Ben's Post for Brian

For Brian,

Brian and I share several important aspects of our lives.  One of which are our initials (BK Rules haha!) Another is a love of my sister Liz who has always done such a great job of keeping our families together and moving in the right direction.  Cycling is another interest we both have pursued with vigor.  Then there is the inexplicable blessing and fact that we both brought five girls and one son into this world.  We must both share the same heavenly gifts of patience and the uncanny ability to love Heavenly Fathers daughters.  And of course the gift to listen to these women explain the never ending details of their lives in so many words without going completely bonkers!  Heavenly Fathers must have gifted us with a gift to listen.

As Aubrey became more and more sick this year, Katherine or I would need to go to the children's hospital in Honolulu and stay with her for an unknown amount of time while the testing and treatments were being administered.  Because of our little baby Lauren, it was decided that I would be the one to go.  Giving up work and all other aspects of life to be with this precious little girl was a no-brainer for me.  She needed her daddy by her for all the scary tests and procedures.  It was heart breaking to see her suffer but these were necessary steps to get her back to being a happy two year old.  Brian and I share this love for our daughters!
We both love and spoil our only sons, and this post shouldn't take anything away from them.  These two boys know how special they are.  But again, for some reason Heavenly Father trusts Brian and I to take care of these girls in these last days.  Days which are full of trouble and challenge.  I can think of nothing more noble than raising virtuous daughters.

Being in the hospital room for a week was a challenge for both Aubrey and I.  Fortunately the children's wing of the hospital had several  toy rooms to keep her entertained during her good hours.  In honor of Brian, I decided to donate some computer type toys to the hospital so other sick kids can develop their computer hacking skills!

Brian, you are an awesome example of a father and husband!  Keep up the good work and the rest of us will try and keep up!  Merry Christmas!!!

Erik's Service

I did a service for our Bishop.  I created a Sunday survival kit that includes beef jerky, granola bars, breakfast bars, and other fun treats.  This is for him to keep in his office for Sunday's he doesn't get lunch.  The reason I did a service for my Bishop is because I got Kevan as my person to do service for.  Since Kevan was a Bishop, I thought that I could extend the service to my Bishop.  Merry Christmas!

-Erik P.

Lauren

Being that it has been kind of a crazy year being pregnant- having a baby-dealing with a 2 year old.  I ended up doing a few different services half way.  Not the way I would have wanted, but together they make up a whole. :)

When I received your name I thought about how much I love that you have learned to play the piano. Something we have in common.  I have always tried to teach my children music and to play the piano, but each attempt usually fizzles out before much progress has been made.  I always felt guilty about not being able to teach the one talent I have to my children...(Drives Ben nuts too) So this was the year to buckle down........well it didn't happen between crying babies, homework, and other after school activities.  Then Lydia decided she wanted to learn the violin, so I thought now I have my chance.  Then I realized I didn't know the first thing about actually teaching someone the violin...lol.  So I bought a video and some books  other helps on Amazon, and told her to watch the video and I would implement and help throughout.  So far so good.  I plan to keep working on this service. (See Lydia's post)

So after not really excelling at teaching my kids music I thought about you a lot.  Especially after I was blessed to get two wedding invitations in the mail.  I kept one on my fridge and had one on my desk to keep you constantly in my thoughts.  I thought how wonderful it was that you got to enter the temple and complete your endowment and be sealed forever.  I love the temple.  Kona temple is a very small temple and I know almost everyone who works there.  They give me lots of hugs.  I was determined to attend every week since I got your name in honor of your newly wedded temple covenants.  I made it most weeks definitely not perfect.  I often thought of the beginning of my own marriage, I wished that I had attended the temple back then more often.  The temple is my solace,  the only place I can really leave the world behind, I don't feel stress, and I regain my eternal perspective. I hope you will take this new opportunity and attend as often as you can.  In the beginning I always thought I had to attend with my husband....it's a myth.  Go by yourself if he can't make it.  Go, Go, Go......Families are Forever.

So the last thing is.....Well I basically named my baby after you.  It doesn't get better than that!  Lauren I love you.  Merry Christmas.

Katherine

Lauren's Service for Katherine!

