My Heart is in His Hands

I guess we have had some of the warmest days in October on record, but I may have written Jordan's weekly letter for the last time from the hammock (my favorite Sunday spot). Granted, I was bundled a little more than usual but the sun was shining so nicely that I actually fell asleep for a few minutes before Mikayla joined me. However, this weeks mornings have reminded me that it is my turn to share the sun with Chile's side of the world and I will miss it (that's what long johns and blankets and heaters are for=), but that means Jordan will be enjoying it and I am glad.

The annual Jones Harvest party continues to be "the best party of the year". Thank you Renee and Ben and all your kids who help keep alive some of the same traditions and original Harvest theme as it's humble beginnings at the farm. It has expanded and become your own, but you have grown it well! The Bloomers thank you, but most I of all I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for continuing to provide a party that this hyper sensitive girl can still go to at this time of year and dismiss everything "Halloween". As always your family has been most generous in opening up your home and bearing most of what I know is an abundant cost every year. I think I speak for everyone in the valley when I say that because of your efforts this is of those extended family traditions that will be forever memorable. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

The twins begged all day Saturday, starting as soon as they awoke (and every half hour at least) to get into their costumes. I finally gave in at 3:00 and by the time we were ready to leave they felt gorgeous and couldn't wait to show off their costumes.....that is until we drove in Ben's lane and they saw the inflatable and wanted to strip down right then and there. I made them wait for 15 minutes of pure agony for Grandma and Grandpa to get there so they could see their outfits before it all came off. Luckily, I had anticipated that and had them pack play clothes so they were happy. Funny girls!

The YSA Branch just called 14 part-time missionaries and organized them like a Mission district so each ward boundary has been assigned a companionship to work in correlation with that wards YSA Advisors. That means Fred and I will get to work in conjunction with them. What a great preparation for full-time missionary service for them and what a blessing for us to continue being involved in various ways with the youth and the added motivation of reporting and accountability. Today in our early morning meeting we were supposed to break off with our ward counterparts but neither of them were there and Fred's stomach was growling so loud he had disappeared into the hall=), so the Branch mission leader and the Stake YSA Rep. counseled with me instead. It's a comforting feeling to have the youth take the lead.

The other day Mikayla was standing at the bar and then suddenly made a very un-Mikayla-like comment. "So Mom, on a scale of 1-10 what would you give _____?" Unfortunately, I'm usually open with my snap judgements, but I don't really know this young man. He seems motivated in his calling. He has honorably returned from a mission. He seems respectful but un-intimidated. He has pretty eyes and has asked Mikayla out a few times, but now that all the dating rules have suddenly changed, I don't think I'm ready to give out "scale" points which might be construed as a sign that I am at ease with this transitory period of parental life. My Angel Maid is no longer dating boys, but young men and she leaves home in two months..."and it's no fun either"! Whoever coined the term, "cutting the apron strings" was no mother. This is no haphazard inanimate separation of warp and weft, if involves living, pulsing heart strings and the help of the most highly skilled surgeon. My heart is in His hands. I trust it there, but it's still painful.

HARVEST PARTY PRELIMINARIES:

"Hello Dolly!"

Lily a.k.a Pixie -- Sophie a.k.a. Dolly Levi

Abe a.k.a. -- Ninja

The Glorious 80's
Eden a.k.a. Rachel; Mikayla a.k.a. Lori; Shelby a.k.a. Marg

Out of My Hands -- A Lost Generation!

CRAZY HAIR DAY AT SCHOOL:

You can't tell, but it's tied in about 30 hair knots
and looked like "dreds". Lily was sick that day.

From Elder Jordan--To See If Any Flowers Blossom

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elder Jordan...
Date: Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 4:29 PM

Dear Family,

This week has been getting pretty hot.  I am still trying to decide if I like hot or cold weather better. This week we have been working with two ladies in specific, Fanny and Nelly.  Fanny is a 50 year old lady that has 5 children but they have all moved out, or they are in prison.  So almost every day she is at home all alone.  The first time we taught her we just did it on her front porch.  And the second time her son from Puente Alto was there.  She is a great lady and reads every thing we ask her to read, she asks questions and wants to learn but she doesn´t feel like she is good at praying or getting answers to her prayers.  We are working on that with her, and encorage her to keep praying and listening.  The other, Nelly is an 80 year old lady that lives alone with her husband and her dog.  She also is super nice, but we are trying to see if it is just niceness and nothing else.  Her husband is always there listening but always starts with "I´m just here with my wife but I am not interested in any of this" in which later he always participates in the lessons.  We will keep working with them to see if any flowers blosom.  

