and I want to make the most of it. It's interesting, because we're told that we're in the last days of the final dispensation. I think we all need to be a lot more urgent in the gathering of Israel, because time is running out, and we have work to do. I love you all. I also got my fly home date. I'll be flying home on Dec. 30th, so I'll be home for new years!! It feels weird

Message to the Granite Ward

Hey Yall! One of the greatest things I've learned on the mission is the nature and power of Faith. There's a quote I love that says "Faith and Fear both demand you believe in something you cannot see. You choose." The beautiful thing about God's plan and purpose for us is the role of agency. That we all have a choice. And we get to choose whether we will have faith in his existence, plan, and power, or have fear, believing that none of those things are real. Fear is simply when faith is placed in the wrong thing. The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ can bring anyone hope, joy, purpose, and peace, but only if we choose to place our faith in Him. While we live on earth, faith will always be required, and faith placed in Jesus Christ enables us to live the most enriching life possible.

Week 94: 94%

Google photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/X9ZMXpKhHh67i6L2A

Gee, I don't even know what happened this week. We did a lot of service, and a few exchanges, so maybe that contributed, but it's been good! We put 3 of our friends on date for baptism, so that's good, but none of them were able to make it to church on sunday. Please pray for Fred Villegas and his family, Arya and Andrew Escobedo, and Ray Javalera. Fred, Aria and Ray are all on date for either November or December.

I've been talking to my mission president about when I'm coming home, and I still don't know the exact date, but it sounds like it'll probably be at the end of december. I got about 6 weeks left. it doesn't feel real. Anyways, I'm sorry this email is more boring than usual, I don't have much to say, but we helped a lady move, and I almost died because of all the cat hair. I love you all, and I'm excited to see everybody soon! I'm also super sad to leave the mission soon. It's so good here

Week 93: 🤙BYU vs TEXAS TECH 👈

So this week was pretty intense. Haha, It was so fun. I'm sure many of you already know that BYU played Texas Tech on saturday, and the game was in Lubbock, which is where I live right now. We weren't allowed to go to the game for obvious reasons, although we blitzed with the college park district, and spent pretty much the whole day (literally 7am-4pm) walking around on campus during the game trying to find people to teach. We actually got a ton of people's phone numbers, and it was great, but my goodness... It was crazy. The atmosphere was intense, and the aura we carried as missionaries was hilarious. Some tech fans said some pretty crazy things at us, but even more of them were actually super super kind. Had a few people yell at us, the sisters got booed hard-core, some elders had a beer can thrown at them, and I got bashed by a drunk dude. It was actually so funny, he said John 3:16 says you can't add more scripture, so that was goofy. It was a nerve-racking, but super fun experience, and now one of my fondest memories. So sad BYU didn't win though, but we'll be back for the next one.

Also Johnny and Melvin went to the temple for the first time and got to do baptisms for the dead. It was super awesome, and they had an incredible experience there.

We also get to do service at a food bank here in Lubbock everywhere, and they came and filmed us this week, and we were on TV on I think channel 11? So that's pretty cool too. Let me know if you see me!