Sean, I mean Elder Beckwith
is doing great. He loves those "toothless" people. Here's a little tidbit from him."Is anyone really ready for a mission? Where you need to be guided by the spirit in everything you do, to not think of worldly things but only spiritual, to go around crying repentance to people that might speak a different language and have no idea what you are saying, to have to work with a random guy (your companion) that probably will have many problems and things that bug you, to not talk to your family or see them for two years, to leave everything behind and work with all your might less you come under condemnation. Is anyone ready for a mission.....of course not, you just have to put your trust in the Lord and go for it. I mean I am speaking some monkey language on the other side of the world, I don’t think I could ever be ready for this, but through the Lord I can do anything, and I am doing it."
This is Sean on P-Day making bricks for a members house. They have had on average about 10 investigators to church each Sunday. They are so eager for the gospel, and he is just excited to be the Lord's tool in helping anyone he can.
Kiaran got a part in the play "Snow White and Friends" (I think thats the name) anyways she had to audition and she was a little nervous, but she got the part of a little bird. The audition was singing a piece and then learning a dance and then performing in small groups
of three. She is still working on her movie, it has slowed down due to school and now the play which all her friends recieved parts in as well. Kiaran is also taking piano, (mom wanted atleast one kid to play and well it fell to her) her motivation for practice is that one day she will give lessons to people and make some money. Always looking ahead!Alora is performing with a county orchestra where she finally is able to learn something, since school is not exactly helping anymore. She loves it and is getting amazingly well. I still remember the first couple months of "Hot Cross Buns" and the finger exercises, so glad she has kept with it.
Mom and dad had a great anniversary in September, they went biking, I know "big" shock. They biked to a small town 80 miles away and spent the weekend there then biked back. Except one the way there and back they missed the turn therefore adding an additional 12 miles each way.
Dad recently had two surgeries this week which was pretty nerve racking for our family. The first one was for his infected gallbladder which he had gallstones, most people never know they have them. Luckily the surgeon operated before it exploded which would have been really bad. Dad loves to say "I got shanked by the doctors at the hospital....4 times! Who knew that could happen there!" True dad humor.
After he had been home for about two days, he became jaundice and returned to the hospital to be told his liver was failing. Apparently a gallstone had been traveling during the surgery and then had become lodged in his liver causing problems.
They used a camera and went down his throat and removed the stone and the gunk it had caused so he is back home and hoping to not return for a very long time.
Mom has really been a support for all of us and is still doing seminary all at the same time. Amazing woman! She is always tiring to figure out new ways to improve her teaching and connect with her students on different levels.
Jaron and Mariah are doing well and I have nothing really to write cuz they wont tell me whats going on, so this is their one sentence.
School is going swell for me, I am taking Jui-Jitsu class with a gal from my ward and we have fun choking and throwing each other. I have decided on my major, Exercise Science maybe a double major with Nutritional Science with a minor in Chemistry. Sounds fun, yeah I know! I have come to really appreciate the BYU atmosphere and the opportunities here, especially from my ward.
I was blessed to be able to buy a ticket to Tampa for Thanksgiving where I will meet my family as well and we can see each other which will be a wonderful family gathering.
Keep warm as the North wind approaches, we'll be thinking of you. May God bless you.
