Background:  This was a hard week for her to miss our 50th anniversary celebration. 

If you are interested, here is the mission blog: http://teachallnations5014.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2012-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&updated-max=2013-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&max-results=50  Val

Thank you thank you for all the details!!! You all had SO much fun. I cried. I'm so sad I wasn't there but I am SO happy that I have such and amazing family! I love that Lynda got a limo...not surprised all. Totally an awesome Lynda thing to do:)

It sounds like I missed so much fun! Six flags, reception, family dinner, videos, swimming, laughing...I hope there are many many pictures of all of this! I'm just a little jealous of the missionaries that got to be there:) I know that it was such a wonderful night. I know that so many were touched by it. I'm so glad that you decided to invite so many people. I love this gospel. I am so grateful that I was given the ultimate example of how a family should be and how it can be when it is centered on Jesus Christ and His gospel. I am so blessed.

I do want to see the video and everything but I may not be able to until I get home. You are welcome to send pictures though. They will just have to be attached to an email or sent in the mail. I cannot go to a link that you send. I wish I could.

It is hard now to remember what I did this week. We went to the baseball game last Thursday. It was so much fun. It was so fun to be at a stadium! Of course I bought a hot dog...had to and it was delicious!! It was a really fun day. The weather was perfect. There is a Mormon guy that plays on the Nationals. His name is Bryce Harper. He didn't play very well that day but it was still so good. I love baseball.

Last night was the Night of Music and Inspiration at the VC. I had to sing a song that I didn't know very well. I prayed like crazy that it would sound ok and that people would feel the Spirit. Perla came. She is so wonderful. It was so fun to see her! The night was full of the Spirit. The ending song was "I'm trying to be like Jesus" and all the missionaries in the audience came up to sing it. It was so good. The mission President was there and he and his wife cried. Elder Olsen finished off the night and I loved every second of everything he said. The Olsens are so great. I love them.
I'm glad that you got the video. Sister Olsen videoed me and sent it to Rene. I tried not to cry but it happened. Oh well. I miss you all a lot. Yesterday I had a dream and I realized for the first time how long it has been since I have seen you all. I got really home sick. It was weird to think that it has been over a year since I have seen you. I didn't like it. It is too long.

You know that you have been on your mission a long time when you see people from your first and second area and they say, "You are STILL on your mission?" or, "I thought you went home by now". Yep. That just shows that I have been out here FOREVER! The people are even getting sick of me. They want me to go home:) Usually people tell people that time has flown but not me. They think I should be home by now. Too long with Sister Lewis. hahahaha! The people in my ward right now say the same thing. "How long have you been here? You have been here a while now." That just shows that my mission is crawling by compared to others apparently. I can't believe that Mindy is in her last transfer. I know my last transfer will never come but it seems so crazy that this is her last one. Now her mission sure went by fast. Pretty sure she just left! I'm excited for her to get back. I sure do love that Mindy. And Reggie gets home soon too! Weird!

I found out last Friday that the VC will be closing down the month of August. I am super bummed. I will be a full proselyting missionary for a month or two. I love the VC so much! They just have to do some remodeling so it is needed I guess but I will miss it. It has been busy as a trainer. I have to deal with more stuff that you expect, but it is good to stay busy.

I love this work. It is so good. I recommend it to everyone. Especially all of my nieces and nephews (prepare now to serve a mission. You will never regret it)!

I love and miss you all so much. I'm so grateful for such a wonderful family. I can't wait to hear all about this past weekend when I get back home. I love you so much!

Your daughter,
Janell