6/30/2010

Dear Brieanna,

Happy Birthday. I've thought about you all this week. I hope all is good in your life, and that this day finds you in health and happiness and prosperity.

I think back to what I was doing at your age, and I was getting off my 2 year mission. I had been called to an 18month mission, but extended it to 2 years. I had gone to BYU for college for the year after high school and before my mission. I got back from my mission, in the summer time, and so I had a couple months before school started. I had quite a bit of culture shock returning from Brazil which is so poverty stricken. I wasn't used to paved roads, enormous houses. The biggest change was the shower. I hadn't had a shower with good water pressure in 2 years. In Brazil the water just trickled out of a pipe, and there was an electric heater on the end of the pipe. If the water came out to fast it wouldn't get hot, so you'd have to just let it trickle.

Brieanna, I don't know if the thought has occurred to you, but you are at the age where you could go on a mission if you so desired. It would be a good experience for you, something that you would never regret. If you have the inclination, you should pray about it and consider it.

You now have 2 sisters and 2 brothers. Baby Rachael is getting really big. I hope to have more children, so your family will continue to grow. We miss you and we love you. I pray that you will find your way back to us.

Love,

Dad.