good week

Well peeps, been a good week. Really enjoying what I'm doing. I was
really impressed yesterday by the orientation at work. It was the best I
had ever attended and I think I'm going to talk to the people at work back
in Denver and give them some tips. I really was quite impressed. Also, I
am excited about all of my classes. It's going to be a great year I
think. So, yeah. Otherwise, life is just pretty busy. Oh, and I did meet
my new roommates the other day. I think I'm going to like them. It is a
little bit different to be among so many people. I am kind of in culture
shock a bit, but it's good for me. I went snowmobiling yesterday
afternoon. That was fun! We got up to 80km/hr on the straightaways and
had fun sliding around some fun corners. I was very careful and was
wearing a great helmet and everything, just so you know Mom. Um, yeah,
and I think that's just about it. I'm excited to be alive.

ellen

my great week!

Well, today is Thursday and it has been a great week for me...Here we have
a couple of highlights:

Sunday December 31- January 1
I got to hang out with Martha and Blair at Blair's parent's house and
really loved every minute of it. I had fun with all of the little
girlies, and Charles. The fireworks on the street were also fun. Happy
New Year!!!

Tuesday January 2 - Wednesday January 3
After a great visit to the temple and taking care of business I had:
The First Day at my new job! I even had a personal phone call at the
beginning of my shift from Jane and Doug in Singapore (how he managed
it, I'll never know) It was kind of fun. The work is just like I
remember it and the staff is great. I'm really excited to be able to
work there. The Lord always knows what He's doing. It is also fun to
be able to walk to work (10 min) and school (15 min) from my house, got
to keep those cute calves in tip-top shape.

Wednesday January 3 - Thursday January 4
Another great night of work...wow, this week I was really a night owl.
Three big nights and that's all that I have to write about. the rest of
the time I was having all sorts of sleeping fun. Oh, and also during
this week (I believe it was on Monday) I read the 6th Harry Potter book,
just getting me geared up for the 7th...in all it's glory, and I
finished the Ensign already for January. It was fun to have it done on
day one.

Well, that's probably enough for one day....Have a good one! It's great
to be alive!!!

ellen

january 2nd

It has been a good day. It got up to 46 degrees so I did my wash and hung
it on the
line. It always smells so good--sunshine fresh. Then I hear about the
snow in
Denver and south to New Mexico--3 feet plus drifts up to 6 feet. It's
hard to
believe. So I am happy that I live in the "banana belt".

I have been working in the house cleaning, putting my material in totes,
working on
projects for nursery. Dad has been at the new shed. He is putting gravel
on the
roadway, measuring and cutting things for the shed wall, bending rebar for
the brick
ledge and getting ready to work. I'll been busy in a few days unless it
turns cold
again.

Tonight I am going to a Relief Society activity. I haven't done that for
awhile.
It'll be good to socialize with some of the sisters.

I haven't made any New Year Resolutions. I think I'll just let things
happen and do
my best this year. I need a year without so much stress. I did finish
the Book on
Mormon on New Year's Eve. This year I want to read it in English and French
(together so I can understand both better.)

Well, Happy New Year!
Love, MOM

To Samuel

Hey there my brother, and the rest of the family!

So, sorry that I have now turned into a writing slacker. It's kind of
different when you don't have a schedule to follow. Being a real person
is good, but it is also a bit wierd and different. I'll get normal soon
I'm sure. Anyhow...life is going well: I have an apartment (actually it's
a house and I have the basement room in the corner); I have everything
lined up for a very full year of portuguese study at BYU and am currently
in the middle of some "light reading" borrowed from one of the professors;
I got today an offer for a part-time night position at Utah Valley Medical
Center paying 21.17 hour, I may accept this, but I'm kind of waiting for
the American Fork people that I also interviewed with to give me an offer
and then I'll accept the best of the two.

