2020- Week 39(Sep 21- Sep 27)

 This was a strange week. Since MTC had ended for Ashtyn but she wasn't released she had to plan her own missionary schedule and that involved me being her companion. She still had language study which she chose to do with Jeff. She did personal study and she did companionship study with her MTC companion still. Other than that she filled her days with lots of indexing, a few naps, sending emails to friends, helping around the house, shopping for last minute odds and ends and packing her bags. She also had the chance to teach a lesson on baptism to Corban and their family was kind enough to invite us to dinner. We tried to keep it low key and avoid crowds as much as possible to keep her safe from Corona before she leaves on the 28th. She did well this week all things considered. As the week got closer to ending I could tell she was getting a bit anxious but she did a great job of staying positive and writing down her feelings in a journal, reading uplifting talks, listening to uplifting music and praying a lot. She is nervous and excited and so ready to go. 

I ordered groceries so we could make all of Ashtyn's favorite meals this week. I was also running low and my pantry was looking sparse and that sight fills me with fear after everything that has happened this year with shortages and the earthquake. I found a great new run for my kitchen for only $5.

I got to see a few random acts of kindness this week. The first one was a news story about a cute old man named Derlin who lives alone and delivers pizzas to make ends meat. One of his regular customers asked for donations for him on their Tik Tok account and they raised $12,000 for him. He was so shocked to receive it. It made me so so happy. The next was when I saw our mail person get out of their car and hand deliver the mail to two of our neighbors homes who had a huge moving truck blocking their boxes. I love to see people thinking of others.

Bronson came over to play one day while Ashtyn was busy and he cooked me a delicious dinner in the play kitchen. I love to watch kids play with this toy because they totally know what to do from watching their moms. He makes me so happy.

Ethan got asked out on a date. They did Bob Ross paintings. He made this volcano. 
This was his first date.

Ashtyn and I have been walking most mornings and the sun rises are beautiful.

My mom came over one day to wish Ashtyn well.

Here is Ashtyn's last letter before she leaves:

Ola amigos e família! Como você está? This week was kind of a weird week because I wasn't in the MTC and I don't leave for DC till Monday. So this week consisted of trying to find things to keep me busy and sane haha. It was a little bit difficult not having as strict a schedule and I sometimes found it hard to find motivation but none the less I pushed on. I did lots of shopping and little things to finish getting ready. It is still so crazy to me that I got called to serve a mission back in March and now the time is finally here for me to leave! I'm a little nervous and anxious but mostly excited and prepared to start this adventure! 

Ya anyway really nothing exciting happened this week but I do have a spiritual thought to share! This week I've been reading in 3 Nephi and there are so many uplifting, comforting, amazing chapters in this book! One of the chapters I loved was chapter 15. Jesus talks about how he is the good shepherd and how he still has sheep that he has to gather. I love the comparison of Jesus Christ to a shepherd. One thing that I read about during my study is how the Shepherd relies on his sheep to stay close to him and follow him and the sheep rely on the Shepherd to never leave them and to guide them. The shepherd knows each of his sheep intimately and personally and he loves them. He loves you and he needs and wants you to stay by him. I am so grateful and humbled to be able to go find some of those lost sheep and bring them back to their shepherd. 

Eu sei que Jesus Cristo e nosso Salvador e Redentor. Ele ama nos muito. Através Jesus Cristo e sua expiação nós podemos voltar a presenca de Deus. Eu sou grato por o evangelho de Jesus Cristo. Eu sei que e verdade. Em nome de Jesus Cristo amém

Have a fantastic week! Next week I'll be in DC! Tchau Tchau

-Sister Shaw. 

We went to dinner at Olive Garden as a last hurrah for Ashtyn.

On Sunday we watched church online again. The talks were filled with really great messages for someone about to leave on a mission and it made me feel remembered by Heavenly Father.

