2010 Christmas Conference

This picture was taken at the Texas Houston Mission Christmas Conference December 22, 2010.  What an amazing group of modern day Stripling Warriors!

The Christmas Phone Call!

Well, we got to talk to Brian on Christmas Day!  He called at 3:15 pm and we visited for about 45 minutes.  It was so good to hear his voice visit with him.  Anna and Curt, Amy and Brady, Landon and Emily and all the Grandkids were here to talk to him too.  He sounds good and happy.  When he said he needed to "wrap it up" I said. "Brian, I just want you to know....." and he just cut me off before I could start boobin" and he said "Mom! don't even go there!"  He was so darn nice about it, but I was glad that we left on a good note and not all in tears!  He knows me pretty well!

Merry Christmas from Mag Town!

This is the Christmas photo Brian sent from all the elders in his apartment!  Looks like they are having fun!  Mag Town is short for Magnolia, which is where Brian is right now.  Brian is on the far left with his yellow "I Love Science" shirt on!  Don't let the hat, glasses and sweater fool you!

Happy Belated Birthday, Mom!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! i know im one day late but i hope its still all good

i hope you had a great day and dad treated you good haha

That’s awesome Steve and Pam and doing those things.  The senior couples that do those things in our mission are way cool too, the sister that does the cars and things and she is the one that called you my first day i believe, thats the one.

That’s cool you had a Christmas breakfast instead of a dinner, did a lot of people show up???

i dont get to make a pre chrismas phone call but i will be calling you at around 4 or five that night okay??? Sometime around there, i will call the home phone just so you know, you better not be sleeping and miss it!  I cant wait to talk to you all!so around 4 or 5, maybe a little later or a little earlier, just be ready okay?? Hahaha

 okay so the investigator that was getting baptized Jan 1st is actually getting baptized on Christmas in

Salt Lake so we have been calling people up there and making sure it works out.   He is flying up there for the break to have his girlfriends dad baptize him, and we have another baptism planned for the 9th of Jan.  we set that last night. We had dinner with a way cool family last night and reminded me a lot of my parents, they were so cool. All their boys are flying in from college this week and they have a boy that is a senior this year. it was way fun.

well everything is going great so far, don’t forget ill be calling you around that time, just have you cell phone with you all day just to play it safe but im sure ill call on the home phone. 
well i hope you have a great week at school for two days. im looking forward to hearing from you,

 I love you mom and dad

elder schofield

A New Favorite Christmas Picture!

We found this picture this year and immediately fell in love with it!  It was done by Liz Lemon Swindle (I love her stuff!) She says "This young couple would go on to raise the most important and perfect man that has ever lived.  Because of their love as parents, our live have hope and promise."  I don't know that I have ever seen a picture like this with Joseph holding the newborn baby.   It just had such a sweet spirit about it and I wanted to share!  Hope you all have a blessed and wonderful Christmas season and seek the best Christmas Presence!

My Gift To Christ

I've spent more time in the temple
Felt strength come from His words
I've reread November's Ensign
And my testimony stirred
Our family prays more frequently
My tears are quick to run
Abraham seems closer
because
This year I'm giving Christ my son

I wonder how those Lamanite mothers
Gave their sons to war?
Or how the pioneers chose Zion
Their sacrifice was so much more
My loss will be his presence
I'll miss his smile a ton
For two years we will pray for him
I'm giving Christ my son

I stare at his face from long ago
I memorize his eyes, their shine
He's always hungered for the part of him
That makes his soul divine
The stories and lessons he always heard
His choice and mine are one
I'll put my faith in God's hand
This year, I'm giving Him my son

Past gifts have lost their glitter
I think I finally understand
Christ's birth should be celebrated
By giving Him a hand
It's because I know Christ lives and reigns
That all the packing's done
My gift has taken years to make
This year... I'm giving Christ my son

I know there's One who understands,
the sacrifice I'm making
Who knows the gift I willingly give,
the toll it will be taking.
For He has done it all before.
Greater love-there could be none.
For years ago God gave to me,
His only begotten son.

The hands I washed, the hands I held,
the hands I taught to pray;
Now knock on doors to find the ones
who will listen to what he'll say.
Because I know Christ needs him,
until all the gathering's done,
My gift has taken years to make.
This year....I'm giving Christ my son.

