Week 8

The beginning of Travis' email cracked me up. He has true blue blood! Still keeping track of his Cougs while on the mish :)

"Speaking of montreal next tuesday, I have indeed received my travel plans... and we were as giddy as logan and shaff for micky d's! We were all shouting and exclaiming our joy! Come to think of it, I couldn't have told you about that last week because we got them on Thursday - the same day BYU played WSU and dad had to rub it in my face that he was there and I wasn't! I heard we won 30-6 and that Alisa is the starting RB..."

Travis flys out really in the morning to Detroit and then on to Montreal. "I've heard that we probably won't do any tracting that first night and I'll meet my trainer the next day. So excited to see who he is and what he is like. I hope to be like Kirby Heyborne in the best two years and work our tails off. Here we go! I will probably have time to call some family in SLC, but not very long and at 6 in the morning or so. Give me some feedback, yea nay?" (Is that a question? YEA!!)

"So the crazy thing that happened this week is that a few minutes after finishing my letter to you I ended up running into an Elder Thackery... yes, none other than the Thackery's that used to live in Klamath and were our great friends. I thought it was cool to see him (not sure if it was preston or logan) and he said he was going to Chile. Anyways, I continue on my way to choir practice when all of a sudden I ran into another Elder Thackery! Turns out that the second one is in my zone and is going to Lyon. I've been able to talk to him several times since then. He saw me speak that first sunday and has wanted to say hi but didn't get the chance. It's been way neat to catch up

"So I spent about 6 hours in the emergency room this past sunday.... not because of any injury to me. hahahaha one of my comps has a history of epilepsy and it was the worst storm combining against him this past sunday. He hasn't had a seizure in about 7 years, but he hasn't been getting enough sleep (9 is the best for this case and for him) and then we were fasting, and then we were also singing our special musical number in front of the entire branch. So we all had nerves (Brightly beams our father's mercy was the song) and i was shaking a little bit but then I see my comp's music really shaking and then he was still shaking but was sitting down and whatnot. So we finished the song, said the prayer and then we were just trying to figure things out. He initially thought it was a seizure (which is way bad because he'd have to go home for 6 months and make sure the problem was stable before he could come back out) and so we gave him a blessing. It was really neat having the opportunity to give him the blessing and just feeling the power of the priesthood work through us as missionaries. We then took him to go get some food and then I went with him to the ER. The doctor gave him an IV and did a CT scan on him and everything turned out normal and the doc thinks it was more of a fainting episode but he had to talk to the doctor at the MTC and now he has to go talk to a neurologist. This might set back his departure date for canada. I don't know. I hope it doesn't but it was scary. We're fairly certain that it wasn't a seizure but the stakes are high.

"To respond about my french talk - it actually came pretty easy. I mean there were times when I didn't know how to say things and so I either said them in english or tried to find a different way to say it. Overall, if I really want to have a conversation in french or write french here, I can do that with a fair amount of ease. I still have a lot to go and I'm sure that I'll get a big slab of humble pie come next tuesday, but I'll keep trying my best.

"Also - just some quick thoughts since I'm over time already. I love going to the celestial room because I can always receive revelation there! It was neat today. As I read in mark 4 I realized that we need not have fear that we will perish in the storm so long as christ is there with us on the boat. If we stand with Christ, we stand on solid ground that can't be torn asunder. There are also some great scriptures in Helaman and the latter half of Alma. I'm in hel 13 right now. I'm hoping to finish the book of mormon soon so that I can start 2 other bofm's with the emphasises "We were strengthened through the Lord" and "The Character of Christ." Also - in a talk elder Bednar gave he said - Christ turns out when the natural man turns in. 2 Cor 4:8-18 is also very very good!"

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This week's letter has me super excited for Trav! I know he will do wonderful out in Montreal. I can't believe he goes so soon... His faith is an example to our family. Travis has always been the type that wants to succeed and do better than his predecessors (a virtue and a vice because some times he forgets that age, maturity, and personal experiences carve the individuals road a much as personal desire and zest). I think this drive for success will quickly lead him to the Lord for help and guidance. I think he will have many tender moments with the spirit that buoy him up and give him a testimony that will never leave him. I am thankful for his example and friendship. He's truly one of the great youth sent here at this time to be a marvelous servant to the Lord.

Love you, Trav!
Jessi