Other news...I don't think that there is any. It's fun to be able to
live. I'm so grateful for the Lord's continuing blessings. Everything is
just falling into place, which can only mean that the Lord is watching out
for me. I love you and hope everything is going well in the greatest two
years of your life!

love you!

ellen

I'm home!!!

Hey there all of my good friends!

This is just a little note to let all of you know that I am back in the
states safe and sound from my mission in Portugal. I had an awesome time
and I can't even express how much it has made me happy and how much I have
been blessed and have learned. I love the Portuguese people and could
spend my life there happily. I am absolutely loving also the opportunity
to see all of my 14 nieces and nephews and their pregnant mothers, and
expecting fathers and I know more than ever that the Lord lives and He
loves me through my family. I don't think that there is space in an
e-mail to really express the depths of my feelings, so this will be short.

Plans for my life at this point: I plan on attending BYU in Provo, Utah
this January and working toward a masters in teaching (history, languages,
arts, musics and nursing) I will be working as a nurse to support this my
school habit as I love school and I can see me spending the rest of my
life studying. I am extremely excited to be able to do this.

I would love to see and talk to you all! I am going to be spending this
month of December galavanting around the country and would love to hear
from you and talk to you all when I am in the area.

My location schedule is the following:
Dec 1-8 Georgia
Dec 9-14 Utah
Dec 15-20 Denver (I will be speaking in the Arvada 4th ward on the
17th and you are all invited)
Dec 21-28 Home in Austin CO.

I do not really have a phone at this point, so the best way to reach me is
by e-mail which I will do my best to check regularly. Hope all of you are
finding yourselves well and do forgive if my english is rusty at best. My
mind now thinks in portuguese. Love you all and wish God's greatest
blessings on you and yours. I am excited to come and see you all.

ellen

the last day

So, the last day here in my Portugal....I am the mission president's wife's companion to keep me out of trouble (they thought I would do something bad on the last day of the mission) No, actually I am feeling really lucky because I asked her last week if I could help, because I knew I needed to do something of worth, and I was the first one that asked. Since then the rain came down and all the other sisters are wishing that they had the same opportunity...I get to make pies and everything, we're having a blast, and it's good to serve. I said goodbye to Portugal on the train ride here by humming the national anthem a whole bunch of times. It has been hard to say goodbye to all of the people that I love so much. I LOVE PORTUGAL!! I am nonetheless very excited to see all of you and love you all too. But for now, back to the kitchen with me...

ellen

Fw: Energizer

Hey there family,
Another week has gone by and the work goes on. In missionary work the same thing happens again and again but it never seems to get old. You are always finding new people and trying to baptize them. It is very enjoyable work. What is even more neat is that you change so much as well as the people that you teach. It is really a lot of change. We are planning to have another baptism in two weeks. João Gabriel is a great 15-year old boy. He is a great example to his family. He is intelligent but also has a lot of talent. We are very excited about his baptism. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know that through my diligence and faithfulness many people will come to a knowledge of the truth. We have to endure to the end. It is the hardest thing to do but it is needed. It is just like the quote of President Hinckley. Put your trust in God and move forward w/ confidence and faith in the future. The Lord will not forsake us...He will never forsake us. We are to Go Forward w/Faith.
Well, my sister is coming home I just can´t believe how much time has gone by. It really is incredible. Happy Homecoming to you Ellen. May your days be lovely and bright. I love you all.

Elder Thompson

another busy week

So,the work continues at an ever increasing pace... This week was a full one for sure. We had a funeral yesterday of a little 4 year old boy. He was really a joy and the way in which he went showed the family that it was Heavenly Father calling him home and so they were comforted. I also tried to translate what I remember of your butterfly poem Mom and I gave that to them, I hope it helps a bit. The day before that we had a great zone conference and I found out that on my last day here in Portugal I will be helping to prepare our Thanksgiving dinner, so that makes me happy. It's good to be doing something of use. Also, our music lessons and english lessons are going along lickety-split and it is like the people have come alive again. It is an encouraging feeling. This work is the Lord's and really He will do miracles. I really like the passage in Luke 5:5 and it is helping me to give my all to the end.