Everything's Good...Must Be Busy!

well everything is going good.

another week down,

the family we met is the Berrys. he grew up in Idaho Falls.

yes i got the package will the coat and gloves, very nice, thank you.

i did get a letter from keagan, i need his address so i can write him back.  

we will be going to the houston temple on the 23, Joseph smiths birthday so that will be cool. 

i have been staying in touch with dusty, i got a letter from him the other day, it was nice. well we had our wards Christmas party on saturday night and that was pretty fun,

I’m really looking forward to call home on christmas.

we have another baptisim planned for the 1st of January which is pretty cool.

im glad everything is going good back home.

i love you all and love hearing from you.

 take care

love elder schofield

Website for Great Christmas Ideas!

http://lds.org/topic/christmas/

Enjoying the People in the Area...

hi mom and dad :):)

how is everything going?

okay so this Saturday michille got baptized and then on sunday was confirmed, it was awesome and the her husband has been baptized for about 3 weeks now and he got ordained as a priest yesterday after church. that was awesome. things are going really good right now oh and kathy,the other lady that we baptized on the 20th had an interview yesterday to go and do baptisims at the temple, all three of them are

way solid J

so last night at dinner we went to a family that is really really cool, younger couple, they have 4 kids and the oldest is 15 and all their kids were like you missionaries are actually cool and talk to us, some just sit there all awkward. that was nice to hear. the dad is from idaho falls so we talked a lot. when they took us back we let them come in the apartment and showed the boys around the "pad" of "man cave" he they were asking so many questions about being a missionary. its a good thing the apartment was somewhat clean. yaa the new elder is from logan, he is really new too and is way cool. its permanent now that he is living with us. just cause the other 2 in the other ward are going home this transfer so he is here to learn the area before they leave. he is awesome. elder nielson. 

yes we went to the chapel and watched the Christmas devotional, that was great, it was only us five missionaries and a cool cool couple in our ward. oh we went and did service for an older lady this morning just putting up lights and things, hse reminds me so much of grandma z. her husband died this past year and whenever she talks about him she tears up, she made me tear up this morning, she is sooo soso cool. she says she is our missionary grandma. :):) they served 3 missions and both worked in the temple, she still does and she is fisty and funny just like grandma z J

im starting to love the ward even more. im enjoying it a lot more. its pretty cold here and we can where sweaters so i could really use one for like under my suit coat. can you send one of those too :):) preferbly a black or a gray one?? thanks.

yes I’ll call you. we are going over to the relief society presidents house and she is planning on us to call from there. cant wait. their family is soo soo cool too. she has a son in Argentina. they remind me a lot of you and dad.

dad must be working hard, i love him, i love his letter a couple of weeks ago. i really really did. they are right, when you leave on your mission you appreciate your parents a lot more. i love you guys. well mom and dad, tell everyone hi for me, i love you all and thanks for everything you do. cant wait to talk to you. if you could get those things for christmas or somethings haha hin hint that would me awesome :):) oh sorry about your fall :( your tough tho because your MY mom :) 

love elder SCHOFIELD 

no doubt ;) 

Progress in Magnolia

hi mom :)

thanks for updating me with everything about the wedding and reception. i seriously really really miss you all reading all of that and looking at the pictures. glad it was a good time. im glad caitlin and chelsey were able to come down and help, thats awesome :):)

we did have a baptisim on saturday for kathy and she was confirmed the next day. prettty cool

well you remember michille?, gregs wife?? we are still waiting on the letter from the first presidency to see if she can get baptized. she had surgerey last night for some tumors but she was feeling pretty good about it. greg was still at church which is really good, thats probably why we wanted to still have him baptized even tho michille couldn’t just because with greg being baptized it would motivat michille more and not let her get discouraged, greg is really solid. I’ll send pictures home soon but send that cd first haha.

so a couple days ago me and elder martin we biking around and it was a long bike ride and we stopped at the gas station for a drink and we came out and some kid was sitting in his car and i waved and him and he was like come over here so we went over there and we started talking and was really interested in the church. he is a senior at magnolia west and so i got his number and we will probably call him and hopefully meet up with him tomorrow or something.

i havent got a bike yet, still riding the same one.

this thursday (Thanksgiving) we have the turkey bowl in the morning at the high school staduim and its a big staduim and its the old high school field, they have an even bigger one across the street then breakfast at a family in the ward, really cool family, then we have 3 differnt dinner appointmenst that day so we will be eating good and on wedneday a family has thanksgiving dinner the night before adn we are going there also haha.
so i can call you on the home phone???

tell brady happy birthday hahahahahahahahahaha

i miss and love you all, keep me in your prayers and i love hearing from you all.

elder schofield

More Old Friends Appear!

