This is a picture of the morning we dropped Matt & Ben off at the MTC, January 30, 2008.
April, 2008
Dear Family -
Hope this newsletter finds all of you well and happy!! As always, time seems to fly by sooo fast and another round of letters has begun! Has anything really happened in the last 6 months??
The Moffitt family has been reduced by half for the last 3 months with Matt and Ben in the mission field. It doesn't seem possible to have two out at the same time, but oh, the blessings that have come to them, as well as to us still at home. Many thanks to all of you for your prayers and support in their behalf; it is greatly appreciated. Gotta love missionaries!
Matt has had a great 2 1/2 months in Australia so far. He has had many special experiences from visiting beautiful areas of nature (beaches, the zoo, wildland in his area), to spiritual experiences with the baptism of Amy, interacting with an apostle (Elder Bednar) and a member of the Quorum of the Seventy in his area (Elder Hilbig). Add to that teaching lessons, speaking in Church, bearing testimony, companion changes, and loving the mission he's in! He's been busy since January 30 of this year! He is happy to be in Australia, especially since he could speak the language right off. According to him, there is no hint of an accent yet!
Ben has been in Mexico for about a month and has enjoyed life there so far. With a native Spanish speaker for a companion (from Durango Mexico), he is bound to pick up the language quickly, especially reading the Book of Mormon out loud in Spanish daily with his companion helping with pronunciation. Talk about multitasking - reading your scriptures while studying the language! He enjoys missionary life, has had many spiritually uplifting experiences in the MTC, has been teaching lessons with a possible baptism in the near future, is learning to play soccer as opposed to basketball, now knows the downside of eating food from street vendors and the joy of de-worming pills. What a privilege to have 2 sons in the mission field! We love the letters that come each week and the growth that has happened for both of them.
Bethany is quickly approaching the end of her junior year! It has been a busy one for her with school, a part-time job that has kept her occupied, many hours of texting, and lots of social time with friends. I am sure with summer on the horizon, she is already planning what fun she can drum up with Janell before she leaves for school, and other activities to be done with friends!
Aaron is quickly getting to the end of 7th grade, and into the busyness of his lawn mowing business with his friend Devon. The weather is starting to get hot and the grass tall, so he should be earning lots of money for fun and mission this summer. He is still the president of the Deacons quorum and has done a great service there.
Mark is still driving around the valley in his big trucks working for DI, as well as pleasure riding through the neighborhoods on his motorcycle. A gas saving investment he tells me, but I know better! It's the joy of the bike!! He is also busy as a high councilor in our stake over the youth and a counselor in the stake Young Men's Presidency. Lots of meeting and lots of activities and lots of fun interaction with the youth of our stake. I am serving as stake Young Women's President, so lots of our meetings coincide, which opens up lots of different options for dates for us! We enjoy the time in service and sense such an urgency with the youth of the Church. What a challenge as well as a blessing to work with the young people!
The Church is true; we are blessed, plain and simple. To belong to a living, growing Church, with a living prophet is a privilege I am extremely grateful for. Conference was an awesome experience for all of us, especially to sustain a new prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I love our great family, all of you, and so enjoy the times we share together. Thanks for all your love and support in so many ways!
Lots of love, Mark, Kathleen, Matt, Ben, Bethany, Aaron
This is a picture of Matt with his companion Elder Bagley and first baptism Amy.
This is a picture of Ben in his area of Mexico.
Mark & Kathleen Moffitt