Hopefully I have been admitted to BYU, I still am not sure, but am working on it. If all works out as I hope I will be a student there in January, which will be all sorts of fun. yep, so that's the news from here. The Lord's plan is perfect and He cares for His children. Of this I am certain.

Love you all!

ellen

Fw: Here Comes the Sun

Hey there,
What a fast week this is. It is already the middle of November. I can´t believe that the time is just going by so fast. Sometimes I just wish that I could stop time.
It has been a great week. We received some outstanding referrals this last week and we have some baptisms planned for the first of December. We are so excited about it. João Gabriel is a great kid. When we first taught him and his family everyone rejected us except him, his mom and his brothers. He stayed firm and said that he would read the book of mormon. Now he has already been to church three times and we are planning his baptism. We are also teaching another family that is outstanding. Some years ago Heloide would run to the other side of the street because she had fear that the Mormons would get her as they were walking down the street. Now, we are talking about baptism with her. We are planning to mark her and her daughter´s baptisms this week. It is interesting to see the change that comes over people. I really feel that with we have faith in the Lord and we work hard following the spirit. We will have success. Part of our success here is that our investigators have a friend who is a member of the church. It helps so much because the friend can follow-up when the missionaries can´t, they answer questions and give support. The key to having a lot of baptisms is working with the members to baptize their friends and family. It is just like President Hinckley said. A new member needs a responsibility, a friend, and nutrido by the word of God.
I am so excited about the work and know that trusting in the Lord is how I will receive the blessings that he has in store for me. I love you all and know that if we do what is right(read the scriptures and pray everyday and go to church every Sunday) we will always be blessed.

Love,
Elder Thompson

Yeah! Yipee! Yahoo!

CONGRATULATIONS AARON, BETHANY and MICHAEL ANDREW!!! I'm excited to tell people that I have 13 neices and nephews. I am a blessed aunty! Health and all of that to you and to all of the other expecting mothers in our family!

Another week full of stuff... fun, funny, and hilarious. We got to do a division on monday to tuesday...I got to teach with Irmã Andelin who is serving now in Matosinhos and we really had a blast talking and stuff. She is an amazing missionary and I'm greatful for the opportunity that I had to work with her. She has a lot of qualities that I would like to emulate. It was good for Irmã Karren too. She had never seen the way anyone else worked and so it was a good experience. We are really having a good time together and the work is moving forward because of that.

We also at times become a hinderance, like on Monday when we brought a huge slug to district meeting. We called him Babe Ruth the Grand Slugger because he was about 7 inches long and quite large. We needed a little something to spice up our lives and about which we could giggle incessantly. The elders were quite impressed, and we did use it to teach an object lesson, so maybe it was alright.

Other fun things for the week...I picked up nits from an otherwise respectable looking dog owned by one of the members and Irmã Karren had fun picking them out...when the shampoo from the pharmacy didn't have the immediate results I wanted I just decided to get it over with quickly and dunked my head in bleach, killing all of them as Irmã Karren can attest. Hopefully I did not kill all of my hair follicles and I still have hair the next time all of you see me. However, it is a quick way to kill the nasty things. That is probably the most nauseating experence that I've had, including having to eat the recognizable heart valves and lungs of the ox in s.j. da madeira, which was pretty bad. Yuck!

Samuel, recebeste já a minha carta? Parabéns no sucesso vocês estão a ter lá. É sempre bom ouvir. És um missionário espectacular! Porta-te bem e tudo. Continuação con um bom trabalho!

Mais coisas....acho que não há nada.. amo vocês todos...oi english! Nothing else to report for right now. Love you all and a big love and a squeeze for Michael!

ellen

Subject: It's a Boy!

Subject: It's a Boy!

No name yet but working on it--probably today sometime. 8lbs, 6oz----20 ¾” long. Bethany is doing well and both should come home today. Enjoy the pictures but remember they are copyrighted and can be reproduced or sold as much as possible with a 10% royalty.