As I was contemplating what to do as a service I was very impressed with how much Katherine supported one of her young single adults going on a mission.  It was such an amazing example; first of all by loving the people she serves in her calling.  It was also great to see that she supported this sister missionary as much as she could even so much that the sister missionary lived with them for a while before leaving on the mission and Katherine then traveled to the mainland, went through the temple with her, and dropped her off at the MTC.  I decided that my service would be based off of this experience Katherine had in supporting her sister missionary.  I have learned to love those I serve in my ward although my only calling currently is visiting teacher.  I have also been writing several sister missionaries on a weekly basis (mostly weekly, sometimes it’s every other week).  I have also been contributing to the general and ward missionary funds.  Thank you Katherine for being such a great example to me and for being the inspiration for the service I was able to give!

Love, 

Lauren 

To Nicky

When I think about Nicky it comes to my mind a mothers love. She is always caring. All year I was thinking what should I do for her. I know she likes to sing and read books.  A few weeks ago I had the  opportunity to serve. My renter Nicole  was not feeling good. I decide to clean her apartment and  my  mom  cook for her. She was very grateful and I ended up buying a new table for her. Her old one was about to  break in  pieces. It was nice to do it for her and at the same time  I felt the spirit. Since I got here I have always said that Nicole Paterson brings comfort to me when I feel sad. Besides my mom, my mom Jimae, Nicole will be my number 3. So my service this year was to help a friend and give her the comfort that a mom could give. Thanks Nicole for being a good sister to me and not only that but every time we have the time to read our scriptures with my kids I always think of you and your family and the beautiful way you teach them to read. Love you.

Merry Christmas Cris!

When we first brought up the idea of doing a service blog like the Gates' family, I explained to my family with an example.  "If you got, Cristina, for example, you could do a service for a widow that you know, or maybe volunteer to help people who are learning English as a second language."  Imagine my surprise when the name I drew was actually Cris!  I lucked out because I already had an awesome idea or two!  I quickly realized I didn't know many widows to serve.  So I started looking for an ESL program. I remembered Cristina coming to my house on that snowy New Year's Eve for the first time.  She knew very little English and looked absolutely overwhelmed!  I'm so proud of how hard she has worked and how fluent she is!  I think she may know more English than Spanish now!
I could have gone to the local Elementary school, but I wanted to work with adults learning English since that was Cris' situation.  I finally tracked down a program in Provo.  I found out when their next session began and for 12 weeks I drove to Provo to help out in the classroom.  I worked in the level two classroom because I didn't feel I knew enough Spanish to fully communicate with someone who knows zero English.  Every week we'd have between 5-20 adults come for a 2 hour lesson.  They came three days a week, but I only went once.  I loved working with these people!!  They were so friendly and wanted so badly to learn.  Most of them were Mexican or from another Spanish speaking country.  There were two from Brazil, one from China and one from Korea.

The teacher did most of the talking, but I sat by the slower students and helped them.  One student in particular, Teresita, became a good friend.  She is from Argentina and trying to learn English but has a learning disability on top of trying to learn a new languate.  (She is in the red on the far right of picture below)

I looked forward to this service every week.  I truly came to love them.  About two weeks into this service I decided to get my master's degree from WGU.  I had signed up to do a quicker program about Curriculum development.  I just didn't like it!  I felt so grumpy about doing it.  One night I was up with my usual insomnia, and it occurred to me that WGU has a Masters for English language. Because of my experience with my service for Cris, I knew I would enjoy it.   I had to get special permission to enter it because my teaching license is expired.  The minute I switched programs I felt a load lifted.  I knew that was the program I was supposed to do.  Thanks Cris for helping me find something I love to learn about!  I love you!  Merry Christmas!

A Poem for Darcy

Strongest

At times God will hand you a rough, tough life.

Whether it be a family member gone,

or a new school with friends who give you strife,

I know that you're strong enough to move on.

You're one of the strongest people I know,

and because of you I have learned so much.

I've learned that to God I'm not some "Jane Doe", 

and that through His love, He can be my crutch.

Because of your strength, I have learned this:

That as long as you keep your head held high,

this life on earth will be quite a bliss.

Just keep God near you, until you die, 

and then He'll welcome you with such great pride.

All this I know because of the strength you confide.

Your strength is incredible Darce. You've had a tough year, as I've noticed, but your example of strength is a blessing. I love you so much, and Merry Christmas!