The Road to the MTC and Beyond

Millie and I selected the pictures we wanted to post then she said you write the blog this time.  So I am sure you will notice a complete lack of writing skills but I will try and be as coherent as possible.  We haven't written since last month and boy we have done a lot.  We went from St George Utah to Flagstaff, Arizona where we visited Millie's sister in law Roene Hollingsworth and her 3 boys Frank, Terry, and Steve.

                                                            Millie and Roene                                                                

Addison Playing

We then continued on to Phoenix Arizona to visit Alex Layman and Addison Geary and of course DeAnna and Brad Crysler.  Our 2 daughters were great hosts and of course Brad was the very willing mechanic for Millie's Honda Pilot.  Thanks Brad and we loved going out to eat too!!  Of course Addison our granddaughter was a highlight of the trip.

Dianne and DeAnna at Scottsdale Stadium

Then my sister Dianne Williams and her daughter Lisa Feely and Lisa's husband Mike and their daughter Lauren came to Phoenix to go to spring training games of the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners. We went to Scottsdale home of the Los Angeles Angels and saw them play the Padres.  DeAnna came along to cheer as well. 

Van, Dianne and DeAnna

We then had a great evening with Millie's high school friends Sharon Richardson and Deb Lewis and their husbands Rob and Bob.  We went to eat in Mesa Arizona and had a great time eating and visiting.  Thanks guys

Sharon, Millie, and Deb

Bob, Rob, Sharon, Millie, and Deb

Then off to Galt California to visit Nellie, Paul and Ashlyn.  What a nice visit we had.  Ashlyn had got her new Letterman's jacket for her high school.  She had gotten letters in golf and tennis last year.  She was very excited as you can see by her pictures.

Ashlyn Johnson

Paul is proud of their dog Ember not so much Nellie's cat Lila as you can tell from his showing off Ember.

Paul Gonsolis, Ember, and Lila behind

We then left our 2006 Honda Pilot in the capable hands of Paul and Nellie.  No Ashlyn will not be driving the pilot but maybe something like all of our kids did.  They drove a nice big Mormon wagon(Pontiac Gran Safari) and the Phil mobile(old datsun B-210 that my sister Joanne graciously gave the kids).  So we will see it in 18 months and it probably will have some fun trips to Lake Tahoe and beyond.

We got back to boxes everywhere in our new location in West Seattle at Rachel and Daryl's new house.  What a beautiful new home and they have been so good to us to let us store our stuff there so we could rent our house out.  Our renters are 2 single sisters in the Auburn Ward Emily Stephens and Wendy Bird.  And of course their 2 dogs.  They are probably the only renters that I would allow in our house.  I know they will take care of our house for us. 

The Sunday before we left Tyler and Laura Kight hosted a come by our house and the Layman's might be there non missionary farewell evening.  Thanks so much.

Mark and Linda Bird our Sunday Genealogy buddies!

Rachel Gordon, Christy Rogers, Harper and Avery Gordon, Millie Layman and Ben Rodgers and almost Daryl Gordon

Jackie Bird, Millie Layman, and Lisa Sherpherd

Then off we went with 5 suitcases, 2 carry on suitcases, and 2 roller computer bags.  My coat was full of electronics and weighed 20 pounds for sure.  Rachel was kind enough to take us to the airport and drop us off.  The Impala is in her care at one of their houses or it might be at Adam and Angie's not sure.  Hope it there when we come back!!  Our close friends Gary and Debbie Davis picked us up on Wednesday March 28th and took us to their home in Lehi, Utah.  We were exhausted to say the least. Phil and Heather and the boys surprised us by coming to Provo to see us.  So on Friday we went and visited Millie's brother Tom at his work in Lehi. 

Heather and Aidan Layman, Millie Layman and Tom Hollingsworth

 Then on Friday night Millie and I attended my Chilean mission reunion in Bountiful Utah.  I was able to visit with my first mission companion Mike Dalton, one other companion O'dell Peterson and one of O'dell and our baptism Ernan Cortez of Coquimbo Chile who was here visiting his son Christian and his family.

Ernan and Josephina Cortez of Coquimbo Chile

Chritian Cortez and his wife

Mike Dalton and Steve Warren

Then we had a nice surprise to meet Pepe Pardo and his wife from Edmonton Alberta Canada.  They are Chileans who relocated many years ago to Canada.  They are going to start serving at the Santiago Chile Temple later in May and they were so excited to know that we were going to.  I am sure that they will be a big help at the temple.

