Sep 29

Elder Feidler,

I hope you have had a great week.


Maddie had a great birthday. She got your letter on her birthday and loved it!  We really liked the pass along cards you sent her. Hopefully she will pass them on. Today is Chelle's birthday. She has invited her family up to our house for lunch and fun today.  We are only having sacrament meeting today and a special meeting this afternoon for a change of boundaries in our ward.  It's not going to affect us.

We had the Houston temple President Crain speak in our ward today. It was awesome. He told a story of how he returned to visit his previous mission area after 20 + years. He visited the temple in Chile and saw a lady there that he had baptized on his mission and she was a temple ordinance worker.  Then he also saw her husband there and he was now a member.  He had previously refused to have anything to do with the church. He asked how and when he was converted. She said he joined 19 years later because of that missionary, Elder Crain.  It was the influence that missionary had made by doing service for his family that stuck with him for 19 years and led to his conversion. I know you do a lot of service. Just think of the far reaching impact it may be having on those you serve. There are many seeds you are planting as a missionary.

Eric Tonini spoke today too.  He leaves in a week and a half on his mission to the Marshall Islands.

How's your car holding up? Hopefully well. Zack and I spent all day yesterday working on the Jeep. We installed new bearings/hubs on both sides of the front end and new U joints on the front axles. I am so sore. It also had a brake fluid leak from a rear wheel so we replaced a wheel cylinder and the brake shoes.  Hopefully it will roll on problem free now.

Myka said "momma" clearly on Saturday. So that was an exciting thing for Chelle. She even video recorded it.
Outside playtime is usually every evening after the sun starts to go down. We go outside to the driveway and Myka gets to play on a wiggle waggle or red Radio Flyer scooter. Our house appears to be on a direct flight path for Hobby Airport. The planes keep coming one after another. So this is Myka pointing them out.

I often go on my scooter ride for a neighborhood tour at this time too. This Friday I found something for Myka in a neighbor's trash. Weeeee, a fun slide!

Here Myka has found someone just a cute as she is....... Her reflection!

Work is picking up some. I've got lots of playgrounds to quote these next two weeks.


It looks like Pearland will get a new Costco store. It will be right up across from the entrance to SouthFork on our side of Hwy 288 and will probably be done in 2016. They have opened the Red Duke elementary school near the corner of CR 59 and Kirby and widened both roads. There will be lots of changes for you to see when you come home next year.

Don't get trunky yet. Keep on working hard and serving others. This last 6 months you will be super productive with all the skills you have mastered and the knowledge you have gained.  Keep up the good work!  We love and miss you lots. Send more pictures!

Love Dad and Chelle and Myka and Zack and Maddie.

Ps. Maddie passed her written driving test and now has her learners permit!  She was mostly worried about her hair for the picture!

Here's a picture of them with your mom.  Look your car is still doing good!

Graham:

Dear Family,

So last Monday after emailing, we went to Goodwill where I found a pair of Ecco shoes for $1! They are like new. Also we found out that my companion will soon have his visa. He will probably be off to the Brazil MTC in 2 weeks. He's been in our mission for 13 months so he will only be in Brazil for 10 months after the MTC.

Also last week we got the mission car repaired and my companion had another interview with the mission president. We met the elderly car coordinator missionary at Pep Boys where he gave us a ride back to the mission office to get a loaner car. After hopping in the car with him he started backing out of the spot but hit a curb. Then he pulled forward and attempted to back up again. This time the car was in N instead of R and he revved the engine and slipped it to drive. Drive brought us quickly heading towards the curb in front of the car. We thought this was both scary and funny because he was driving a mission car and we asked him if he needed a backer and he told us no. And we didn't start off our drive with a prayer. 

Then I went on an exchange with the district leader. We didn't have the car so we caught a ride with a member out to the middle of nowhere and walked around tracting for most of the day. By the time I got home that night my fingers were swollen and bright red. We did however get to teach Sheryl and Connie a lesson. We brought Br. Little with us who did a great job at fellowship and helping us resolve her concerns. 

This week with Jessica she was able to attend lots of activities. She even made it to the women's broadcast on Saturday! Sunday she came to church for the first time in a year and was able to enjoy our ward's primary program. She has been telling everyone she's getting baptized soon and is being a great missionary to her family and friends.

The primary program for our ward was incredible! We have taught about 30 families the 4 step missionary program now, which payed off when Sunday came. Members have been bringing up the program with their nonmember friends and neighbors which resulted in lots of nonmembers attending the meeting. We had to set up chairs in the gym for the first time in 4 years, a member told us.

Thanks for the great pictures! Congrats to Maddie for getting her permit!! Also that's way exciting to hear about the Costco! They have the best deal for lunch. A 1/4 pound hot dog and a soda for $1.50! 

Love and miss ya'll,

-Elder Graham Feidler.

P.S. BYU Idaho wants me at the school 10 days after I get home! Our mission president suggested we research our college info during our email time.

Dad:

Wow, what a cool week!  We love the text Chelle got last night.

Also, college???  10 days is not very long.  We need to figure that out.  Do you want to go right off to college or take 3 months to work around here in a job? It's really up to you.  Obviously the best influences and dates will be at BYU-I.  But if you want to stay here for a few months you can.  I figured we would start the financial aid stuff on Jan 1st.  You will then not be our dependent for 2 full years and I think that might qualify you for better financial aid.  Probably even grants if they are available.

Let us know what you are thinking.

Graham: I'm planning on talking to President Bonham about the college situation tomorrow during a quarterly interview. The only problem with not going there right after I get home is that the next semester I could go to would be winter of 2016. I'm thinking right now that the best thing to do is to jump right into college so I can continue to use the study skills I've gained on my mission. I'll find out more tomorrow.

Dad: 

College schedule is way confusing. Spring "semester" has two blocks and starts April 20th.

April 20th - June 4th, then June 5th to July 23rd.

After that is the Summer "session" (Not a real semester.) July 27th to Sept 11th

I am afraid if you don't start in April you may be waiting until September to start a real semester in the Fall.

Admissions is pretty good at working with returned missionaries so you probably could get in for Fall 2015 or you could maybe even take second block Spring semester classes and Summer session which is also equal to a block or half semester.

Admissions has a date you are expected to return since you deferred for a mission.  I will call them and see what that date is.

Give it some thought. Good luck!

Dad:

BYU-I Admissions just said they are expecting you back for Spring Semester on April 20th. With approval and confirmation of your return date from the mission, they could extend your deferment and allow you to come back to the Fall Semester Sept 15ish, then you would immediately get back on track and go Winter 2016 and Spring 2016.  So 3 semesters in a row.

Another option is to do 2nd block spring 2015 semester courses and summer session courses (Your choices of classes would be limited!) then return Winter 2016 on track again.

So I kind of think going back immediately would be your best option. Then you will be home July 30th 2015 until Winter Semester starts in Jan 2016.

So there you have it.

Luv, Dad.