I liked all of your costumes, Mom and Dad I didn´t see yours and I remember someone saying that you couldnt go to the harvest party if you weren´t wearing a costume.  It´s weird seening everyone dressed up again,  I have pictures of all of you that I carry around from last years harvest party.  

So 9 weeks till Mikayla goes to school, thats nuts, compleatly nuts I tell you. 

I would like to end this week by just saying Mom and Dad thank you for always setting a good example for us and supporting us and helping us grow.  I have just realized how much I sometimes take for granted.  My companions' parents just got divorced and he has always had a difficult relation with his dad, ever since he was little.  So thank you.

I love you all,
Elder Bloomquist

From Elder Jordan--A Spirit Most Brilliant and Warming

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elder Jordan...
Date: Mon, Oct 17, 2011 at 4:33 PM


My Dearest Family and to all the world,

This is a most urgent warning, Eden is now getting her licence in April which is after the world had planned to end, but I think it would still be wise to go with the whole 2012 thing.  It is always better to plan for the worst. Eden to answer your question of the Raven and the writing desk they are similar because when ravens fly it is in the sky and sometimes the fly over trees.  A writing desk is made out of wood and if you cut down a tree you have wood.

Mother I am happy, more happy than ever.  Of coarse I have some things I need to work on to be exceptional but that is all part of the learning process now isn´t it.
      

This weekend was the most incredible experience ever.  I felt a spirit most brilliant and warming than maybe any other time before.  It started out with a devotional and the Area presidency was there and they spoke.  Afterward was the celebration which was a play of the story of a child that finds an old book of mormon and asks about it.  Through out was story dances, dances that told a story.  My favorite part was the storm.  It was dark outside and for the storm they had huge strobe lights for the lightnight and big bass speakers for thunder, which because they were so big felt like there was really thunder.  That part represented the distruction of after Christs death.  All of the sudden the lights went of and the sound stoped and there was scilence,  and just like it explains in 3rd Nefi 11, we heard a voice that seemed like it was comming from heaven.  And it felt so real and almost like a dream.  Chile has grabed hold to a special place in my heart.  For 50 years misionary work has been pressing forward here and I feel so privaleged to be a part of that.  

Mikayla when do you start school again?

I love you guys to 33,000 times pi

Elder Pew, Hermana Russel and I

Middleton Boys--yes that is Dalton

Dancing

My zone in the MTC--Happy Reunion

HUGE Speaker System

Dressing For Battle

On Saturday, Mikayla and I got to drive to Ontario to listen to Sis. Julie Beck speak. We were early enough to sit front and center in the chapel, listening literally at her feet. It was inspiring to hear her words, focused specifically on our roles as women, but some of her quotes could definitely relate to everyone. Two that I really liked were: "Pray for miracles and expect them." and "Be brilliant at the basics." But the most profound quote, that absolutely pricked my heart to action was when she said, "Heavenly Father doesn't care about your issues, he cares about his children." She was speaking specifically about our sacred responsibility as visiting teachers and ridding ourselves of excuses, but it pounded in my ears regarding every role I have. It was no coddling talk, but a call to arms and a spiritually enlightening experience. Another challenge that I loved was what she called a spiritual morning strategy in 4 steps:

1.Roll out of bed every morning on your knees (communication with Heavenly Father)

2.Grab your scriptures and spend some time in them (communication with the Spirit)

(By this time I was feeling really good about myself)

3.Get dressed (sign to the Lord that we are dressed for battle)

(Inner groan--I really like my pajamas!)

4. Make your bed (sign to the Lord that I'm not going back there physically or symbolically)

(Today I followed all four steps...and am writing this showered and dressed...it feels good.)

Mikayla went with some of her branch to see Sis. Beck speak again on Sunday in Nampa. She said it was a different talk with some of the same themes, but she loved it again.