President and Sister Hansen sent us a copy of the Texas Houston Mission monthly newsletter.  Brian was pictured with a group of new missionaries just starting out and Colton Woodruff (from Castleford then Melba) was in the list of missionaries returning home with honor!  We knew Colton was in Texas but we had forgottend that he was in the exact same mission!!  I hope they get to see each other before he leaves!  We have lots of good memories with the Woodruff family!

HI mom,

thats cool to hear about the boise state games and everything!  you are also correct about the scripture case, just whenever. please send pictuers of the family and everything through the mail. i dont have any!!! lol

so this week was really good. we did the baptisimal interview for greg and michelle and their date is gunna have to be pushed back a couple week casue of some things, it will all be good... but kathy is still good for the 20th, she is solid and will be for her life, her sisters family is all really active and she is really strong with her testimony which is good, she takes notes during our lessons and everything. she is about your age or so.

our ward in magnolia 1st is legit. they are all really cool and the members are really good about helping us and going out to lessons with us. i have a lot to tell you but like my mind goes blank during this time. umm my reading and everything is still going good and everything. we have some more investigators that we are working with so we'll see how they go. 

it made me sad when you told me about the cub scouts and them running around. i loved going out to jeralds and camping before that. good times, ill try to find a bike but we are seriously really busy to go and find one. and i dont have a lot of money. ill see what i can do. maybe ill work part time at mcdonalds hahaha

so are you taking scott to church or is he going by himself?? let me know how its all going with scott

.

send me all the families birthdays please. i guess i need those to say something lol. so are you gunna get a big picture for me for the reception??? haha i say yes.

my comp an are i doing really good, everyone we live with is really cool. im having a good time and staying busy with everything. 

i hope the wedding plans are going good and that its not too big of a stress,, just a little lol

have a great week. thanks for everything!! love you

elder schofield

hey everyone,

things are great here-so here is some stuff we do in the morning..

we go to the gym every morning mon through fri at 5 in the morning for about an hour then come back and get ready for personal and comp study which is 8 to 10.  After that we usually have some places to visit or service for people until lunch then after that we go tracting, have appointments that are already planned, and just work around the area then dinner, then we usually have splits or some more appointments or service. We stay really busy. We had to be in at 7 satruday and sunday night for halloween and stuff cause of crazy people.

my comp is from southern california and we stay with another companionship, both of those are from utah.

my personal study time is a 8 to 9 and its getting better, almost done with the book of mormon and still reading the preach my gospel so im glad we have time like that every morning. 

my mission president and his wife are way cool, very nice and welcoming. we went over to our bishops house for dinner thursday night and their house is huge, like seriously, they have a basketball court in it, a pool and its just huge. he is a little prideful haha i would be too, we went up and played a game of pig before dinner lol he is related to thomas e ricks too so that was kinda cool.

my area is magnolia 1st ward. its a really good ward to be in. we have 3 investigators with baptisimal dates, Greg and Michille Rita are a couple in thir 40s or 30s and they are really solid, their date is november 13 and then we have Kathy Alverado in her 50s. we committed greg and michille and kathy this week and they all seem way excited. they all showed up to church yesterday which is like a really really good thing for investigators that are getting baptized. It was so funny in priesthood, greg stood up to introduce himself, he said "hi im gregg and im gunna be a mormon on the 13th along with my wife" everyone just started to clap, it was cool. im excited for all 3 of them :):) at church someone came up to greg and gave him the employment job services to him cause his wife just lost his job and he was so happy and excited he told me that he should have become a mormon a lot sooner cause he is already seeing the blessings, i just smiled :):) i wil send pictures of them and of kathy.

we have dinner appointments everynight and the one we had last night is a younger couple with 4 boys and the dad served is the same mission as dad, that was cool haha. they were a really cool family.

i love my area, its is so sweet, reminds me a lot of buhl but only like 30 minutes from downtown houston and we go there sometimes for pday. the weather her right now is humid but the last couple days its been just like idaho in the summer, bright and sunny, no humidty and a little breeze but its really humid today cause its going to rain i guess all week. that should be fun. 

we got a 2011 malibu on wednesday but we share the car with the other companionship so we bike one day then have the car.

tell everyone hi like landon and emily, i didnt get a chance to email them this week. tell amy and brady hi and anna and curt, i read curts letter he wrote me the other day, its a very good one, its the one i read in front of you.

