Grandma & Grandpa Neil

This is actually the March 28th entry, but we have been at the MTC for the 2nd week and it has been such a full week of training and tutoring and spiritual experiences enough to fill anyone's soul for entering the missionary force of the Church. Jana took us back to our Super 8 hotel room last Sunday night so we could rest and be on the shuttle back to the MTC at 7:15 a.m. This past week dad has been learning the job of the mission financial secretary (whew, I'm glad I'll be the membership secretary . . .). It was sad to say good-bye to good friends we will be happy to meet again in the future, but we were all very grateful to have known each other.

Spanish tutoring has been extremely helpful this week. Can you believe it! I get to keep my 2nd tutor all through our mission. Amy Ahlborn has been fabulous every time we had a class. I especially like singing the hymns in Espanol. It is is a beautiful language. On Wednesday we rode a bus up to the Mexican Embassy in Salt Lake City to complete the necessary pictures and fingerprints before they gave us our VISAs. It was great to actually receive them on Thursday before we left. One special thing that happened was the Jana dropped us off some zucchini bread at the motel, and we were so happy to have receive her thoughtful package. Since I didn't get our MTC mail address out to anyone we didn't expect anything could come to us. It tasted great and we even had a treat to share when Sister Oliver (the Sister I'm replacing in Monterrey) when she came to our hotel room to inform us all about our up-coming adventure!

Friday afternoon we finished class and Jana came to pick up at the MTC. That evening we got to go with her and Rich and their family to see Bryce's high school perform "Darn Yankees" as Jana called it. Bryce had worked as part of the stage crew for hours and hours during the time we stayed with them, painting scenery and building props and working on lighting, etc. He did a great job!!! And, he seemed to really enjoy himself at the performance. We were glad we could be there to see it with all of them. When we got back to their home, the kids went to spend the night with Shawn and we played games with Jana and Rich. They're so good together--we will always be grateful. Garren shared his happy strong spirit all the time we were there.

Saturday morning we got to say good-bye to Rich and Garren, and Jana took us to the airport in Salt Lake. We will miss her and each one of our family, but we know this is what we are supposed to be doing at this time. Paul picked us up from the airport in Phoenix and we stopped by our home to check on things on the way to Paul's home. All is well--the girls seem happy and the yard looks great. It was fun to go to Crackers one last time with Paul and Racquel and Lexi and Hannah. They were so kind and delightful. On Sunday James and Tiloni came to Paul and Racquel's ward and stayed for dinner and games that night. We played "Never Trust and Pirate." It was addicting, as usual. What fun! The stayed later that they had planned and we were so glad they did before we said good-bye to them.