So a funny Eden moment (I told her I was sharing it). Two nights ago, we were sitting around the table having a dinner conversation. Eden was definitely dominating it loudly and expressively and with very little breathing, but none of us were quite sure what she was talking about so I had interjected to clarify and minutes later, still not following, Mikayla had interjected to clarify and after the "conversation" had for sure hit the many minutes mark Fred finally interjected to clarify and Eden burst out with, "I never get to talk!!!" There was 5 seconds of stunned silence and then incredulous laughter from the 3 of us. Eden was still disgruntled until we explained our point of view and then laughed slightly, but I don't think she ever saw the humor in it. (Days later I am letting her read this before sending it off and she is laughing plenty now--she's a good sport.=)

Abe is off from school for the entire week. It will be nice to have company for a change, though I got him 4 thick chapter books from the library so I may never see him.=)

Our family is so excited for the Jones's big family Harvest Party on Saturday but I haven't even thought of costumes for the younger kids. Poor Lily and Sophie got a bit cheated being the youngest. I was "costumed out" in my younger mothering years. One of these holidays, before they are too old, I am going to have to create something amazing for them to make up for all the years of being burned out. Jordan, Mikayla and Eden got the full benefits of my creativity. I'm not sure what has happened over the years--I guess just different priorities.

Sunday evening was stake YW Standards night. It was POWERFUL, as it always is when you put these youth in charge! Our stake president's daughter was one of the speakers and shared an experience that a friend had shared with her. Her friend said she was at a fireside a few years ago where some really cute Senior boys were sitting on a dating panel. One of the questions was, "Why should I dress modestly?" and one of the young men said, "because I would rather be thinking about how much fun I'm going to have on the date, than singing hymns in my head all night." Then she talked about the effects that one comment had made on her friend and ultimately on her. Afterwards the young woman approached me and told me that the "cute senior" she had referred to was Jordan . I thought that was kind of her to share that detail with me. Even more than two years later, that one comment is still affecting young women in our stake. Isn't it amazing how far reaching every little moment of our life can be. A young man also spoke and I think every mother in the audience turned to their teenage daughters with the same thought that I had, "you can have him!" Fred and our neighbor were talking after the meeting and our neighbor said, "I want to be like him." and Fred said, "me too!" Eden's comment was, "From now on, whenever they ask us to make a list of all the things we want in a husband, I'm going to save time and just write Joseph's name. He truly sounded like a "Son of Helaman". I love the youth in Middleton!

I've been listening to conference again on my morning walks with Olive. Last week I was reminded again of Elder Packers challenge, "Take hold of your life and order yourself to be valiant." It really struck a chord again. This morning as I was fast walking in the fog, listening to Elder Holland priesthood session talk again, I cried. His words always do that to me... or else make me forget to breathe. The spirit is a powerful influence in our lives! What a blessing to have living, loving prophets!

My Birthday Artwork from Mikayla and Eden

50 Years in Chile

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elder Jordan
Date: Mon, Oct 10, 2011 at 4:28 PM
Subject: geewolinkers

Dear You guys,

I have been contemplating this whole world ending in 2012 thing and I just figured it out.  Eden gets her licence the first month of 2012.  All other drivers will be trying fast to get off the road, and then there will just be total chaos and mayhem.  And then the world will probably just implode or something.  Its just a good thing I will be safe here on the other side of the world for at lease a year longer.

This week was simply delicious we set 5 dates for baptism and I am so excited for them.  They love learning about everything that we teach them and are always thirsty for more.  Also this past weekend was the first part of the celebration of 50 years in Chile.  It took place in our stake center but was broadcast to all of Chile and some other parts of Chile.  Elder Corbridge, Elder Richards and Elder Zapallos of the 70 spoke about misionary work and the need for more missionaries of full time and well with the members.  There was a choir of 40 jovenes that sang beautifully, Come thou fount, The first vision, and a couple others.  This next Saturday is the big Celebration in a stadium of 20,000 seats it will be full.  I am excited for that it will be a moment in history never to be forgotten.

This week many of our appointments have fallen for some reason or another which has given us the chance to look for more people to teach.  We have knocked many a door and it seems to work every one out of 50.  Which has forced us to find people in other ways such as contacts in the streets which I am not very fond of just because I always feel wierd talking while they are not focused and walking away from us.  But I have a goal to contact at the very least 5 people in the street a day and I have notice that as I do I get less and less worried about what people think and more and more worried about what is really important,  with some of the contacts we have done, we have been strongly rejected and others they are very warm and welcoming. I know that maybe it does not get less difficult, but that heavenly father is helping me as I try to do his work. The mission is so wonderful and so much fun.

