Lotts of memories

May 1, 2016

So this past tuesday I had my last zone conference in the mission.  It was in cauayan and it was a really good meeting.  It was also president and sister rahlf's last zone conference.  It think they are going home like a week after me or something.  They taught us about the book of mormon and stuff.  They had a lot of facts that back up joseph smith and how he had to translate it through the power of god or else he wouldn't have been able to do it.  It was really cool!  Then we had lunch and some games and stuff.  We played pictionary with stories in the book of mormon.  This picture is from the mission blog and if you can't tell what I am drawing it is alma the younger being chastised by an angel.  I think the halo put the finishing touch on that.  I don't see how anyone could not know what it is haha.  Then since it was my last zone conference I got up and bore my testimony in the testimony meeting.  It was a really cool experience.  I also listened to other missionaries saying that it is their last zone conference and then it happened to me.  Then on wenseday the 4 of us elders in paddad went to a wedding for some ladies daughter in our ward.  Then after that we went to our investigators birthday party at like a little pool area.  So I got a little bit of swimming done haha, not.  She kept telling us to swim and stuff.  Even if I didn't have a name tag on or anything it would be pretty easy for any member to see me and be like, "thats a missionary" cause I would be the only white person in the pool haha.  Then yesterday night around 5 a storm rolled in.  It hit hard and fast.  It really pours here, but it is so cool.  It is so nice cause it isn't hot and it takes the humidity away.  The only problem is that I left my umbrella in my last area unintentionally.  So we waited out the storm at a ladies house, but by the time we got there I was already pretty wet!.  Feels good though.  Then we had dinner at the stake presidents house last night since he is in the other elders area.  I am super excited for next week!  It is crazy that we can already skype again!  It is going to be awesome and I am looking forward to it!!  My last skype in the field, even though I will be seeing you guys next month!  Also the cycle will be over next wednseday so we will see if I end up staying in this area or seeing if I will transfer to a new area.  Fingers crossed that I stay in this area!!  Well I love you guys and can't wait to talk to you next week!

Love,

Elder Lott

May 8, 2016

First off Happy mothers day to everyone and especially to the best mom ever.  Happy mothers day mom I love you so much and I hope you had an awesome day! So today was just awesome.  I was able to skype with my family for the last time during my mission.  It was really fun to be able to talk to my cousins and aunts and uncles as well, and my grandma.  Also I was able to skype with cort and it was a really cool surprise.  I really enjoyed it.  It is really crazy to see how much everyone has grown and changed since I have been gone and it is going to be fun to see everyone when I get home!  I swear this week went by pretty slow because I wanted to skype so bad, but it was a good week though.  The biggest thing that we had this week was our ward 1 day mission on saturday.  It was a combined activity with the youth in the ward.  We all gathered at the church and split up into groups and we all had an area that we were assigned to go to.  The purpose of this was to teach less actives and stuff and try and strengthen their testimony.  The results of the 1 day mission were surprising good.  I have done this before and most of the time it wasn't really effective, but this one was.  So last week we had 191 people attend church total.  Then yesterday the day after the one day mission the attendance was 211.  So it was a really good increase!  So I have a pretty funny experience.  Last p  day me and the other american elder bought some ground beef so we could make some hamburgers this past week.  Turns out he left it on the table over night and then when he saw it in the morning he put it in the freezer.  So we decided to cook it on friday night.  We had the meat thawing out and then I had already started cooking the fries.  Then we noticed that the meat stunk.  We thought lets just try and cook it and see if it will be alright.  So that is the big burger that I was cooking.  We kept it a big burger so I didn't have to touch the meat.  So we cooked it until it was nice and charred.  Even when we were cooking it, it kind of stunk even though we had onions, garlic, and seasoning on it, but we just wanted to see how it would turn out.  So we started eating it and it kind of tasted like it smelled.  I probably ate 1/2 of mine and he probably ate a little more then me.  Then I was like it is not even worth it.  Its not worth the calories of eating something that isn't even good, and we could get sick.  Yup, like 30 minutes later I visited the bathroom same with him.  I am just glad we didn't get food poisoning or something.  At least now I know what to do if that happens again, just throw it out and not cook it.  So good thing that we didn't get sick.  Also I forgot earlier today we got the transfer list.  This will be my last area ya buddy!  I am excited for a lot of reasons!  I only have 6 weeks to go and it is going to go by so fast!  I will be home before I know it eating a full rack of ribs instead of rotten meat haha!  I love you guys have a great week!  Happy mothers day

Love Elder Lott

The best Mother's Day Ever !!!!

