* We got to talk to Seth on Monday from the SLC airport as he was waiting to board the plane to Nicaragua! August spent the night so he could be there to chat. He bore his testimony of Christ to us in Spanish (which was super cool and awesome!) and we all enjoyed the 20 minutes we had together!
* Inventory is going on at dad's work and he has been working late nights!
* Dad left to Wyoming on Saturday to oversee the Inventory being done at the Gillette Branch
* Halloween costume shopping. We hit the thrift store and both girls found what they wanted to dress up as!
* Aubrie and Lexi had a Halloween Party to attend on Friday night
* Ben attended a Youth Stake Dance in Billings on Friday night
* Ben attended the Temple with the Youth on Wednesday for Baptisms
* Pumpkin Carving
In Our Homeschool this Week...
* Since we finished up reading Treasure Island - we watched the movie together (very true to the book!)
* Found a really neat FREE website that does daily history lessons/podcasts that we've been enjoying
* Lots of reading (and sight word reviews for Nathan)
* Math games and story problems
* Usual novel editing/rewriting for Ben
* Took a Nature Walk
* Girls have gone crazy with more crafting!
* Tried out a Readers Theater (Parable of the Unforgiving Servant) and we ended up doing it like 4 times as they all wanted to switch parts after each reading
Seth's Spotlight...
* Made it safely to Nicaragua on Monday night!
* Got assigned to serve in the city of Managua
* His first companion/Trainer is Elder Lopez from Honduras
* Feeling a bit frustrated at the language barrier (especially between he and his companion)
* Said he knows that "he's where he's supposed to be, but it's hard!" (so we've been saying extra prayers for him!)
Spiritually Speaking...
As mentioned above, we were able to talk to Seth this week for a bit!! He had purchased a Calling Card at the MTC store and our call came in shortly after 7am. We quickly woke up all of the kids and we all gathered on our bed around the phone that was on speaker so we could all hear. Unfortunately, our connection wasn't the best and we were having to yell for him to even hear us and it was equally as hard for us to hear. Then all of a sudden in the middle of a sentence, the call disconnected! We all just sort of looked at each other in disbelief - so I (mom) quickly hit "redial" and called back the number he had called from. It was busy. We all just sat there for a couple of more minutes waiting for him to call us back and frantically saying silent prayers that our chatting could resume with him! Then I felt impressed to call the number back again (thinking since it was a public payphone that we'd never get him back on the line)... and it began ringing this time! I was hopeful! Then a sweet female voice answered - and I asked if this was the SLC airport, to which she replied that it was!! I then explained how we were talking to our son and had been disconnected and was trying to get a hold of him again but it seemed like he was gone and no longer there (since she answered and not him)... she then surprised me and said "Are you Elder Price's mom?" (at this point I was quite hopeful as Elder Price was Seth's roommate and so I was at least talking to someone who probably knew him!) So I told her that I was actually Elder Vogt's mom and she said that he had left but would send someone to go track him down... Long story short, they found him and we were able to chat a bit more! He said he had tried calling us right back but the card said that it had "insufficient funds" (even though there were 100's of minutes on it!). The best part of the 2nd call was that it was a very clear and loud connection! We felt so blessed and knew it was a tender mercy from the Lord that we were able to get back in touch with him. (side note: I think this was the first time Seth had ever used a payphone and he told us that he "pushed on a lever and we were gone!" hahaha - I'm just glad he knew how to use the calling card and was able to call us!).
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Ben also wanted to share his thoughts on the Temple this week:
So I had the chance to go to the Temple for Baptisms for the Dead this last week. I showed up early to get my Temple recommend and then we were all off! There was a big difference even as we entered the Parking lot of the Temple. You could really feel the Spirit and right then I thought to myself "This is going to be amazing!" So the youth and I went inside and we showed them our recommends, got the baptismal jump suits and hit the locker room. Then we proceeded to get dressed and walked out to the benches where we waited for everyone else. While waiting there, I felt the Spirit very strongly and I felt constantly touched and I was extremely excited to find out who I was going to be Baptized for! Then the Temple President walked in the room with a big smile beaming from his face and he had a few slips of colored paper in his hands. He looked at each and every one of us and welcomed us to the Temple and held up the pieces of paper and asked who wanted to help a family out and be baptized for their family names . There were 3 separate family packets and the first 2 were picked up almost immediately. Then I had the urge to go for the last one so I raised my hand and got the slips. After that, we all walked out to the Baptistry and took a seat and watched as my fellow peers were baptized. I was very excited and earnest to go, so when it was my turn, I walked up to the font and sat in the chairs designated for those waiting to be next. While sitting there, I prayed that the people that I was going to be Baptized for would be able to witness the whole baptism and that I would be able to feel their presence. After I was done praying, it was my turn to enter the font, so I entered the water honestly thinking to myself that nothing would happen. It was moments after the first name that I felt a presence in the room but I couldn't see anyone. I felt like the people I was being Baptized for were there watching with excitement knowing they were having their work done. It really made me feel happy inside knowing I could do this work for their salvation. It was a great and wonderful experience and I can't wait to go back and do it again.~ Ben
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