Love you all,

Aaron

I forgot the date but most of you would’ve figured that out. November 2 @ 2:40 pm.

Quick November

Today a quickie...spent all sorts of time on a letter to Mom (aren't you all jealous) No really, we have had a great week. We had a cool experience this week where our neighbor contacted us by way of the window and asked us to come and visit her, she had been impressed by the way we live and could see a 'light' as it were radiating from our apartment. Good thing we don't let down our guard even in the house. A good missionary is a missionary always. We now have special care with how we act and things. Anyhow, other great things from this week, we have more family nights planned than we can ever accomplish and invites coming out our ears. We have a great english class going and now have started a music class to help the members, and anyone else who wants to attend, learn the ins and outs of music, especially as found in the hymnal. It is going to be really fun I think. Yep, and otherwise it's work as usual. It is amazing how it gets better all of the time, just when you think it is too good to be true, you go through another trial and get even more blessings. I love the letter I got from a friend of mine that said: I have definately come to see that His blessings come in greater abundance than our pains, and way beyond anything we could ever deserve. This is the Lord's work and He is inc charge. Love all of you and Happy November!

Update on the Hayes Family

Well,

For the big news! We're expecting #5 in April. That
has us going through a lot of changes right now. We
are re-painting our house, 2 rooms at a time to fix it
up in order to sell. And that means a lot of
de-wallpapering, which is a lot of work. We haven't
even come to the kitchen and dining room yet which
will be even more work. We've just outgrown our
little house. Charles is still sleeping in a
port-a-crib which rotates room to room depending on
where we're working.

Charles is now not just walking, but running
everywhere. His favorite toy is the phone. He's
always talking on it - the real one of course is
preferred, but remotes and other flat, retangle
objects also work well - sometimes they're by his ear
and sometimes on the top of his head, but he's talking
on the phone. He also loves reading books. His
favorite birthday present was the board book from mom.
He carried it everywhere and had the binding broke in
less than a week.

Marah was finally potty trained the 1st of September.
We kept trying to convince her it was a good thing,
but when Grandma Hayes got her some cool big girl
underwear that's all it took. No diapers ever since.
She's even a lot better than the other girls had
hardly any accidents. We did have one when we were
hiking in Zions a couple of weeks ago along the
Riverside walk and that wasn't much fun. Marah loves
to read books as well -- I could spend all day on the
couch reading to her. She always has to go if
anyone's going anywhere. She just likes to try to be
like her big sisters - she loves to play computer
games when they're at school. It's hard to believe
that I will have 3 years let before she goes to
school.

Alaina is in 1st grade and is learning to read even
more. She is our drama queen - already at age 6 - we
have our hands full when she gets even bigger. This
was her 1st year of soccer and she did really good.
She was always right on the ball and very much in the
middle of things. Alaina is very responsible and
always makes sure her things are in her backpack for
school, her library books etc, I don't have to ask
her like Keturah, she takes care of it herself.

Keturah is in 4th grade this year. It's hard to
believe. She has a male teacher which is kind of fun.
She still struggles with math - it seems to be her
fate and she often has a lot of homework because she
daddles or daydreams in class so has to do it at
night. One night this past week we were up until
10:30 getting all her assignments done because it was
the last day of the semester. She is enjoying piano,
though. Her favorite song so far as been Edleweiss.

Blair is enjoying his work. He's been setting up a
webserver. He had it all finished and then they
wanted it set up more user friendly so he had to
re-program things and make changes. It's been hard
but he's really enjoyed it and is getting a lot better
at it.

I've just been helping everyone with their stuff - the
kids with homework, Blair with fixing up the house. I
did get some canning done though, 66 quarts of
applesauce 1 weekend and 36 quarts of pears another
weekend with tomato sauce another.

Hope everything finds you families well.

Martha

information...