  

SEND ME PICTURES in the mail

sorry if i didnt answer everything or what not but know that i love you and i know this church is true. i read my patriatichal blessing every morning and i love it :) nuff said ;) things are going great, tell the whole family hi and tell dad i love him. have a great day :) goodbye

love elder schofield

CrAzY how small the world is!

Brian wrote about his first day out knocking with Elder Martin.  They went to a members home and this nice young mother greeted them and welcomed them in.  She introduced herself to Brian and then said, "Elder Schofield, are you Anna Schofield's brother?"  Brian about choked!  It was Melissa Johnson from Boise!  Our families were in the Married Student Ward together in Boise years (20+) ago!  Melissa and Andrea were good friends with Anna and Amy. Brian was just one year old when we moved to the Magic Valley and Caralee brought her family over the day we moved to tell us good-bye.  We thought that was amazing that Melissa remembered the Schofield name and thought Brian looked like Anna enough to ask her that!  What an amazing world family we live in!  Great to re-connect with the Johnsons!

First Email from the Field!

Hi mom!!!!

its great to hear from you. the first couple of days were kinda hard just because i hadent heard from anyone for awhile but this really helped. i wrote landon today,

so my pdays are on monday an im in Magnolia 1st ward. 

met all the members yesterday and our ward is legit. i met a couple of poeple that grew up in kimberly, that was nice to talk to them. so my language is coming along, haha 

when i first got to magnolia we wnt to the grocery store and over heard this lady on the phone that said "if you see that man on your property again, then you shoot that son of a B**** haha, i was laughing so hard. i was like yup, im in texas lol.

my comp is elder martin from california, we live with another set of missionaries, its pretty sweet, 

the weather is pretty good now but everybody is telling me, :"oh y'all just wait till summer" haha im like of great, 

we go to the gym every morning at 5!! im going to come back buldging, you can tell Wilson that haha :) 

so on saturday we committed two people to be baptised on nove 13, hopefully it works out. our ward is seroisly so cool. they are like so missionary motivated. 

it was so nice to talk to you  from  the airport. thanks for everything mom i love you. tell dad hi and that i love him, i like his hand written letters :):) love you all!!!!!!

A Good Message For All Of Us!

Texas, Our Texas

Ok, so here is the Texas state song....listen to one verse and the chorus here: Texas State Song.  I love it!  It sounds just like something Brian would enjoy!  


Texas, Our Texas! all hail the mighty State!
Texas, Our Texas! so wonderful so great!
Boldest and grandest, withstanding ev'ry test
O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.
(chorus)
Texas, O Texas! your freeborn single star,
Sends out its radiance to nations near and far,
Emblem of Freedom! it set our hearts aglow,
With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious Alamo.
(chorus)
Texas, dear Texas! from tyrant grip now free,
Shines forth in splendor, your star of destiny!
Mother of heroes, we come your children true,
Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our love for you.
Chorus
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.

Houston Texas Temple

"Everything that occurs in the temple is uplifting and ennobling. It speaks of life here and life beyond the grave. It speaks of the importance of the individual as a child of God. It speaks of the importance of the family and the eternity of the marriage relationship."

—Gordon B. Hinckley

This is the Beautiful Houston Texas Temple.  Go to this link to read more about its special history and the importance of temples is our lives.   It was also featured in the September issue of the Ensign in the very center photo along with the article on Preparing for the Blessings of the Temple.  http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/houston/ 

Meeting a Wonderful Mission President!

Sister Hansen and President Todd Hansen are there to greet Brian when he arrives in Houston!  He really likes them and says good things about them.

Special Mom Smiles....