Pepe Pardo and his wife and Millie at Chilean reunion

 Interestingly enough we were in Utah and had yet to be set apart as missionaries.  President Miles schedule and ours didn't mesh very well.  So we left it that since President Miles and his family was coming to Conference in Salt Lake the weekend we were to enter the MTC we would come together at Gary and Debbie Davis's house where we were staying.  So Sunday night April 1st President Jerry Miles and his wife Jennifer came at 6:00pm for the setting apart.  It was a very spiritual event in our lives and a night of many tears on all our parts.

President Jerry Miles, wife Jennifer, Millie and Van Layman

Gary Davis, Debbie Davis, Millie and Van Layman

So the big day arrived on Monday April 2nd.  Finally at the MTC!!!  Gary and Debbie drove us there to arrive between 10 and 11am.  We wanted to take pictures in front of the Missionary Training Center sign but the sign had been removed.  How could that be?  We did the best we could with pictures.

Millie and Van Layman entering the MTC

St George

Opening Gifts

Where's the present?

Dinner with the gang at the Condo

 First stop was our son's home.  Maddux, Aidan, Avery and Haper got gifts from Grandpa & Grandma. Where is Harper?

Can I sleep with you, Grandma?

A Movie in the Backyard.

Our Little Men Maddux & Aidan

 The big event in St. George, Utah was our oldest grandson's baptism.  It was truly a milestone day with lots of family on both sides there.  All the Layman aunts were there.  Nellie, Alex, Rachel and DeAnna.  Daryl and Brad, Rachel and DeAnna's husbands respectively.  Cousins, Avery, Adddison and Haper.  Grandpa and Grandma are so pleased that Maddux made the decision to be baptized and that we were all there to share this special day.

(Is there a reason your eyes are closed, Grandma?)

Our Big Trip -- Day One

Holiday Inn Ontario Oregon

Snowy Idaho

Heading to Utah

                       It snowed on us from Twin Falls Idaho to
                       Tremonton Utah.  We stopped in Centerville
                       Utah to see friends and it started snowing
                       again.  Thanksgiving Point past the point of
                       the mountain was a driving, blinding snow
                       storm.  Glad to see sun all the way to St.
                       George.

Moving Day

                 We decided to rent out our home while we are in
                 Chile.  Moving out of the house and into Rachel
                                                                       Daryl's home was a huge event.  Did I mention
                                                                       stressful.  Never thought it would be so hard.
                 The three pictures to the left are our home.  Above
                 is the new home Rachel and Daryl have graciously
                 let us move into and store our belonging while we
                 are in Chile.

Tutoring

 So, part of getting ready for our mission is learning the Spanish language.  The MTC assigned a tutor, Leticia Murillo.  She is from Mexico City and is majoring in translation at BYU.  Usually we have our lession through Skype.

March 2, 2012 we were in Utah so decided to go into the MTC for our lession in Spanish.  We got to meet Leticia and go into a classroom.  This one had couches.  I have never been in a classroom like that.  We learned about reflexive verbs.  Don't worry if you don't know what that means.  Spanish has many verb tenses and ways to say things that are very differnt from English.

Shopping is always an important part of getting ready for the mission.  Guess what?  This trip was all about Van.  He was the guy who has worn out his "dress-up" clothes working in them and traveling in them a lot.  So we made a trip to of all places ,to the Church bookstore in Milton, Washington.  Guess what they have there:  CTR Clothing.  We love being able to find reasonably priced suits, socks and ties for the mission.

Thanks to our good friend, Kim, we were able to get Van what he needed.  She knew exactly which suits to show him.  He looks like a missionary now.  Of course this couldn't be done without measuring and lots of visiting.

What?  Did Millie go shopping?  Well, of course but I really didn't need as many things as Van.  I still have a whole wardrobe from working for the Church Educational System.  Add a blazer to the existing skirts and blouses and I look like a missionary too.  And yes, there are no pictures to post.

Good-bye furniture

 The first thing we decided to get rid of was the dining room table, chairs, and china closet.  A beautiful day in October dawned with our son-in-law, Paul, coming to get the above and give them a new home.  Our daughter, Nellie, has wanted the above items since high school.  Now the furniture resides in the home of Nellie and Paul.  I made her day letting her taking the dining room furniture.  She also got a bonus--the china.  She will take good care of this part of my life.  Oh, by the way,  The furniture looks so beautiful in their home.

Part of preparing for a mission is "What are we going to do with our house while we are gone?"  Rachel was very helpful.  She is more like the "throw away queen."  We got rid of lots of things from my house.  I honestly have to say that I hadn't used any of those things in "forever."  It was great having her help me decide what to keep and what not to keep.  All of a sudden life starts flashing before my eyes and I realize that they are just things and I don't really need this "stuff."  Thanks for the great day of digging and delving Rachel.