After Seeing What It Takes To Be A True Man...

  My mind is totally blown right now. I swear Tanner if this is a joke I will take tomorrow as my P-Day and cry for 17 hours straight. But if this is real then CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I held that down for as long as I could hold my breath. I can't believe that you are going to be a father. Literally, I can't believe it. I remember those days of when you shot bottle rockets at me while I was going to the bathroom and that time of when we were jumping on our beds and yours shattered into a million pieces, or the time that we "Modified" some Piccalo Pete fireworks to make them more exciting. Wow, I hope if it's a boy he turns out better than the both of us.

      Honestly though, I'm sure Misa will be a wonderful mother for him. It is crazy to think that you were born in Louisiana while dad was in medschool and now you will have a kid at a similar stage in life. The apple really didn't fall to far from the tree on that one. His theme song for life should totally be "Born on the Bayou" by Credence Clearwater Revival. That would be so legendary. 

     Also, to my father. Happy Birthday. I could not ask for a better dad than you. The reason I know that you are a great dad, is because if I ever need to know how I should act, I know I can ask myself, what would my dad do? and then I just try my best to follow your example. It freaks me out a bit sometimes because I have started to see how much I act like you sometimes. (Not that that's a bad thing,) but I say something and I realize, "Wow, my dad would say something exactly like that." But I'm truly proud to call myself your son. I have seen on my mission so many poor examples of what a father should be and it has helped me to be much more grateful for the wonderful opportunity and life that you have given me and our family. If you ever question what kind of job you have done, just look at Tan, J Dub and Lib. They all turned out wonderful. You'll have to wait and see about me, still not sure yet.

      Before I came out, I had a pretty fake idea of what life was all about and I just thought that being successful would fall into my lap. However, after seeing what it really takes to be a true man in the world, I realize I have a long way to go before I can count myself half the man you are today. So thanks for your amazing example and all the love and patience you have shown me throughout your life and Happy Birthday.

      Things are going great though and we have some baptisms coming up in our area so I am excited. Love y'all, and happy birthmus to Murica

Miracles Are Continuing to Come

     This past week was a really exciting one for Elder Moss and I. We've have seen so many miracles and also J has passed her interview so she is good to go for the 2nd.

      I realized I haven't told you much about J's family so I have to give a quick update. She was recently married to T Lee who is the younger brother of K Lee. K Lee is the second counselor in the branch and was less active about 2 months ago but our branch president called him and he just went through the temple this past Saturday. Also K has a brother named J and a sister named S. Both of them are now returning to activity as well. It has been so neat to see this whole family continue to progress together and receive so many miraculous blessings as they serve God. K also invited Elder Moss and I to attend his temple sealing with his wife which should be in the next two months. It'll be the first one I've seen so I can't wait. Also J and T already have a week that they are planning on doing there temple sealing next year. We visited with the whole family last night and watch a video about Christ's atonement. It was so cool to see them all reflect on the blessings that they have received these last couple months because of their relationship with the Savior.

      The next great miracle we witnessed this past week is family that  is the H family. They are a past member family that for the past year, none of the non members have been interested in learning at all. The mother has two daughters that are over 18 who have been baptized without her permission and also a grandaughter who has been baptized. The mother was not interested in learning until recently when she had some family arguments which have led her to turn to God for peace in her life. Last night we shared the Restoration with P(the mother) and it went really well. She has no Christian background but she has a willing heart and that has helped her understanding and her ability to feel the Spirit grow so much. She also has a daughter and two sons that we are working with to help be baptized as well. They are going on vacation to Thailand for three weeks this August but are planning on baptism 3 weeks to a month after they return. Last night after our lesson, one of the daughters texted us and said that after we left they told her mom that they had been baptized (they had kept it a secret for about 4 months) and that the mom was so happy for them. 4 months ago when they asked her if they could be baptized, the mom told them that she would kick them out and disown them as her daughters. It is so cool to see the change that she has had as she has come to church, read the scriptures, and prayed. Which actually it turns out those three things are the secret to happiness.