I love you all so much
Elder Bloomquist

P.S.  Elder Weaver is 6.5

The pictures are of today on P-day going up to San Cristobal with the giant statue of Mary.  Its on the top of a huge hill so you can see all of santiago in every direction.
The Police picture is of police and a bunch of people rioting MAEOR (Mothers against Eden on the Road.)
Just kidding it is a student march and the police are there just to make sure nothing gets out of hand.

No Place Like Home for the Holidays

September 29th was Jordan's mission hump day. We were all contemplating his year mark and I was happy to realize that the last 6 months have been a pure joy! The first 6 were a bit rough on me as a mother (acclimating to his being gone was emotional) but his experiences and ours--his growth and mine have made it such a pleasure to have a son on a mission. We feel his influence and presence so profoundly in our lives every day and especially during FHE, which is when we read his weekly letters. Saturday, after attending a niece's baptism, and visiting at my sister Lori's, we were all talking and realized that Jordan and my Mom and Dad left on their missions the same day--just different years. Cool, huh!

Sis. Beck, the general Relief Society president, is coming to speak at a regional conference in Ontario on Saturday, so my daughter Mikayla and I will get to attend that together this week. It includes the McCall stake so I'm hoping to see my Mom and sister in law as well. I'm excited to hear what she has to say. This is also the week that the prophet or one of the twelve apostles is coming to visit Jordan's mission so we'll be anxiously anticipating his next letter as well.

Our family went to a stake family Harvest dance Saturday night. It was held outside under our stake center pavilion. My twins linked up with a pack of cute little girls and were dominating on the dance floor. They even had some of their little boy chums dancing up a storm. Abe had his own unique moves going on that would put any deacon to shame=). It was fun, but late and we were all tired in church on Sunday. We have a wide range of musical interests in our home, but I am happy that all of my children seem to be drawn to develop musical talents. I am teaching Lily and Sophie piano lessons with a Jon Schmidt manual that a piano teacher suggested and they are enjoying it and catching on quickly.

I registered for a free, no credit course from BYU this past weekend, just to get mentally prepared for the studying process while we save up for the real deal. It is a course called "Raising Righteous Teens in a Wicked World" and is obviously religiously based, so feels more like studying for a talk or fireside presentation than "school" but there are quizzes and personal application assignments and it feels good to add another focus to my study. The idea came as I was trying to decide on a Personal Progress 10 hour project for "Integrity". I'm so grateful that the Personal Progress program has been opened up for mothers because it is helping me organize my goals and it is a good opportunity to work together with Eden. I worked on the majority of mine with Mikayla before she finished and Abe has been working with Fred on his Faith in God program. It won't be long before Lily and Sophie start working on their Faith in God goals. These are truly
inspired programs and help me through my refiners fire. I often forget, in some of my mothering moments, that what I know and feel strongly about some things, took me a LONG time to absorb internally and that teaching is a slow process that requires patience and freedom and kindness and when the scriptures refer to "cherubim and a flaming sword" it is not supposed to be a description of me! I suppose favoring flaming swords can be beneficial at times, but I better learn to wield them facing only the enemy so I don't spend so much precious time in self inflicted triage.

I can't believe the holiday season is upon us again. Where did that year go?! I'm looking forward to these next few months immensely as I anticipate pumpkin patches, Harvest parties, Thanksgiving and the entire month of Christmas Spirit. "Oh there's no place like home for the holidays."

Quote of the week: "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."  (Frank Herbert)

I Blinked and The Time Was Gone

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Elder Jordan...
Date: Mon, Oct 3, 2011 at 4:01 PM

Dear Bloomin Bloomers,

Last week one year ago I was preparing my bags to head into the MTC.  I blinked and the time was gone.  The mission is such a wonderful experience and I look forward to serving another year in the work of the lord.  I loved conference weekend so much,  learned many lessons in ways that I need to better shape up.  This week we havn´t had a grand quantity of lessons that we have been teaching with investigatiors, so we have been trying to find new people to teach as well as encourage the less actives to return to church.  

Sunday night after general conference we had planned to go to a contact that we had done a few days before.  We got to the house about 8:30 as they were just getting ready for bed.  We asked if we could just come in super quickly and share a brief but very important message.  They seemed hesitant but then let us in they agreeded.  We came in sat down asked how they were doing and everything and then got to the point, but at the moment we were to start a very loud verbal fight broke out right out side the window.  We began the lesson with a prayer, as the fight raged on.  We ended the prayer and the fight did not stop but it seemed to slowly be drown out by the spirit as we were able to converse about the restored gosple of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon, we felt the spirit very strongly there and decided to invite them to be baptised the 29th of October.  They both accepted, it was one of the most beautiful and spiritul moments of my whole mission. 