I got a call from Steve and Pam about 6:15pm and they were sitting in the Houston airport!  They were on their way back from a visit to Mexico and they were wondering if Brian had made it yet.  Yes, but just barely!  Sister Walker from the Mission Offices called today about 12:00 today to report that Brian had arrived safely last night and they missionaries had just returned from the Houston Temple.  She said he was a "handsome young man" and they "were excited to get to know him."  They are in for a treat!  I told her to tell Brian "hi" when she saw him and she said "well I'm looking at him right now!"  These are special things that make a mom smile!

Leaving on a Jet Plane.....

Brian called from the MTC (Missionary Boot Camp) and he was at the SLC Airport, on his way to HOUSTON!  He sounded a little nervous and excited at the same time.  We didn't talk long, but he seems anxious to get out there and  get busy!  Lots of prayers today!

Getting Ready to Fly Out!

hi mom, this is my last email here at the mtc!! it went by really really fast which is good. im all packed up and ready to go. i hope everything with you is great. i should be calling around 8 or 9 so you better not be screening your calls. we have a devontional tonite then a meeting with the branch presidency later after that, its only four missionaries left in our district. the others left at 3 this morning to arkansas. they woke us up too!!!!!!! hahaha, i told them to though so we could say goodbye..


ill call you tomm at the airport, im excited and nervous, i sent the SD card today with the package. tell everyone hi,  oh!!! four square is my new favorite sport and when i get back im going to join the 4 square olympic team,, no doubt, it gets intense here during gym lol, those dang 4 square nerds. im now one of them!!!! hahai learned a ton here, 9 hours a day of mission prep, and 10 hours of eating :) great balance huh ;) but i really learned a lot and im excited to go, it went by fast here.
i love you all, thanks for everything MOM.. tell dad hi for me :):):) 

Still Surviving The MTC--Only One More Week to Go!

Well I just got done at the temple this morning and again it was great. I don’t have a lot of time but I want to let you know that I’m doing great and I leave in one week!!!! No doubt. Those Houston people better be ready. I’m seriously so excited to leave and get out there. Mainly because it seems like we march around here all the time and I’m getting bigger ha-ha not fat yet ;) the food is getting old but whatever lol. Well I and my comp are getting along great and when we taught an investigator the other day he was really surprised we were only out for one week. The teaching is going great and I’m learning lots everyday!! We always find fun and creative ways to have fun here :) I’ll tell you that during a letter;) I get a haircut tomorrow. I really need one lol.  Last week went by so fast. They really were right about getting past the first 4 days. Things are great here in the land of the MTC. I’ll call you in the airport next week. I leave Wednesday morning so have your phone!!!! 

 tell landon I’m an expert at this tie trading thing in the dorms. I got some NICE ties, I’ll tell ya what haha well have a nice day, I’ll talk to ya soon, I love the letters ;);) hint hint haha well I gotta go. love you all!!!!

First Letter From The MTC!

Okay so I hope you’re not freaking out because I’m emaling you this late but I’m here!!! So today was my first p-day and we started off by going to the temple this morning. I didn’t really want to go but my companion said that when you don’t feel like going, that that is the best time to go so we went and it was really great to start off the day that way. oh by the way, Provo temple looks like a birthday cake like for real but inside it doesn’t have frosting, haha, oh and you dont need to put everything i say into my blog, such as that ;)


well im just about done with one week at the famous MTC, everyone was right when they said get past the first 4 days and it goes by so fast. me being who i am and always doubting doubted them and went around sad again. like seriously the first 4 days were so up and down moments. At some points during the day i would ask my self why i was even here but then conference weekend came and it helped a lot. Monday and Tuesday have gone by so fast so the other elders were right about it starting to fly by.

on friday night we had a workshop with other elders and sisters but it was just me my companion anthoer set of elders and then a threesome of sisters and we were in our room and we elders started to talk and laugh about some things and the sisters freaked out on us and i could not stop laughing because we were done with our stuff adn ready to leave and then one sister out of the blue asked us elders why we even came and i told her why, like fo real. i told of the promises in my patriarchal blessing and how through my experiences have been promised to find and teach those throughout my life but ESPECIALLY ON MY MISSION. all she said was well nothing, she didnt say anthing after that then later that night apologized but were all good haha.

tell dad i saw two kids i ran against in track, david fillmore from burley won state in the 800 in 4A then trent winegar from weiser, he won state in 3A and my sophmore year and i ran with him my junior year, so we had a really good normal talk so it was really good to talk to them. He left to columbia on monday and it made me think how i was seriously called for a reason to Houston and how it worked for ME. im so freaking excited to get to Houston. Like i start to like it here more but just getting to the field and meeting my mission president and everything. No DOUBT!! haha our district is great and were getting along great.