     So yeah things are going well and miracles are continuing to come. Thanks for all the b-day wishes. I seriously can't believe I'm turning 19 but it's cool I guess. Kuv hlub nej thiab hais ua tsaug rau nej rau qhov nej yeej txhawb nqa kuv nyob kuv txoj kev ua tub txib! MLIG MLOG.

                                       Elder Muaj Zoo Vwj

thanks to the both of you for the box. I'm sure I will enjoy all the presents. Also the two of you are pretty much the coolest parents ever. I don't know why but something about going on a mission makes you realize that your parents pretty much know everything (it's probably because when I did my laundry for the first time I threw all the whites and colors together and now some of my white shirts took on a little bit of the 70's style with the tye-dye. Turns out it's harder than it looks) But for reals you two both are such a gift in my life and dad, I'm glad to hear you are back to your mountain biking ways and that the both of you have decided to celebrate my birthday by going to P-City and Sunvalley. Have fun and just in case I forget next week HAPPY ANIVERSARY

Dear Dad

 Dear Dad,

       As far as fathers go I'd have to say you're number one. There are few men in this world who could have raised me the way that you did. In the Hmong culture it is somewhat of the norm to marry, divorce, and repeat. Often they have multiple wives at a time or they have had so many children they honestly can't remember. It has really opened my eyes to the amazing father that you were and the leader of our family. This morning I came across a really interesting story in my study that made me think of you. It talks about a man with a son who was born with retnal blastoma (probably spelled that wrong) and so he needed surgery on his eyes not to go blind. The father and his wife and their whole ward holds a fast that the young boy will be able to keep his eyesight and they give him a priesthood blessing that he will be able to see. After the surgery the doctor comes out and tells the parents that the boy has multiple tumors in his left eye which will require more sugery and also the right eye has been completely lost. The man, frustrated, walks outside and begins to complain to God that he has done everything he could to follow the commandments, he is worthy to hold the Melchezidec Priesthood, and he had received revelation that this doctor was the right one for his son, how could God have let this happen. Then a distinct voice comes into the mans head which says "Kevin, he is my son too." The man then realizes that this was God's will not his. After six years of surgery and several near death experiences the young boy recovered and was able to serve a mission. This story was about three years old so I don't know if Aunt Ruthanne and Uncle Scott were his president, but the boy served in Spain.

       The reason this story made me think of you because you have always raised me to Make and Keep Sacred Covenants. And that no matter what happens we continue to follow the will of the Lord, and in the end all things will be for our benefit. Definitely a powerful lesson that I will never forget. Thanks dad.

       The area and the branch, even the whole mission is really thriving right now. Yesterday we held a mission fast to show gratitude for the many blessings that we received and Elder Moss and I were able to find many miracles. One of the recent converts in our ward decided to bring his little brother named R to church yesterday but the cool part was that he and the young man named K who we have been teaching for about 6 months, really hit it off. They became best friends instantly. After church we went to the Mission President's fireside with the two boys and our ward mission leader and during the ride over, we taugt R the restoration, word of wisdom, and the law of chastity and he committed to live all of them. We told R to continue to think about if baptism was right for him during the fireside.

      This was the last fireside before President C goes home and it was defintely a very spiritual one. All of the converts who shared their conversion stories focused on the pain that was healed through the Atonement and as President C got up he told the Restoration story and bore an awesome testimony on it. After his testimony all of the full time missionaries in the room, which was about 90 stood up and sang that one song(don't remember the name) about being like the Army of Helaman. The Spirit was so strong. After the fireside we asked R how he felt and he told us that he knew it was true. He told us how he felt the Spirit and that he was happier than he had ever been in his life. It truly was a miracle that a young man in five hours can go from not knowing anything about the gospel, to gaining a testimony of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Super Cool.

      I hope all of you are doing well and that Moose and James don't tear the place apart. Also Libby good job at bearing your testimony in sacrament meeting. I'm glad that you are happy that I am happy, because that makes me happy too.

                                    Elder Henrie

Also Mom thanks so much for sending a package. If you haven't sent it yet, the one thing I really want is a onesy garment suit. I've heard they're sublime. Short sleeve, short leg, and not thermal. Thanks :)