Tom and Sharon came over that night to tell Ashtyn goodbye. We invited them to have dinner with us. After dinner we played Crazy Bridge. When they left we said our family goodbyes. We have a tradition after we pray that we say our family motto, Shaw's Seek, Heed, Aspire, Work and then we sing the chorus of The Family is of God. Most of the time it's rough to get everyone to participate but that night everyone did it and we were all crying at the end. Kristy and her family came over afterwards for a goodbye hug and then Ashtyn's best friends Baylee and Rylee Reid came over. Their family had all written Ashtyn a letter. They also made her the coolest little goodbye video with all kinds of fun videos from the past.

I can't believe how fast this week has flown by. "All her bags are packed. She's ready to go. So kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you'll wait for me. Hold me like you'll never let me go. Cause she's leaving on a jet plane. Don't know when she'll be back again." It seems like just yesterday she was opening her call with Jeff and I at the temple and now she is about to embark on the greatest adventure of her life. We are so proud of her and can't wait to see how this all plays out and where these experiences will take her. It takes guts to go on a mission and makes me think of the parable of the vineyard where a man hires laborers throughout the day. He hires them for a penny a day. Some work all day and some work just for an hour but they all receive the same reward. A mission looks different for every person- boy hasn't this year taught us that. But the one thing that every missionary has in common is a willing heart and mind that they choose to dedicate to the Lord for however long he sees fit and their reward is the same. I love that! 

2020- Week 38(Sep 14- Sep 20)

 I got to babysit Ally a few times this week. Her family is leaving on the 28th. I am going to miss seeing her as often. She is the cutest. She kept calling me Melissa- as in Melissa Barney my friend who also babysits her. I said Ally I'm not Melissa I am Amanda remember to which she replied "But I can call you Melissa."

This week we held a little going away party in the Barney's backyard for the Kimballs. They are my next door neighbors. Jason and Jen and they have two kids Crue and Asher who are 10 and 7. Crue was one of my cub scouts and activity day boys. He is the sweetest. They don't go to church but he still came anyways and loved to interact with the boys. Their family is awesome. They will be missed. Jason is a very successful business man that knows everybody and I mean everybody. He knows celebrities, politicians and well everybody. They are only moving a few miles away so hopefully we will still get to see them.

Ethan asked a girl to the HOCO dance. This is his first dance and will be his first date. It's not really going to be a dance with Covid but they are going to do activities during the week and a nice dinner on Saturday. He asked Abby his friend from Chinese that he has known for years. We use to carpool with her family to school. She is really nice.

Abby answered Ethan this week too. She left this note on the porch and then she hung balloons all over our yard- every where. Ethan had to pop them all to find the letters to his answer.

Whitney and I went to Jen's volleyball game. It was senior night and Jen was being honored. I haven't been to any of her games and it was so fun. Jen has some skills. Her team won the game. It was actually against Bingham. I thought there was going to be a limit on tickets so there wasn't a huge crowd and maybe there was but it seemed like a ton of people to me. It made me very uncomfortable to be there with so many people. Most were wearing masks and we were sitting at the top of the bleachers away from most of them but still- this is the most people I have been around since Corona hit. I pray we were safe because we have too much going on to get sick now.

I watched Brookie and Bronson so Melinda could take Brody to the doctor. We had to take Brooklyn to school because she moved to a new school this year to be in the ALPS program. Then Bronson and I came back and hung out. His favorite thing to say is "What's That"

I saw this sign posted in a yard by my moms house. This is the candidate I endorse too ha ha. This years election is so depressing for me. None of the choices are good.

Have you ever reheated pizza on the stove? It makes the crust perfect and the cheese gooey. Five minutes in a covered pan on medium low- so much better than in the microwave.

This poem was one I first heard on My Three Sons the TV show. This show stopped airing in 1972 before I was even born but I love it so much. It is wholesome and good and I dare you to find another sitcom like it today. Well I was having a very bad day this week when I learned about two hateful things that happened to people I know. I can barely read the news these days because it's nothing but hate. This episode was about a bridal shower and how the bride and groom wanted it to be practical because they don't have much money. Mike the groom's father told him that sometimes we have to feed our souls too or life loses it's luster if we are only thinking about the basic necessities. He shared with him this poem that was his mothers favorite. The grandfather Bub also thought a practical shower was not a good idea and that this was the kind of occasion when you should do something extra special. His bride gave him a gold key with an emerald on top the day they got married and told him it was the key to her heart. So he decided to do something grand for the bride and buy her a Persian cat. She'd always wanted one but they cost $75. He didn't have enough money so he sold his key to make her happy. In the mean time she wanted to do something really special for him so she bought him a gold chain to hang the key on not knowing he had sold it. Then his grandson Mike the groom saw the key in a pawn shop and bought it back for his grandfather. At the end they were all so surprised by the kind gestures and someone said but Mike no one bought you anything and he said he got the best gift of all a white hyacinth referring to the poem. It was the sweetest thing. I want to plant white hyacinths all over my yard to remember this.

