Update from Michael - from Ed

Michael’s e-mail continues to be very short. He seems to be very busy. They had two baptisms last week. He was excited about that. I’m pasting in a little of what he put in his e-mail today.

His reference to Takano is his high school teacher that taught evolution in 9th grade. Looks like he was successful in getting his companion to go to the YMCA and work out a little. His reference to me, Jacob and Spencer is about us spending a couple hours each Saturday out on the street corners holding up signs supporting Proposition 8 here in California, the proposition to protect the traditional definition of “marriage.” It has been a wonderful experience to do together. It feels at times we are holding up the ‘Title of Liberty’ that Captain Moroni held up in defending our beliefs. It was very interesting to observe the people that didn’t agree with us, they couldn’t honk their horns because honking in general means you’re in support. So they were constrained to just wave their thumbs down, flag us, and or yell out the window. In general it seemed to be more people in support than those that didn’t. It’s a battle here but with your prayers and support hopefully this important definition of marriage can remain in tact.

“ im eating better now- we had the 2 baptisms last weekend and hope to have MORE- sorry i didnt get to write u again this week- im really gonna try to write u and let u know about all my investigators and stuff- tracting is ok- some good experiences with it- some bad haha- tell takano i said hi and that theres no such thing as evolution of man LOL- LOVE YOU”

“i got up to 220 out here again haha but im back down to 209 and am trying now to get down and just stay steady around 200 probably- its hard cuz all the dinners here are BIG PORTIONS and then BIG DESSERTS haha- and u dont wanna seem ungrateful so u EAT haha- im just watching wat i eat throughout the day and cutting all junkfood and candy and soda out- they have a soda called Sun Drop its SOOOOO good- but i havent drinken soda since oct 1st and dont plan to for the rest of my life haha- but ya im doing good- we actually got to go to the YMCA in the mornings last week and workout cuz a member works there so she got us 1 week passes so i guess we'll just try to use them till they reject us haha- but i put up 225 (2 plates on each side) 10 times again- so i was happy. havn’t sung on the corners yet- my companion wouldnt do it haha- that is AWESOME about u jacob and spencer doing that with the signs- they r experiencing a lil missionary work but just tell them to NEVER be ashamed of what we stand for.”

Have a great week---Love Ed

Canning Pears

My dad and I went down to Grandma's last Friday to can my pears.  Well, the plan was for my dad and Diana to play with my boys, while Grandma helped me with the pears...that didn't quite work out!

My dad decided to just have me help Diana occupy the boys, and he and Grandma did them all!!

Isaac had fun reading some Halloween books with his great-grandpa!!

Max is still pretty much welded to my hip - so the plan worked out pretty well in the end.  I wouldn't have been able to do much anyway!

Thank you so much Grandma and dad!!