Thursday night we met our branch president and they came to interview us an then call a district leader. They called me and they could tell i looked worried and shocked but they said that all three of them had the same impression and that it came from God so i guess i will find out haha. It will be fine, cause i have a really good companion, Elder Finnlinson, hard worker but very chill, i like that. we get along really well, he is from oak city utah and were both going to become cowboys we decided in Houston.

I’m getting the lessons down and just knowing things better and mine and Finnlinsons lessons are really good, i feel we are teaching clearly and that they understand what we’re teaching. i know that through the atonement and my testimony of it i can help may to come back to the church or let them know that change is possible, i hope school is going great for you and dad.

:) know i love you all. Elder SCHOFIELD

one more story, remember all this doesn’t need to be on the blog lol. Our first gym time on Thursday we got there and i wore my i love science shirt haha and i didnt wear basketball shoes so i got picked last an i dont know what happened but i couldnt miss like seriously lol. an elder that is going to Ukraine, he is from Katy Texas, played ball with me that day and now im known as general schofield lol.

take care and keep mowing those lawns landon and dad hahahahahahahhahahaha, im sorry thats mean ;)

i love you, signing out from the MTC,,,, this message brought to you by Elder Brian Schofield. sponsored byyyyyyyyy FIGNUGGETS. the treat that you will always love, ( in a nice radio voice) im a fignugget so you have to always love me. haha, im retarted. take care. ill hear from you next week. LOVE YOU ALL :):) GOODBYE

TEXAS DEPUTY SHERIFF vs NEW YORK LAWYER

A lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a sheriff's deputy.

He thinks that he is smarter than the deputy because he is a lawyer from New York

and is certain that he has a better education then any cop from Houston , TX .

He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Texas deputy's expense.

The deputy says, "License and registration, please.."

"What for?" says the lawyer.

The deputy says, "You didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign."

Then the lawyer says, "I slowed down, and no one was coming."

"You still didn't come to a complete stop," says the deputy. "License and registration, please."

The lawyer says, "What's the difference?"

"The difference is you have to come to complete stop, that's the law.

License and registration, please!" the Deputy repeats.

Lawyer says, "If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop,

I'll give you my license and registration; and you give me the ticket.

If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket."

"That sounds fair. Please exit your vehicle, sir," the deputy says.

At this point, the deputy takes out his nightstick and starts

beating the daylights out of the lawyer and says,

"Do you want me to stop, or just slow down?"

God Bless Texas

Brian gets called to Houston AND to Jury Duty!

Brian got his jury duty letter 3 days after he entered the MTC!  

General Conference from the MTC!

Brian had the unique opportunity to listen to General Conference while he was in the Missionary Training Center. I can't wait to hear about how it went! 

Officially a Missionary!

We dropped Brian off at the Provo MTC today at 1:29 pm and was on the road again by 1:31 pm....That was the quickest, hardest, best, most amazing thing I had seen or done! It was so well orchestrated! Brian seemed so ready and so happy. We had a wonderful day together as we sent Brian off to start this new adventure. Two young "New Missionary" Hosts greeted us and eagerly led Brian away to get to work!

Brian Got His Mission Call!

Brian has been anxiously waiting for the big white envelope to come in the mail. When it came, it was the day that he and Landon were to leave for Costa Rica! It came about 10:00 in the morning and Brian called me at work. He said "Mom, I think you want to come home RIGHT NOW!" So I did! Lani was here and the boys were all packed and ready to leave to catch their plane in SLC. We couldn't get the girls and everyone together, so we got Anna and Curt and Brady and Amy all on the phones and he opened his call. It was so exciting to see his face and the expression when he read "Texas Houston Mission". He was thrilled! Chris Harvey was working on the siding on our home and we asked him to come in with us while Brian opened his call. He said that was pretty cool to be a part of...that he had never had a chance to do that before. It was so fun to hear Brian's sister's reactions over the phone! We are one pretty excited family!