Speaking of hate I was sickened to read on one of my favorite blogs a very hateful rhetoric by the author about how she wants society to shun anyone who votes for Trump. How a decent human being would never support someone like him. She said that grandparents should not be allowed to see their grand children if they support Trump and that business's should stop selling to people who support him. I have followed her for years and now I will never read her blog again. This is not what I believe in. This is not how you change minds and hearts. The Come Follow Me lesson from this week talks about how contention is not a doctrine of Christ. So I do not support hate. I am on the side of Christ not on the Republican or Democrat side. 

I watched a documentary called the Social Dilemma this week. It was eye opening about how we are manipulated on the internet. I then made my entire family watch it. It is frightening that the news and content we see is often controlled and designed to change our opinions in certain ways. I believe this is leading to a lot of the unrest we see now. I have always said that the internet is the big and spacious building in Lehi's Dream and now I know for certain it is. I am not going to become subject to it so I am not going to allow myself to be on the internet more than is absolutely necessary. 

Ashtyn's departure is getting real and the growing piles are an indication of that. That and the Amazon packages we get daily ha ha. 

Ashtyn finished the HMTC this week. It flew by so fast. She learned so much the last six weeks and her Portuguese is amazing. She is definitely prepared to go. I know she is nervous but she is going to be a great missionary and she is ready. Here is her email from this week...

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Ola! This week was my last week in the MTC. Holy cow I cannot believe I am already done with the MTC! These past six weeks have been some of the most difficult and rewarding times ever! I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. I had without a doubt the best district and the most amazing teachers. I learned so much from every single person in my district and had some of the happiest times with them. I love them all and know they will each be incredible missionaries who will bring salvation unto so many people. They definitely made  finishing the MTC that much harder! But It has been amazing to see my growth not only in my testimony but in my confidence to fulfill the work the Lord has called me to. I am nervous and anxious for what lies ahead but so excited for the experiences and growth I will experience over these next 17 months. 

This final week was filled with mostly reviews of grammar or phrases we have already covered. We also practiced teaching multiple lessons in Portuguese with each other and had so many cool spiritual discussions. Sister Bailey and I also taught our last two Portuguese TRC's with Leo and Thomas. They both went well and I slowly but surely feel better about my teaching abilities:) One funny thing though is that after we finished our TRC with Thomas is he asked Sister Bailey and I where we were going on our missions and started up a conversation! He then told us where he served his mission and said his secret about actually being a member was out and that he goes to BYU haha. Sister Bailey and I were cracking up afterwards. 

Another fun thing we did this week was the infamous water cup and tray trick that I guess is a must if you attend the Provo MTC. You are supposed to fill a plastic cup with water and then try to quickly dump it upside down onto a tray without any of the water spilling out. It sounds kind of silly but it was so entertaining and kinda difficult. We were all laughing so hard especially when one Elder in my district broke his cup from pushing down on it so hard haha! Oh and our teacher also gave us a little tour of the MTC through his computer on our last day, so that was fun to see where we would have been had we actually gone to the MTC!

Finally one of the most amazing things we did this week was discuss Alma chapters 26 and 29. These are some of the most amazing chapters in scripture I have ever read and gave me so much motivation and comfort. I highly recommend you read through them if you get a chance. I especially love in these chapters when missionary work is compared to working in a field. Working in a field is hard and requires a lot of diligence, patience, and effort but it is oh so worth it when you harvest that crop. I know my mission will require a lot of work and it will be hard and require effort and trust in the Lord. But it will be amazing to help bring even one soul unto Christ and help them find the happiness that the gospel brings. Also we are nothing without God, but through God's strength we can do all things. So rely on God. Trust in him. Call him. And let him direct your paths. Anyways I love you guys and hope you have a fantastic week! tchau tchau!