Interesting tidbit that you might want to know...It appears that I am flying to frankfort, then to Denver, and then to grand Junction...Or at least that is what I hear from one of the elders who is leaving at the same time...I guess his mom called the travel company and got his itenerary. Anyhow, I really don't know much about what is going on when and how..I'm the type that doesn't like to meddle too much or get too organized--It's bad for your heart. I like to take things as they come so then everything is a welcome surprise--Or something like that. Anyhow, I'm not sure if I'll be giving a homecoming talk or if I'll get to see any of my family, or what is going on...the best bet is to plan it all out with my Mommy. She knows what's best. Take care and love you all!

ellen

Re: Wednesday? Already!

Well family!!!
This was a great week in the life of sister missionary Irmã thompson. We had some really great teaching moments and the work is really going forward. We have been really working hard to help the members and everyone with whom we come in contact feel that we really love them and have prepared a message especially for them. Yesterday during my studies I studied the topical guide entry about families and it was really great. Then we were able to really have some great lessons with some people who are the only members in their family (which is about everyone) What I learned is that the gospel really does bless families and makes it able for them to really be eternal. The gospel is constructed in generations and each generation is so important. For example, even though Joseph Smith's great-great-grandfather did not have the fullness of the gospel, he made choices and tried to do what was right which helped his posteirity be prepared to make choices and with every successive generation the restoration was closer and more possible. Anyway, just that our choices really do influence those before and after us and that the Lord has prepared a perfect plan whereby all of our families really can be made eternal. THE PLAN IS PERFECT. Anyway, sorry to run, but we have to catch a train to Porto today...luncheon for the sisters :) I made ginger cookies last night too...Thanks Janie...they'll be so yummy.

Love you all and I promise that one of these days I'll write a nice long, thought out letter. I just know that the gospel of Jesus Christ really makes people happy (ie. me) and it brings so much hope, responsibility, but hope and joy. Take care and keep warm.!

ellen

Samuel....há uma carta a vir para ti...Sê amado! oro por ti sempre.

Fw:wednesday! Already!

Came in to send my weekly, Tuesday, email and found Samuel's email and then knew that I had missed Tuesday and today was Wednesday. Where do the days go?

So that week we were able to get the conduit into the shed floor on Thursday and then we found a new Cement guy to poor the floor on Friday. It started out cloudy even though it was supposed to be sunny but the pour was good. It did take 'til dark to get the back set up so they could finish it off. It looks great. We do have cement blankets on it so it won't get too cold before it cures. So we had a couple of sunny days--Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Tuesday was supposed to be cloudy but we had sun most of the day. Dad and I were able to set up four high of ice blocks in the cellar. Then we started putting up the braces. At dark we covered the top of the blocks so hopefully no moisture would get inside. Today, we bent rebar braces for the brick ledge. We hoped tomorrow would be sunny so Dad took me out to lunch for our anniversary and bought me a pair of insulated coveralls. It was sunny then but by the time we got home, the clouds had rolled in and now snow is pr!
edicted this evening--"the coldest front of this season" accordingto the weather man--one to three inches of snow predicted for the valley. So do we get to pour cement into the ice blocks on Monday? We'll have to see. So I hope all of you are keeping warm and dry and I hope we can continue building our house dispite the wet and cold weather. Love, MOM

Wet rats

Hello family dearest!
Well, the work goes ever forward! (usually with me, but sometimes despite me) It is such a blessing to have this look at eternity and the importance and vision that the gospel has. I am constantly amazed by how little I know and how much I have to learn. We are teaching a lot of great people and getting thoroughly wet. The fall rain is absolutly drenching because of the strong wind that accompanies it. I think we are also having an exceptionally rainy year also. We show up on people's doorsteps and I can understand why they let us in for a 'warm by the fire'. I'm sure we look like drownding rats at times...we left the house looking beautiful, it's not our fault that the wind took the umbrella away. Chuckle. Yeah, so we're keeping busy and out of trouble and dry when we can. Love you all!

ellen

Me here

Hello all my faithful e-mail watchers...Irmã thompson here giving you the down-low on the week that left as a thief in the night...