Oh man I love you guys so much. Hey so I was thinking, when I get back conference will be the next weekend, would that not be cool if we all went to the conference center.  I don´t know, just think about it.

Hey so the pictures:

--Mom you said to see how tall my companion was you wanted pictures of my feet.  Well here they are...thats kind of weird though I don´t know why you would want that.  Ha ha ha ha ha. Oh man I crack myself up sometimes.
--The other picture with the yellow shirts that actually is how tall he is,  I don´t know if I already told you but both of our names are Jordan as well as my trainners name, so he is Jordan the third.
--And the last one is Elder Palmer,  the moment he came through the door I gave him a huge hug.

Have a scrumptious week.

LOVE YOU ALL
LOVE ELDER BLOOMQUIST

The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning

General Conference was incredible! Fred and I traveled to the Twin Falls temple Friday and went through a session to try to slow down and prepare our minds. Of course I wasn't driving, but I thought it was such a relaxing, enjoyable experience. I have taken the closeness of our local temple for granted. We were gone for almost 9 hours to attend one session. It really made me appreciate the new announcement to the Temple attendance fund for those who don't even have that once in a lifetime opportunity. What an incredible, life changing and eternal blessing! And what a place of peace.

I recognized an old friend of my older sisters that I hadn't seen in over 20 years, there in the temple and was able to talk with her in the dressing room. It was a neat experience. I don't remember much about her, I'm getting forgetful and I couldn't attach any particular memories to her; I didn't even remember her name, but standing there in the temple, I did remember one thing --that she was always kind to me, the little sister. Fred and I were also able to have a long conversation on our way home, about our individual struggles and things we were hoping to receive personal answers or encouragement for during conference. Every single thing we talked about was specifically discussed during one of the sessions. The Lord loves us! My only disappointment with this conference was that Elder Holland spoke at the priesthood session instead of to the general body of the church, but Fred just pulled the talk up on the church's web site and though it wasn't directed specifically to me, I felt his power and conviction and it made me even more committed to "unbind [my] tongue. His presentation is so much less delicate when he is talking to the priesthood brethren. I think maybe the prophet Jacob's concerns may be part of the reason there is a separate Priesthood meeting.=) Fred says the brethren are always more bold with the men of the Priesthood and though I always revel in their tenderness toward us, I love his boldness...the Spirit of God like a fire is burning! He is another "Lion of the Lord".

There were so many talks that I loved and though I took many notes, I will be excited to get the conference Ensign, so I will have the talks in their entirety and the quotes completely accurate (I have slow brain cells and I often forgot parts of quotes, mid-writing=). I was riveted by Sis. Dalton's talk. She is such a beautiful example of femininity and strength. I have met her in person and talked to her individually and I admire her greatly. Her demeanor heightens my great desire to work diligently at being such an example of a virtuous, feminine daughter of God.

Favorite Conference Kind-of-Quotes of the Week:

"To memorize a scripture is like forging a new friendship." (Elder Scott)

"The Holy Ghost satisfies and fills up every vacuum of our hearts" (Sis. Thompson)

"Compared to God, man is nothing, yet to God man is everything." (Elder Uchtdorf)

"Motherhood is not something you do if you have time, it is what God gave us time for." (Elder Anderson)

"Identify the time wasting things in our life that need to be figuratively ground into dust." (EItlder Arden)

"Look up. Step up. Cheer up." (Elder Carl B. Cook)

"Only repentance leads to the sunlit uplands of a better life." (Elder Christofferson)

"Be ye holy in all conversation." (Elder L. Tom Perry)

"In our Gethsemane we are not alone, for He who watches over us shall not slumber nor shall he sleep." (Elder Hales)

"Personal purity will give you power." (Sis. Dalton)

"Create a home where children learn to value, not just learn about values." (Elder Richardson)

"It is never too hard or too late to make correct choices." (Elder Bennett)

"God will not infringe upon our agency, so we must ask for his help." (Elder Cornish)

"And Jesus listening can hear the songs I cannot sing." (Elder Quentin L. Cook)

"May God give us each the strength, ability and determination to play our part well." (Pres. Monson)