-Sister Shaw

p.s. I leave for Washington D.C on the 28th! Crazy!! See you all in !7!

Pics:

1. Harry Potter?

2-3. Love these People

4. My cutest comp sent me a care package! I love her so much!!

5. Matching with my partner in crime

2020- Week 37(Sep 7- Sep 13)

Labor Day was on Monday so Jeff and Whitney went to hike Willow Heights Trail up Big Cottonwood. I stayed home with Ashtyn because she had MTC and Ethan had other plans. The pictures look amazing so I can't wait to go back and hike it again.

There is a new cookie shop right by our house called Local Cookie Co. It is a local family run business. I love to support local and I love cookies so I stopped and grabbed a box. Unfortunately they look a lot better than they taste. I love the butterscotch cookie but the others were not good. I think we will just stick with Crumbl for now. 

There was a giant windstorm that blew through Northern Utah on Tuesday it it wreaked havoc on over 1000 big trees. It also blew out power for a portion of the city and people were without power for more than a week. There may still be people without power now. We never lost power and besides it breaking the support stick on our rose of sharon tree we didn't have any damage. Downtown was not so lucky. I saw pictures of huge trees just topples over with root spans taller than a man. Whitney said there was a porta potty flying in the air at work and it was bouncing off cars. She also saw all the downed trees. We were worried she wouldn't be able to make it home. It was so crazy. 

There are also fires raging all over the west coast. Yvonne is in Eureka CA staying with her son and she keeps sending me pictures of the orange and dark skies. The air quality index is over 800 in some places. People have lost their lives and homes and have been evacuated and I feel helpless watching it all play out. I have been praying so hard for rain and for the fires to be contained. 

This year just gets worse and worse. 

I bought lunch for the missionaries serving in my stake. Elder Green and Elder Brady. They are only allowed to have Grub Hub deliveries so I sent them Chick- Fil- A. After they called to thank me I found out that there are two more elders living with them from another stake. I had no idea so I felt horrible that I didn't send them lunch too and sent it the next day. The ones on Wednesday were Elders Hayes and Haslip- in the picture. Since having a missionary I am feeling a lot more compassion for these young people who are freely giving up a few years of their lives to bring the love of God to others. 

I visited Claudia this week to see how her move is going. They are moving to Herriman at the end of the month. Ally climbed up in my lap and gave me kisses and hugs and snuggled me. I love that little girl so much. She did my eye makeup at the end.

We took Ashtyn miniature golfing for pday. There was another family right behind us that had an elder. His first name was also Ashton. What are the odds? Four people stopped us this day to ask Ash how her mission was going. It was so fun.

We got Ashtyn's smart phone all set up and we practiced doing a FB call. 

That is how she will call home. 

On Sunday it was our turn to host Shaw dinner which worked out perfectly so that everyone could say goodbye to Ashtyn. We made Cafe Rio salads. I took this picture of the kids so we could see how much everyone grows in 18 months and then it hit me that this may very well be the last time these cute cousins are all together for years and maybe even ever. With missions, college and weddings that will start to happen for the older group I don't know where everyone will end up. Jen plans to serve a mission so she will be gone when Ashtyn comes home and then Porter and Ethan will go while Jen is gone and so on depending on if more girls serve. That was a very sad thought. I have loved that all their Shaw cousins are so close and that we have been able to be together so often. Once all Jeff's cousins started getting married and having their own families is when the big family gatherings kind of stopped. There were just too many people at that point. I don't want that to happen with us but I'm afraid it will. We will just have to put in some effort to make sure we still see them even if 

only every so often. 

  Back Row: Ethan 16, Phoebe 11, Maddie 12, Whitney 18, Bryant 10

Front Row: Kenzie 7, Hallie 14, Ashtyn 19 holding Ruby 4, Jenacee 18, Porter 16, 

Corban 7, Fischer 14 

Scott wanted a picture of him and his mommy ha ha