I AM THE SURVIVOR (A SOBREVIVENTE)
Our district for the last 6 weeks have been having an informal competition including scriptural knowledge and knowledge of useless facts and things. During this last district meeting I squared up against the district leader in the final episode. He was a worthy opponent which made the victory all the more sweet as I won the best of 3 questions (the quick-death tie breaker). All those scripture chases in seminary paid off.

I am staying in Braga until the end.
We waited and waited for transfer announcements with baited breath...not knowing what would happen, knowing that the sky was the limit, and then found out that nothing would happen. We get to stay together for the next six weeks until Thanksgiving. We're excited about that.

And the work goes on....
Other than those little news flashes, it's work as usual for your two favorite sisters Karren and thompson....the church is true and the book is blue!

Love you all, take care!

ellen

Great stuff!

So, conference was absolutely amazing!!! I really loved the Women's Conference and also really every single talk given in General Conference. It is awesome how they promised peace, happiness and security in this world by just doing what we already know we should do: study the scriptures daily, pray with heart, and increase daily in faith. The simple things are what bring happiness. I am so everlastingly grateful for the opportunity that I have to be a member of this church and to enjoy the blessings that that membership has to offer. Of course we want to baptize people... we want them to enjoy all the blessings that we enjoy: Visiting and home teachers weekly, friendships with the best of the best, general conferences and revelation from inspired leaders that we receive on a weekly and monthly basis. I was studying in Preach my Gospel this morning and I loved that in the section about how the Gospel blesses families it mentions so many blessings that we can and should be enjoying now there were about three paragraphs on it. Then in one sentence it talks about how our families can be together forever. I really love that we don't have to wait to be happy, we can and should be enjoying the many blessings that the knowledge of the fullness of the gospel has to offer.

Today we have the great opportunity to help a member of the ward here in Braga. She is the one that had a fire in her home a couple of weeks ago. We have been cleaning and scrubbing the walls and everything and getting it ready and today, because it is a holiday here, the ward has organized a big painting party. The bishop was already on his way there when we headed out to do e-mail, and there are a lot of other members that are also on the way. It is such a blessing to be part of this great organization that takes care of us in more ways that one.

The work is going well, Maria dos Remédios and her friend Albina came for the Women's Conference and absolutely loved it. We also had an amazing zone conference on tuesday and learned a bunch of great stuff to organize our work better. It is going to make a huge difference! We are really excited to make the changes we need to make to do the work how the Lord wants us to, because His is a house of order.

Anyway, time is ever so short....Hope your anniversary is great Mom and Dad. 33 years flew by just like a dream with all of us great kids didn't it. You never even had to work very hard....Just joking! Thanks for all the back-breaking work you have done! Coming up soon some old man will be turning 62 if I'm not mistaken... Happy Birthday to the old geezer! Good thing he still maintains the figure he had in high school, it helps him to look much younger..if only he had retained some of the hair...

As you can tell I'm in a bit of a funny mood today. I sure do love all of you and pray that you're doing well.

ellen

What a Time

Oí Família,
Conference was absolutely wonderful. It seemed as though there was a theme to this conference-using the atonement and keeping the commandments. Almost all of the talks called people to repentance and talked of the need to repent constantly. I really thougth that this was the best conference yet. I am sure that the next conference will be even better.
Missionary work is going great. We meet new people everyday and teach new investigators everyday. It is a pleasure and a blessing to be here. There is so much to do and say and I sometimes feel overwhelmed but I know that I can only do so much. Just do all that you can do and control and don´t worry about the things that you can´t control. It works like that. Go and do and learn and grow. This is the reason for us being here and we should use each day to its fullest. The one thing that I need to do is thank the Lord for all that I have and then smile to all the world. Be happy that another day has come that you can go and do and learn and grow or in other words become like our Heavenly Father. What a great time it is.

Love,
Elder THompson