May 8, 2016

Can't believe he will be home next month !!!!

Adam's birthday party.  What was I thinking having 14 boys here.  Luckily it was a nice day outside.  They all had fun playing basketball, soccer, jumping on the tramp, playing football and eating treats.  Thank goodness no one got hurt and nothing got broken. 

April 27, 2016

 Three cousins with a bond.  We all have sons up in heaven waiting for us.  I am so thankful for their love and support.  We each have a different story but we can lean on each other for strength and comfort.  This was our first girl's temple trip.  We plan on doing this yearly. 

April 30, 2016

Silly Ethan with a deflated basketball on his head.

May 5, 2015

May 12, 2016

It's hard to believe it's been four years that we lost our dear sweet Ryan.  So much has happened.  So much has changed.  But our love for him stays the same and always will.  And even though we are now, sadly, used to him being gone, there isn't a day that goes by that he isn't on our minds.  I often wonder what he would look like??  What he would be doing??  But I know that some day I will have these answers and so I just continue on and keep missing him and look forward to the day when we will be together again.  I have learned so much through this trial.  I know all will be ok.  I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and his plan of Happiness that will allow us to someday be together as a family again.  I am thankful the comfort I still receive from above and that I can smile and still be happy despite all we have been through.  I love you Ryan.  I am so thankful to be your mom.

 

 a few of my favorite pictures

March 16, 2012

Ryan's 14th bday

 Notice his head.  I think he was sledding behind a four wheeler and ran into the trampoline.

I guess he took this of himself.  Boy did he have pretty eyes and long eye lashes. 

 Poor Alex

 

This was taken just days before it all started and is the last picture we have of him.  I am glad he had a fun day that day.  My brother took him to Salt Lake to some motorcycle thing.  He had so much fun. 

This is what the kids looked like four years ago.  Boy have they all grown up.   

May 12, 2016

We spent the day together.  We headed down to Salt Lake and enjoyed lunch and then spent a few hours at the zoo.  Later Ethan had a baseball game and Jaime a choir concert.  We had a nice day together as a family.  Thank you to all those who offered prayers in our behalf.

We love you Ryan !!!!!

5-15-16

Well this past week was transfer week!  My last transfer in the field.  This will be my last area so I am pretty excited.  I was really excited to find out that I didn't have to pack twice in two weeks haha.  So I have been in all my areas for 6 months.  That is so crazy, but it has been fun to stay in my areas awhile so I can get to know the members good and stuff.  So elder oredson was the only one that got transferred out of us 4.  Then the elder that took his place was actually his companion in the mtc, elder white.  It hasn't even been a week and we are getting along really good.  Even though he is still pretty new in the mission he is my age.  We graduated the same year.  We played basketball on saturday morning with the members in our ward.  It was really fun.  I hadn't probably played for 2 months.  The only problem was that we started at 5 am!!  Oh my gosh that was so early!  Also on sunday and even now I am so sore!!!  My legs are killing me haha.  Then we played again this morning too.  We started at 5 again, but it was still a lot of fun.  Just had to play through the pain.  So our ward started having like a film viewing like 2 times a month at the church so we can invite our investigators and less actives and other people to come and watch church related films.  Last saturday was the first time that we had it.  In like all our appointments we invited them to attend and we were like there is going to be snacks and stuff, but like no one showed up.  Just some members and stuff.  At least we got free snacks and stuff haha.  So I have some good news!!!  This saturday we will be having a baptism!!!  Sister Grace got interviewed on saturday and she passed her interview so her baptism will be this saturday!  I am pretty excited.  It is going to be a good day.  So everything is going great.  One more week down and we are working hard!  I love you guys and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Lott